Harrison Burton, aiming to rejuvenate his racing trajectory, is set to kick off his 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series playoff campaign at Bristol Motor Speedway after concluding his Cup Series stint. With the Harrison Burton NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs now in focus, the 24-year-old from North Carolina will attempt to leverage his prior top-level experience and guide AM Racing through a season-defining postseason.
Transitioning from Cup Series to Xfinity Playoffs
Just a year prior, Burton entered Bristol Motor Speedway as a contender in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, facing elimination in a high-stakes environment. Fast forward to this week, and he returns to Bristol, but now with his sights fixed on beginning a fresh chapter within the Xfinity Series postseason. The shift represents a sharp reversal for Burton, who parted ways with Wood Brothers Racing following the 2024 season, ending a challenging multi-year run that included both frustration and flashes of promise—such as his win in the 2024 Coke Zero Sugar 400.
His move to AM Racing comes at a pivotal time for both driver and team. AM Racing, coming off a disappointing 2024 and parting with former full-time driver Hailie Deegan midseason, cycled through several driver lineups before securing Burton for the forthcoming campaign. The partnership seeks to revitalize an organization striving for relevance and consistency in the Xfinity Series paddock.
Building Stability and Chasing Postseason Glory
Since joining AM Racing, Burton has provided the team with a renewed sense of direction, stability, and competitive pace in 2025. After a hard-fought push throughout the season, Burton and the No. 15 crew succeeded in locking down a postseason berth. As the playoffs begin, he will draw upon his experience from last year’s Cup Series playoff run, hoping to guide AM Racing into a deep postseason, akin to the Cinderella stories seen in college basketball tournaments.
“I think, just in general having experience in the Cup Series and in the playoffs in the Cup Series is huge,”
Burton said during Xfinity Series playoff media day on Tuesday.
“You kind of understand the level of competitiveness that you have to bring and the level of detail that you have to bring to succeed. Our (Cup Series) playoffs last year (were) frustrating. We had a mechanical failure. We had a tire blown and we got crashed on the last lap, so three things that you don’t really have on your bingo card to take you out took us out. You learn from that and grow from that in the best way possible, and that is just controlling what you can control.”
—Harrison Burton, Driver
The challenges Burton encountered in the 2024 Cup Series playoffs included a mechanical setback, a blown tire, and a last-lap crash, all of which ended his chase for advancement. Learning from those letdowns, he now prioritizes focusing solely on the elements within his control as he faces the Xfinity playoffs.
Experience Through Years of Playoff Pressure
Throughout his career, Burton has become accustomed to the stakes of NASCAR’s postseason system. Competing for an Xfinity Series championship in 2020 and 2021 and hovering near the playoff line since the season opener in Daytona, Burton’s current battle-worn approach could benefit the embattled No. 15 team. Their perseverance since February stands as a testament to their resilience and may become their greatest asset during the playoffs.
“I feel like we’ve been in the playoffs for 10 weeks now,”
Burton said.
“Every race mattered. Every result mattered. There is some momentum in that. There is some benefit in that just because we’re used to it. We’ve been in that fire for the last 10 weeks, and (we’ve been) able to come out (of) the other side victorious as far as making the playoffs. Now, we have to go and understand that it’s gonna get even harder every single round, so we have to go and be more and more aggressive.”
—Harrison Burton, Driver
Burton’s comments reflect the intensity and cumulative pressure endured by himself and AM Racing in the weeks leading up to the playoffs, underscoring the significance of momentum and mental fortitude as they enter each successive elimination round.
Facing an Uphill Playoff Battle at Bristol
Heading into Friday’s Xfinity Series playoff opener at Bristol, Burton starts 11th on the 12-driver playoff grid, trailing Taylor Gray by three points for the last transfer spot into the next round. The narrow gap underscores the challenge Burton and his Huntersville-based team must overcome. Drawing from the legacies of NASCAR notables like Hall of Famer Mark Martin, whose roots are intertwined with the region, Burton’s ability to compete under pressure will be tested as the field narrows with each event.
Pursuing Redemption and Resurgence
Burton’s journey—from his departure at the Wood Brothers, through the challenges faced by both AM Racing and himself, to his current Xfinity Series playoff bid—demonstrates a story of persistence in the face of adversity. With a background that includes brushes with championship contention and a recent taste of Cup Series playoff hardships, he enters the current postseason with sharpened resolve. Should he and AM Racing find postseason success, it could serve as a defining moment for both the organization and Burton’s career, signifying a return to competitive stature and possibly inspiring similar revivals across the NASCAR landscape.
