There’s an old saying in racing: “First chances are rare in this sport, and second chances are rarer still.”
So, when a driver’s first golden opportunity falls through, what are they to do?
The only logical answer? Attempt to discredit the aforementioned saying by earning a second chance in whatever racing discipline they compete in.
In 2025, Harrison Burton will try to do just that. The 24-year-old from Huntersville, North Carolina was not resigned by the Wood Brothers following the 2024 season, which completed a tumultuous three-year stretch in which Burton only scored six top-10 finishes in 108 starts.
Comeback Trail
While he did snag the team’s historic 100th victory at Daytona in August, the playoff berth he was awarded felt rather hollow. When the checkered flag flew at Phoenix, Burton has regressed for a third consecutive season, with his average finish dropping a full position from 2023.
With short-track ace Josh Berry being called up to pilot the legendary No. 21 Ford in 2025, Burton was left without a Cup Series ride for the 2025 season. That necessitated a trip down the NASCAR ladder for Burton, who signed with AM Racing for the 2025 Xfinity Series season.
In 2020 and 2021, Burton was one of the best drivers in the Xfinity Series. In 66 combined starts between the two seasons, Burton finished top-10 in 44 races, and top-five in 25 of them. 2020 was his breakout season, as Burton won four races en route to an appearance in the Round of 8.
This time, however, Burton’s Xfinity Series experience will be much different. Rather than driving for a perennial contender in Joe Gibbs Racing, Burton will be tasked with helping AM Racing build its Xfinity Series program, which only has two full-time seasons under its belt.
Growing Pains
Brett Moffitt’s solid 2023 Xfinity Series campaign with the team was promising, but Hailie Deegan’s struggles in 2024 shed light on previously unforeseen issues. All of a sudden, it seemed as if AM’s solid 2023 season was a result of having a champion in Moffitt behind the wheel. A lack of team chemistry and countless mechanical issues plagued the No. 15 team all season. Deegan was out of the car at the end of June, and a host of drivers – including Joey Logano, Berry and Lawless Alan – were tapped to close out a pitiful 2024 campaign.
Burton’s second Xfinity Series stint will be one with multiple agendas at play. Burton’s goal, of course, is to produce results that impress Cup Series team owners enough to sign Burton to a Cup Series deal. AM Racing, meanwhile, knows it will have the services of a Cup Series winner for at least one season, which gives the fledgling organization the opportunity to gain invaluable insight as it seeks to build itws Xfinity Series program.
Burton and the No. 15 team likely won’t be championship contenders in 2025. The stacked rookie class and solid supporting cast of series veterans is much too deep for a team in its third season of Xfinity Series competition to make a run. But if everything comes together, both parties could see their partnership pan out. For Burton, 2025 is the start of his comeback trail as he seeks another Cup Series opportunity. For AM Racing, it’s an opportunity to learn from a driver who has reached the top rung of the NASCAR ladder, and an opportunity for a relatively inexperienced team to grow.
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Why Harrison Burton’s Xfinity Series Tenure With AM Racing Will Be Important