Jeb Burton On Gutting Runner-Up: ‘We Did All We Could’

Jeb Burton (Danny Hansen/Nigel Kinrade Photography)

TALLADEGA, Ala. – The push of a button made all the difference between victory and defeat Saturday for Jeb Burton and the No. 27 Jordan Anderson Racing team.

After a hard-fought Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway, Burton wound up second by a bumper’s width to Austin Hill, with the margin of victory frozen at the moment of caution after a last-lap crash on the back straightaway.

The pair was three-wide with race-long dominator Jesse Love when the yellow flag waved, after Love got into Connor Zilisch racing for the win, spinning Zilisch down the racetrack and head on into the inside SAFER Barrier as a result.

By rule, once the yellow flag waves on the final lap of a race, the field is frozen and NASCAR reviews the freeze-frame video time-stamped with the caution call to determine the winner.

Though Burton – a two-time winner at the 2.66-mile Alabama oval – collected his first top-five finish of the NASCAR Xfinity Series season and second straight top-10, following an eighth-place effort at Rockingham (N.C.) Speedway last weekend, it came with obvious heartache because of how close he was to a needed victory.

After the race, the Halifax, Va. native was understandably dejected.

“I felt like we did everything we could today,” Burton said. “Just frustrated … I feel like when the caution flew, I was ahead of [Hill].”

Despite NASCAR taking an extended review of the race finish before declaring Hill the official winner, Burton still wasn’t satisfied.

“We won the race, and that’s what I saw across my right front. I think I’ve got the best view of it compared to anybody. [NASCAR] needs to go look at it,” Burton stressed. “Every angle I keep seeing, we won the race. Just appreciate my guys. They work really hard. We do a lot with the little team. We’re going to protest if we can protest. We’re going to do whatever the hell we can do, because I think we won this race.”

“We don’t have a lot of chances to win,” Burton added, visibly upset as his voice broke. “That’s what’s frustrating.”

Jeb Burton in action Saturday at Talladega Superspeedway. (Max Corcoran/Race Face Digital photo)

Saturday also marked Burton’s second consecutive top-10 run on a drafting track, paired with a sixth-place result in February’s race at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway.

Yet, as disappointing as it may be to come so close and end up short of victory lane, the runner-up effort is big for the smaller team. These back-to-back top 10 runs are Burton’s first such finishes since Atlanta, ending a skid that included three finishes outside of the top 20.

Adding in five additional points from stages one and two from Saturday, Burton rose to ninth in the Xfinity Series standings, up two spots from where he began the day.

But that didn’t ease the sting of defeat. That won’t ebb for a while.

“[Seeing the finish photos that decided the race] doesn’t make it any better,” Burton said.

Burton and team look to continue their recent momentum and top-10 streak next weekend in the Andy’s Frozen Custard 300 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Race coverage begins at 2 p.m. ET on the CW, the Performance Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, channel 90.