What’s Happening?

Harrison Burton’s future is uncertain. With the recent report that Burton is likely to leave the Wood Brothers at the end of the season, where can Burton slot into after this season is done?

• Harrison Burton has struggled mightily in his time with The Wood Brothers with only 1 top-5 and 5 top-10s in his first 85 races. In 2024, it’s gotten no better as he sits 33rd in points.
• Burton’s Cup Series options might be limited given his performance. However, there could be some interesting opportunities in the lower series for Burton to look at alongside his Cup Series options.
• Fans are not surprised that Burton could move on. However, they are interested to see where he can go next.

Cup Series: Front Row Motorsports

Front Row Motorsports is looking for a new driver in 2024 with Michael McDowell leaving. If Harrison Burton wants to stick with Ford, this might be his best option if it presents itself to him. That is a big if.

Front Row is now a Tier One Ford team, and Harrison Burton has struggled mightily the last couple of years. Bringing in a driver like Burton who hasn’t finished better than 27th in points in 3 seasons makes for a tough sell from a performance standpoint.

Cup Series: Rick Ware Racing

Rick Ware Racing invested in Justin Haley for 2024, and they’re trying to get out of the cellar in the Cup Series. They haven’t improved that much in 2024 so far, but, rebuilds take time. This might be the perfect place for Burton to rebuild his career given that it is a fresh start.

Burton’s performance, once again, is the major detractor. However, changes in scenery often do wonders for race teams.

Cup Series: Kaulig Racing

Kaulig Racing is in a strange place currently. They have two chartered cars but only one full-time driver. Burton brings some funding with him from Dex Imaging, but, is it enough to attract a full-time ride?

That’s tough to say, especially given Kaulig’s alliance with Trackhouse. Maybe Trackhosue could use that car for someone like SVG in 2025, so, Kaulig may not be as open as we think.

Xfinity Series: Joe Gibbs Racing

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Xfinity Series program has multiple drivers in the No. 19 and No. 20 cars. Burton won 4 races with the team in the Xfinity Series in 2020. Why not go back, even on a part-time basis?

This allows Burton to compete for wins, which could be a big help for him. However, it is a step down to the Xfinity Series, which, could be a dealbreaker for Burton if Cup rides are available.

Xfinity Series: RSS Racing

If Burton wants to move down but stay in the Ford camp, maybe RSS Racing could have an open seat. The team shows flashes of winning speed here and there, so, Burton would be stepping into a decent race team. They won one race in 2023 with Aric Almirola.

However, this is not top-tier equipment by any means. Burton wouldn’t be competing for wins every week in all likelihood, which could be a big draw to moving down to the Xfinity Series.

Will Burton stay in the Cup Series or will a lower series call his name? This will be something to watch as Silly Season progresses.