Harrison Burton: A New Chapter with AM Racing

Harrison Burton, a second-generation NASCAR driver, has always had a lot to prove. His social media profile on the platform “X” reads: “Wheelman for AM Racing #SomethingToProve.” The phrase “something to prove” has been a part of his persona for several years, but the AM Racing bit is relatively new, having been added just a couple of months ago.

Burton’s journey is a testament to resilience and determination. Demoted to the NASCAR Xfinity Series for 2025 with little-known AM Racing after three frustrating years in the NASCAR Cup Series with Wood Brothers Racing, Burton is essentially starting over at the age of 24. Despite the change in surroundings, his personal slogan remains unchanged.

“It’s not particular to this year, but it applies well to this year, where you see these people in sports and other areas of life that get written off and they find a way to come back and surprise a lot of people,” said Burton, the son of 21-time NASCAR Cup Series race winner-turned NASCAR on NBC race announcer Jeff Burton. “That type of mindset of having something to prove when you walk into every race track is the right place to be as a competitor. I’ve been really fortunate to talk to a lot of really, really, really good race car drivers over the years, and they’re all not comfortable.”

— Harrison Burton

Burton’s mindset is one of continuous improvement and hunger for success, a trait he shares with many elite drivers. He cites Joey Logano, a three-time Cup Series champion, as an example of someone who approaches every race with the same level of determination. “You talk to Joey Logano, and he feels like he’s racing for his job every time he gets in the race car,” Burton said. “His mindset on that is something that’s stuck out, and I think that applies well to how I want to model myself. All of the elite drivers are that way. I think keeping that hunger is really important.”

Despite his first Cup Series win as a lame-duck driver in the final stretch of his run with the Wood Brothers, Burton still has a lot to prove, both to himself and to those who question his struggles in the Cup Series. He recorded only six top-10 finishes, including just two top-five results, in 108 starts as a full-time driver.

“That’s a good question. It’s not an easy answer,” the second-generation driver said. “Racing is hard that way, where, man, you can look in a million different directions and think it’s this or that, or think it’s yourself or something else. What I’ve always tried to do and what I’ll continue to try to do is just look internally. ‘What could I have done better?’”

— Harrison Burton

Burton’s late-race heroics at Daytona International Speedway in August, where he outdueled two-time series champion Kyle Busch for the victory on the final lap, gave Wood Brothers Racing its long-awaited landmark 100th win in NASCAR’s premier series. However, this victory came too late to salvage his ride with the team. A little less than two months before Burton went to Victory Lane, the Wood Brothers announced that Stewart-Haas Racing driver Josh Berry would replace Burton in the team’s iconic No. 21 Ford for 2025.

The news, though hard for Burton to swallow, served as motivation for him to finish 2024 on a strong note. He not only won at Daytona but also recorded some of his better finishes and qualifying runs in the season’s final weeks. This success fuels Burton’s belief that he can excel in his new gig with a largely unproven team.

Burton’s time in the Xfinity Series, where he drove for Joe Gibbs Racing, seems like a distant memory. He remembers the key moments and certain things about the race cars but doesn’t have a detailed memory bank of his Xfinity experiences. Instead, he draws more from his Cup Series experience and the lessons he learned racing against top competitors for three years. “I know I can do it. I have trophies in my trophy case that say I can do it at this level, and there is comfort in that,” Burton said. “But I think I really draw more from the Cup experience and having raced those guys for three years and gotten better and learned a lot. I’ll try to bring that to the Xfinity Series and maintain that level of attention to detail that it takes to run well.”

After learning he wouldn’t be retained by the Wood Brothers and later receiving a phone call from AM Racing team president Wade Moore about joining the team for 2025, Burton wasn’t initially sold on the idea. The small Statesville, North Carolina-based team had few highlights over its two full seasons of Xfinity competition, including 11 top-10s but no wins and just one top-five finish.

“I didn’t know much about the race team,” Burton said, recalling his initial conversation with Moore. “I knew they had had some ups and downs, but I really didn’t know what to make of it. But when he started talking about the resources we’re going to have and the type of people we’re going to try and go after and that I would be a part of it, all of a sudden it started to grow on me, and I was like, ‘Damn, that sounds really fun. That sounds like something I want to do.’”

— Harrison Burton

Two of AM Racing’s top-10 finishes in the Xfinity Series have come courtesy of Logano, who made three appearances for the organization last season in addition to his job as full-time driver of the No. 22 Team Penske Ford in the Cup Series. Logano, who last season captured his third Cup Series title, has been a quasi-teammate of Burton’s the last three years through the close alliance between the Wood Brothers Racing and Team Penske.

“I got kind of the firsthand account of what happened in all the races, what needs to improve, what he thought they did well, and where the potential was,” Burton said. “He felt like there was potential there. Obviously, when you put Joey Logano in your Xfinity car, you want to win the race, but I think the growth they have shown the last few years is really important – and the commitment to getting better throughout each week and each hiring cycle and getting the right people.”

Since signing with AM Racing in September, Burton has become even more bullish about his decision. “I’ve been going to the shop a lot, and I walk in and have a lot of confidence in the people that are in there,” he said. “So, it’s exciting for me to walk in and feel like we’re going to show up prepared and our guys really care about what they’re doing and the level of detail that it takes to run well at this level.”

The Xfinity Series, though not the Cup Series, is one of the most competitive racing series in the world. Burton understands the detail and preparation required to succeed at this level. “The Xfinity Series is not the Cup Series, but it’s one of the most competitive racing series in the world. Understanding that this isn’t going to be easy, and understanding the detail it takes is awesome to be a part of. And it’s awesome to see that culture getting built, especially in the early stages of the race team.”

Burton is focused on making the most of his opportunity in the Xfinity Series, but he makes no bones about his desire to eventually get back to the Cup Series and be a top performer there. Although somewhat rare, it’s not unprecedented for drivers to move up from the Xfinity Series into a Cup Series ride, fall back to the Xfinity Series for a time, and ultimately return to the Cup Series once they’ve proven themselves.

“That’s what I want to do, and everyone at AM feels the same way,” Burton said. “They want it to be a platform for drivers to grow their careers and move on and do great things.”

— Harrison Burton

Burton’s journey with AM Racing is a story of resilience and determination. His mindset of always having something to prove, coupled with his experience and hunger for success, positions him well to make a significant impact in the Xfinity Series. As he embarks on this new chapter, Burton’s focus on continuous improvement and his unwavering belief in his abilities will be crucial in achieving his goals.