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Emotional Jeb Burton: 'We're going to protest' controversial ending to Talladega Xfinity Series race
Jeb Burton was 0.001 seconds away from winning Saturday's Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway.
When the caution flag flew on the final lap of Saturday's race, Burton was three-wide for the lead with Austin Hill and Jesse Love. All three drivers parked their cars on the frontstretch, hoping their name would be called by NASCAR as the race winner.
After several excruciating minutes of waiting, it was Hill who was declared the victor. Burton, a two-time Talladega winner, was denied a third Talladega triumph by inches.
"We did everything we could today," Burton told CW Sports. "I feel like when the caution flew, I was ahead of the No. 21. Last week at Rockingham, I got pretty screwed on a yellow and put me back a row. Then today, (we) lose the race because of, I'm sure, a timing line."
.@TheCW_Sports shows the camera angles that NASCAR used to determine the winner of this afternoon's race at @TALLADEGA. pic.twitter.com/ohj2oVsB6D
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) April 26, 2025
Burton was able to watch a replay of the final lap while he was being interviewed.
"I don't see the No. 21 ahead of me at all," the 32-year-old driver said. "Right there, you can see my nose is in front of the No. 21. I don't know what we're looking at. That angle right there, we won the race, and that's what I saw across my right-front. I think I got the best view. of it compared to anybody. They need to go look at it. Every angle I keep seeing, we won the race."
"We're going to protest if you can protest, and do whatever the hell we can do, because I think we won this race."
Despite the obvious disappointment of being so close to victory, Burton and the No. 27 team have a reason to keep their heads up. Ten races into the 2025 Xfinity Series season, Burton is ninth in the Xfinity Series standings, 24 points above the playoff cut line.
"We don't have a lot of chances to win," Burton said, getting choked up. "That's what's frustrating."
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