Harrison Burton Eyes Playoff Surge at Kansas Speedway

Harrison Burton is set to take on the Kansas Lottery 300 at Kansas Speedway, aiming to propel AM Racing deeper into the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs. The Harrison Burton Kansas Speedway preview comes as the young driver and his team continue to break new ground together in their third season.

Burton’s New Chapter with AM Racing and Ford

Next year, AM Racing will embark on its third full-time season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, having announced Harrison Burton as its full-time driver for 2025. The partnership solidified in September 2024, with the team bringing on the NASCAR Cup Series winner to pilot the No. 25 Ford Mustang, beginning with the season-opener at Daytona International Speedway in February 2025. Burton, who hails from Huntersville, North Carolina, maintains his connection to Ford, a relationship he has carried through the upper ranks of stock car racing.

Burton, 24, joins AM Racing after competing in 108 races for Wood Brothers Racing in the Cup Series, gaining substantial experience at NASCAR’s highest level. His return to the Xfinity Series not only reunites him with familiar competition but also positions him as a key player in AM Racing’s future plans.

Key Sponsorships Bolster Kansas Weekend

AirBox, a longstanding partner of AM Racing, is increasing its support this weekend by serving as the primary sponsor for the No. 25 Ford Mustang during the Kansas Lottery 300. The North Carolina-based company, recognized as an industry leader in commercial indoor air quality (IAQ) solutions, specializes in advanced air purification and energy-saving ventilation technologies. AirBox’s High-Volume Air Purifiers are built in North Carolina and integrate Certified HEPA and Advanced Molecular Adsorbent technologies, backed by expert engineering and analytical science.

This event marks the sixth and final appearance of AirBox as the primary sponsor on the No. 25 this season, having previously supported the team at high-profile events at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, Sonoma Raceway, Watkins Glen International, Portland International Raceway, and Bristol Motor Speedway earlier in the year. The partnership underscores AirBox’s commitment to health, wellness, and support of innovative teams in motorsports.

Securing a Spot in the Playoffs

Harrison Burton and AM Racing clinched their spot in the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs by securing the 12th and final berth for the seven-race championship shootout, following a strong finish at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois. Entering Kansas, the second event in the Round of 12, Burton is seeded fifth in the Playoff standings, maintaining a nine-point cushion over the elimination line currently held by Taylor Gray.

The Playoff push began at Bristol Motor Speedway and continues at Kansas Speedway this weekend, with the round concluding at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL. Regardless of the outcome across seven Playoff races, AM Racing is guaranteed a Top-12 finish in the final points, marking the organization’s first appearance in the postseason since launching its full-time Xfinity Series effort in 2023. This milestone highlights the rapid progression of both team and driver into championship contention among NASCAR’s elite.

Performance and Experience at Kansas Speedway

The Kansas Lottery 300 marks Burton’s fifth start at the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway in the Xfinity Series. Across his prior four starts, he achieved a top-five and top-10 finish, with his best performance being a third-place showing in the 2020 Kansas Lottery 250. On average, Burton’s finishes at Kansas in Xfinity have hovered around 20.5.

Beyond his Xfinity resume, the Huntersville native has taken on Kansas in the Cup Series six times, with a best result of 21st during the 2022 AdventHealth 400 while driving for Wood Brothers Racing. His experience also extends to the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, where he has made a single start at the venue, further refining his skills on the high-speed oval. These cumulative experiences position Burton as a seasoned competitor at the popular Midwest raceway.

Career Achievements in Xfinity and Beyond

Accumulating 102 career Xfinity Series starts before Kansas, Burton enters with impressive numbers: four wins, 28 top-five and 59 top-10 finishes, including eighth-place championship results in both 2020 and 2021. All of his Xfinity victories came during his breakout season in 2020, when he earned checkered flags at prominent tracks such as Auto Club Speedway, Homestead-Miami Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, and Martinsville Speedway.

His consistency is further reflected by a career average finish of 12.5 in four years of Xfinity Series action. Beyond Xfinity, Burton has 109 Cup Series starts, 40 Truck Series entries, and 52 appearances in ARCA Menards Series competition, demonstrating both breadth and depth in the NASCAR world. As the son of former NASCAR driver and current TV analyst Jeff Burton, Harrison continues to establish his own legacy within one of racing’s respected families.

AM Racing’s Track Record on Intermediate Ovals

The Kansas Lottery 300 will be the third and fourth time AM Racing competes at Kansas Speedway in the Xfinity Series, building on its brief history at the venue. The team’s best result at Kansas came in 2023 when Brett Moffitt finished seventh after starting 10th, highlighting the competitiveness of the Statesville, North Carolina-based group.

On tracks longer than a mile, AM Racing has amassed 43 Xfinity Series starts, notching one top-five and eight top-10 finishes, with an average finish of 19.2. Their record at Kansas specifically includes an average result of 20.0 in the Xfinity Series, and in 19 ARCA Menards Series visits to Kansas, the team posted one top-five and eight top-10s, demonstrating a consistent presence on intermediate circuits.

Strong Start to the Playoff Push at Bristol

The team’s Playoff journey kicked off at Bristol Motor Speedway, where Burton and AM Racing aimed to leave the “World’s Fastest Half Mile” with a solid points haul. The effort started brightly, with Burton securing seventh-quickest laps in both practice and qualifying, setting the stage for a promising night under the lights.

Demonstrating strategy and speed in the race, the No. 25 AirBox Ford Mustang battled for stage points early, netting a third-place finish in Stage 1. After a pit stop shuffled him back, Burton methodically worked forward, rejoining the top-10 before narrowly escaping a major incident in the closing stages. He finished seventh, marking his 10th top-10 of the season and setting a new single-season record for AM Racing in the Xfinity Series.

Gratitude for Team Partners and Crew Leadership

As the 2025 season passes the 80 percent completion mark, AM Racing and Burton extend thanks to their numerous partners, including AIRBOX Air Purifier, Blue Wolf Cleaner & Degreasers, Dead On Tools, DEX Imaging, Eagle Rentals, Flying Circle, Mechanix Wear, Morton Buildings, Racing Radios, Volt Batteries, and WIX Filters. Their support plays a crucial role in maintaining the team’s momentum through a demanding campaign.

Veteran race engineer and former driver Danny Efland serves as Burton’s crew chief, bringing experience from 31 prior Xfinity Series starts. Kansas marks his first race at the track as a crew chief, adding to his portfolio that includes a pole, three top-five, and 11 top-10 finishes as a leader on the pit box.

Driver’s Perspective: Quoteboard from Harrison Burton

Reflecting on the Kansas challenge, Burton shared,

The AM Racing guys have been bringing me fast Ford Mustangs, and if we can execute the way we know we can, I feel like Kansas is a place where we can come out of there with a really strong result.

– Harrison Burton, Driver

On what it takes to succeed at Kansas, he emphasized,

If we can execute on pit road, stay ahead of the balance, and put ourselves in the right lane at the right time, I think we’ll have a great chance to be in the mix at the end.

– Harrison Burton, Driver

Speaking about the stakes of this Playoff round, Burton added,

If we can do that, we’ll keep control of our Playoff destiny heading into the ROVAL.

– Harrison Burton, Driver

Discussing what it means to reach the Playoffs with AM Racing, Burton said,

Now the goal is to keep building on this and show what we’re capable of over these next seven weeks.

– Harrison Burton, Driver

Finally, reflecting on the Bristol performance, he concluded,

Avoiding that late accident was huge, and to come away with another top-10 and set a new team record means a lot. It’s the kind of consistency we need to carry through the Playoffs.

– Harrison Burton, Driver

What Lies Ahead: Kansas Lottery 300 and the Road Forward

The Kansas Lottery 300, spanning 200 laps and 300 miles, stands as the 28th event on a packed 33-race Xfinity Series calendar. Group practice kicks off on September 27, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. CT, with qualifying set for 10:35 a.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag soon after 3:00 p.m. CT, with live coverage provided by The CW Network and Motor Racing outlets.

With momentum from Bristol and a Playoff berth on the line, Harrison Burton and AM Racing approach Kansas Speedway with determination, backed by partners and a driven crew chief in Danny Efland. Their campaign exemplifies the focus and intensity needed to climb the standings, and the upcoming race will test their ability to adapt, execute, and capitalize on every opportunity. The Harrison Burton Kansas Speedway preview captures a team at a turning point—aiming not merely to participate, but to forge onward as genuine Playoff contenders.

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