Harrison Burton winning last weekend's race at Daytona put him into the playoffs for the first time. This finish also led to a surprising moment for a two-time champion.
"Not many times in my career can I say I was brought to tears of joy for watching someone else win," Joey Logano said about Burton's win. "And actually seeing that last week and seeing Jeff (Burton) in there with him, that was one of the coolest things I've seen in our sport."
Logano has spent countless hours with Burton. Wood Brothers Racing and Team Penske have an alliance, Burton is essentially teammates with Ryan Blaney, Austin Cindric, and Logano.
.@joeylogano looks so proud of you, @HBurtonRacing. 🥹 pic.twitter.com/JC8MzbwM0C
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 27, 2024
The drivers in these two organizations have a kinship built from their time pursuing the common goal of winning. This became evident after Burton's first career Cup Series win as all of the Team Penske drivers headed out to victory lane to congratulate him and the No. 21 team.
Logano, in particular, has only gained more appreciation for Burton the person over the years working with the North Carolina native.
"I'd say, as a person probably what stands out the most to me about his character throughout the last three years," Logano said. "I get to witness it firsthand, not many people get to see that. I sit next to him on the airplane when we get done with every race -- if we're not driving like this weekend -- but most of the time I sit next to him.
"There's a lot of emotions after a race. Typically I have a hard time dealing with a lot of them, trying to get over it quickly. He always seems to have an upbeat attitude. It always impresses me. He's happy. I'm sure it affects him."
It's not easy to be in a good mood after a difficult finish to a race. Yet, Logano sees how Burton's positive attitude helps the entire No. 21 team move forward and prepare for the next event on the schedule. The group isn't looking back and thinking about missed opportunities.
"He just has a way of dealing with these things really, really well," Logano said. "He really lets that attitude go through his whole team."
Burton's future in NASCAR remains uncertain. He already knows that he will not return to Wood Brothers Racing next season, and he has not announced plans for 2025.
This finish at Daytona should help Burton secure another ride in one of NASCAR's national series. After all, it showed that he could win at the highest level of the sport.
Regardless of where Burton lands, Logano knows that the 23-year-old driver will be able to have a positive impact on his team and competitors alike.