Leigh Diffey has quickly become one of the most recognizable voices in NASCAR. The veteran broadcaster transitioned from Formula One and IndyCar to take over NBC’s Cup Series play-by-play role in 2024. He brought a different tone to stock car racing. His enthusiastic, sometimes polarizing style has split fan opinion, but it has also produced some of the most memorable soundbites in recent years. Now, as the sport gears up for one of its biggest races at Daytona, Diffey’s iconic call is once again echoing through the fanbase.

The NASCAR race in question has been the 2024 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway. On one side of the broadcast booth sat Jeff Burton, a 21-time Cup Series race winner turned NBC analyst. On the track was his 23-year-old son, Harrison Burton.

Harrison was still searching for his first career Cup victory after joining the Wood Brothers in 2022. Under immense pressure, Daytona presented a pivotal opportunity for the young lad. When the closing laps tightened into chaos, the storyline of a father in the booth watching his son fight for a win created one of the most dramatic setups in recent NASCAR history. The only thing missing was a call worthy of the moment. Something that Diffey delivered in spades.

On August 24, 2024, the NASCAR race ended with Harrison Burton charging to the finish line and securing his breakthrough Cup win. The victory also marked the 100th triumph for the storied Wood Brothers team. In the booth, Diffey captured the gravity of the moment with a line that instantly entered NASCAR lore.

“Jeff, your little boy has done it!” The words hit hard as Jeff Burton raised his fist in triumph while still on the broadcast. Fans later called it one of the best race finishes and calls of the season, cementing Diffey’s first year in the role with a memory that would play for years to come.

This week, Diffey reminded the NASCAR world of that unforgettable NASCAR race. Posting on social media, he shared, “It’s that time again! What an incredible experience at Daytona last year. Sitting beside Jeff Burton and sharing this incredible moment when his son Harrison won was a lifetime moment and memory!”

The callback sent fans into a frenzy. Many replayed the final laps and praised the call. Nearly a year later, the sight of a father watching his son win continues to stir the community. As Daytona approaches once more, that clip is finding its way back into NASCAR conversations, proving that the call remains just as powerful as the night it was made.

Fans reminisce Diffey’s iconic NASCAR race call

For many fans, the moment needs no explanation. The instant Harrison Burton crossed the line, Diffey’s words became part of NASCAR history. One fan put it perfectly. “JEFF YOUR LITTLE BOY HAS DONE IT!” Absolute classic call. This reaction shows how deeply the call has embedded itself in NASCAR history, joining the list of legendary broadcast moments that define great races for generations.

Of course, not every fan remembered the moment with joy. For supporters of Kyle Busch, the finish carried more sting than celebration. One response summed it up. “Bro stop you just giving me ptsd from that as a Kyle fan 😭.” This tongue-in-cheek reaction highlights the other side of such a historic NASCAR race. While Harrison’s fanbase was overjoyed with his reactions, another fanbase feels the heartbreak. It proves the call was so powerful that even those on the losing end cannot ignore it.

Others turned their attention to Diffey himself. A fan who has followed the sport for decades tweeted. “What a great call by @leighdiffey 👏 As a fan for over 30+ years, I’m very thankful we get to have the Man himself narrate our sport each season 🙌 … The play-by-play calls feel important, big, calculated & breathtaking. You make the sport better 🫡.” For longtime viewers, this was more than one finish. It was proof that Diffey’s voice has added a fresh sense of scale and energy to every NASCAR race he calls.

Some replies looked to the future instead of the past. One comment read, “And you’re about to make another amazing memory hopefully, this place is different!!!!” That reaction captures the aura of Daytona itself. Fans know the track has a history of delivering moments that feel bigger than the sport, and Diffey’s call of Burton’s win only heightened that reputation. The tweet brought back the memory, but it also built excitement for what might come next.

Then there were the more creative ideas. One fan suggested a way to make the moment permanent. “Should have a QR code placed below it when you hang it, which will pull up the audio from the epic call at the finish of the race.” This is half a joke and half a reminder that fans want to relive the emotion exactly as it happened. The sound of Diffey’s voice that night has become inseparable from the race itself.

Taken together, these reactions show why the moment has lasted. For some, it is pure nostalgia. For others, it is a painful memory, a reminder of how rivalries cut both ways, or proof of how much a broadcaster can shape the way a NASCAR race feels. Nearly a year later, the finish still sparks conversation, and Diffey’s call continues to carry the emotion that first made it special.