WATCH: Noah Gragson and Harrison Burton Trade Punches After Intense NASCAR Xfinity Race at Kentucky
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The sport of NASCAR is intense and involves physicality off the track as much as it does on the track. And jogging down the memory lane of the 2020 NASCAR season, the confrontation between Xfinity Series racers Noah Gragson and Harrison Burton was surely one of them.
Many drivers in the past have strode out past their crew members, trying to restrain them and going to angrily face their rivals. But after the incident, drivers generally realize what they did. And whether they were justified to get into fights and arguments as such.
Both Noah and Gragson felt similarly after the 2020 Alsco 300, and visuals suggested it would be nothing more than a heated argument. However, merely seconds later, it turned into a brawl with officials coming to the scene to separate the pair.
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Noah Gragson landed the first punch after Burton pushed him twice
Much like any physical confrontations in NASCAR, it all started off on the track during the Xfinity Series race at Kentucky Speedway on July 10, 2020. With just about 13 laps to go in the race, an on-track incident between the two became the core reason for the fight.
Attempting to pass his rival, Gragson hit the rear of Burton’s Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. And following the impact of that collision, both cars hit the outside wall and suffered a significant amount of damage.
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EssentiallySports gives you the power to decide who drives the #14 on 20th AprilMemorable Moments of the 2020 NASCAR Season.
No. 18: Noah Gragson and Harrison Burton scuffled following Kentucky. It wasn’t the best fight we’ve seen, but it showed the emotion (and frustration) of young drivers trying to prove themselves. pic.twitter.com/iA15qtWDBD
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) December 3, 2020
Burton had at the time stated after the race, “Moving on, I don’t expect to race Noah any differently than anyone else just because I race everyone as hard as I can. I’m trying to just race everyone the same and hopefully, I get that same respect back.”
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Both drivers finished down the final order in the NASCAR Xfinity race
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Following that incident, it spoiled either driver’s prospects of finishing in the Top-5. While Gragson ended the race in 7th, Burton limped across the finish line in 12th place.
In hindsight, it probably seems like it was nothing more than a ‘heat-of-the-moment’ incident. Both racing drivers will have undoubtedly learned from the experience.
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“You Have to Enjoy it”: NASCAR Xfinity Driver Harrison Burton on Fight with Noah Gragson