The Zombie 125 was originally scheduled to run 125 laps. However, due to inclement weather that has plagued Bristol Motor Speedway all weekend long, race No. 3 of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East season was reduced to only 70 laps.
When the call was made to end the race, it was Harrison Burton who landed in Victory Lane. Driving the No. 12 Dex Imaging Toyota, the Huntersville, NC native started on the pole after rain cancelled Friday’s qualifying session and led a total of 68 laps.
In only 17 starts in his career, the 16-year-old earned his first win at the .533-mile paved track. “It’s pretty cool to get your first win in the K&N Series,” Burton said after his win. “We had a pretty rough season last year. It’s really cool to come back this year and have things start to click.”
The wait was worth it for the NASCAR Next driver. “I was excited to come back and get the win,” Burton said. “It was probably something I circled on my calendar for a whole year. I knew we had a strong car the last time we came here. I felt like I was confident here so just excited to get the win for sure. I would have liked to cross the line in dry conditions but I’ll take it. I never wanted it to rain so bad in my life.”
With this win under his belt, Burton has gained confidence for his upcoming starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. “I feel like it increases my confidence,” he said. “I know that I can get it done in a big, heavy stock car. I was pretty confident in the Super Late Model divisions which are light and high horsepower and really fast. I feel like I struggled a little bit last year with the transfer to a K&N car but now I feel like I can go out and run with the best of them.”
After the win in Bristol, Burton currently leads the K&N Pro Series East standings with 129 points. “We want to make sure we don’t count our chickens before the eggs hatch,” Burton said of championship possibilities. “We have to take it one race at a time and go to every race with the mindset of ‘we’re there to win, not have good points days’. It’s such a short season, you really need to perform quickly and go to the racetrack with a high level of performance. It’s important for us to stay aggressive.”
Mexico native Ruben Garcia, Jr. finished second, his best finish in the K&N Series, in the No. 6 Sunoco Toyota. “We’re getting better,” he said. “I know if I keep putting in my effort every time we hit the track, there will be a checkered flag.”
Although Burton was dominant throughout the race, Collin Cabre, who now sits ninth in the standings with 88 points, led two laps. The driver of the No. 2 UTI/NTI Toyota ended the day in Bristol with a sixth-place finish.
There were three cautions for 21 laps and the race took 39 minutes and 19 seconds to run.
The Zombie 125 will air Thursday at 11 PM ET on NBC Sports Network. The K&N Pro Series East division is back in action at South Boston, Va. On May 6.
I didn’t decide I wanted to pursue a career in NASCAR until the summer of 2012. I’m not a wrench head or strong enough for a pit crew so media was the next best thing. At the beginning of 2013, I started going to races and making connections within the sport. I also studied Motorsports Management at Sports Management Worldwide. Although I love what happens on the track, I’ve always been interested in what goes on behind the scenes and I’ve gotten to know many people throughout the radio, TV and digital media world.
While I’m a long time writer, 2015 was my first year actually covering the sport with www.nascarfemale.com . I also became a media correspondent for Raceline. I’ve been able to help the TV show gain recognition on social media. My current goal is to acquire more experience in covering NASCAR and move up the media ladder. Outside of motorsports, I have been an equine-sports statistician for 16 years.
I currently reside in Gillette, WY where I’m still involved with horses. I enjoy riding them, rodeo, swimming, traveling and meeting people.
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