Harrison Burton "Closer" to NASCAR Demotion Amid Rumors of Succeeding Hailie Deegan (2024)

When Harrison Burton jumped from the Xfinity Series to the full-time Cup in 2022, everyone saw it coming. Just 2 years with the team, and he managed to win his maiden Cup Series race. However, before he achieved the 100th win for Wood Brothers Racing, the team decided to look another way for 2025 when it came to who would drive the No. 21 Ford. That was something no one saw coming.

But before Josh Berry takes over for the 23-year-old in 2025, Burton still has the playoffs to contend in. But what next? Is there a chance he will head back to the Xfinity Series? At least, that’s what rumors suggest. The seat he’s potentially looking at? Hailie Deegan‘s at AM Racing. Now Deegan has been a driver who has had her moments, and despite being voted the Truck Series’ Most Popular Driver for three years in a row, her performance in Xfinity was not up to the mark.

It automatically led AM Racing to look another way, following the Tennessee Lottery 250. Since her departure, there has been considerable speculation surrounding the successor for the vacant seat. Thus far, the team employed a rotating driver’s strategy to fulfill the remainder of the season. That’s where Harrison Burton comes in as a potential full-time fit to propel the team’s success.To get to the bottom of this, Dale Earnhardt Jr. called the Daytona winner to his podcast.

On the Dale Jr. Download podcast, Burton discussed his triumphant win and his plans after the season ends. So when Junior asked,“Can you tell us if there is a plan in place or something you’re excited about [for 2025]?” Burton responded, “I think we’re getting closer on that front.”While that was pretty much all the news he could give, considering there has been no official announcement as to where he will land after this year, he did talk about how his team has backed him through this process.

Harrison Burton’s ultimate goal – like most others – is to become a Cup Series champion one day. Although achieving that won’t be possible in 2025, his team is looking for what’s best for him. Notably, there are no seats left in the Cup Series for next season, and AM Racing in the Xfinity Series has a position wide open. Considering that’s the next best thing after the Cup Series, it’s safe to assume that the 23-year-old has given it a thought.

As Harrison explained to Dale Earnhardt Jr., “I’ve got a great management group around me that helps me through all this stuff. I can kind of tell them what I want, what I’m looking for, and they’ve gone and tried to find the best fit.”So, with Burton’s best interests in place, maybe the Xfinity Series becomes his redemption ground. A possible promotion to the Cup Series in 2026 is still in the picture, and his management will do everything to make his dream come true.

In the grand scheme of things, it just might be a good idea to take a step back to catapult his success in due time. After all, his stints in all the series leading up to the top tier are what gave Wood Brothers Racing the confidence to invest in Burton. But now that this chapter is coming to a close, the 23-year-old will depart with a few regrets, as he said so himself. But his Daytona run ensured he wouldn’t be carrying what would’ve been his “biggest regret.”

Harrison Burton wished he’d “done better” for WBR and is hoping for a Cinderella run

Harrison Burton had a brilliant track record during his time in the ARCA series. Then he proved himself in the Xfinity Series, where he bagged 4 wins in his first full-time season in 2020. The following season was not as good, but it was good enough to land him a seat in NASCAR’s top tier. But after spending almost three seasons with Wood Brothers Racing, the team announced in early July that Josh Berry would replace Burton in the No. 21.

Referring to this, Dale Jr asked the 23-year-old,“What was it like – knowing that [Josh Berry’s news] was announced just weeks ago – to go out there and win and prove that you belong in this series?”Harrison Burton responded,

“I never really looked at it that way. I just felt really fortunate to drive this car, to be able to work with the people I’ve worked with.”His win in Daytona came down to the last lap, where he overtook Kyle Bush and defended till the checkered flag. In the process, he gave the team its 100th win, something the Wood Brothers wanted him to do since he was hired, as Burton revealed after the race.

To Dale Jr, he said,“My biggest regret was going to be leaving the Wood Brothers without getting their 100th win. If you have three years to get one of the most historic wins in NASCAR, and you don’t do it, and the next guy comes in and gets the 100th, that would’ve stung.” That said, he still has regrets: “I just feel like, ‘Yes, I have regrets about how things have gone that led up to this moment.’ I wish I could’ve done better, been better in multiple ways.”

Since joining the team in 2022, Harrison Burton raced in 96 events. However, his results aren’t anything to write home about. He’s registered only 1 win, 2 top-5s, and 6 top-10s. His best season-finish was 27th, which came in his first full year racing in the Cup Series. But knowing that he gave the team what they wanted – the 100th win – Burton added, “The win made me feel a lot better, and I feel like I have closure with this whole opportunity.”He may be 34th in the standings, but he’s in the playoffs.“How cool would it be to make some noise there and have a Cinderella run?”

A surprise there could mean he develops better prospects for his future in the Cup Series. That said, where do you think Harrison Burton will end up after this season? Share your thoughts in the comments!