Harrison Burton Bio
Harrison Brian Burton (born October 9, 2000) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, driving the No. 24 Toyota GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing. In 2020, he became the first driver born in the 2000s or later to win a NASCAR Xfinity Series race, and in 2024 he became the first to win a NASCAR Cup Series race. He is the son of former NASCAR driver Jeff Burton.
Early Life and Background
Harrison Burton was born on October 9, 2000, in Huntersville, North Carolina. He grew up in a family with deep roots in stock car racing, and that environment shaped his early interest in the sport. His father, Jeff Burton, is a well-known former NASCAR driver, and his uncle, Ward Burton, also built a successful career in the same field. He is also a cousin of current driver Jeb Burton.
Burton received his first go-kart at age two and later moved into a quarter midget at age four. By the time he was eleven, he had earned his first late model pole at Ace Speedway, and at twelve he won two pro late model races. He attended the Cannon School in Concord, North Carolina, and graduated in 2019 before taking a gap semester to focus on his racing career.
Path to NASCAR
Burton first reached a national NASCAR stage through the Camping World Truck Series in 2016, running a single race for Kyle Busch Motorsports at Martinsville Speedway. He continued to develop with KBM over the next several seasons, running a partial Truck Series schedule while also competing in late model events and the ARCA Menards Series. In 2017, he won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East championship, beating Todd Gilliland for the title.
His big break came on April 1, 2019, when Joe Gibbs Racing announced he would drive the team’s No. 18 Toyota Supra in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for a partial schedule. Later that year, JGR named him the full-time driver of the No. 20 Supra for 2020, replacing Christopher Bell. This move launched his rise as one of the most promising young drivers in the sport.
Harrison Burton Career
Early Career (2015-2018)
Burton began his climb through the ranks with quarter midgets, late models, and super late model events in the Carolinas. He made his CARS Super Late Model Tour debut in 2015 and scored his first super late model win at New Smyrna Speedway in early 2015. By 2016, he had moved into the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, becoming the youngest driver ever to start a race in that series.
In 2017, Burton captured the K&N Pro Series East championship with five victories, including rain-shortened wins at Bristol and Memphis. He also ran limited schedules in the Camping World Truck Series and the ARCA Menards Series, laying the groundwork for his step up to the national series. He followed that championship with additional late model titles, including the 2017 World Series of Asphalt Super Late Model Championship.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Breakthrough (2019-2021)
Burton made his Xfinity Series debut in 2019 with Joe Gibbs Racing and impressed enough in eight starts to earn a full-time ride for 2020. On February 29, 2020, he earned his first career Xfinity Series win at Auto Club Speedway, holding off teammate Riley Herbst. That win made him the first driver born in the 2000s to win a national NASCAR race.
Burton added two more regular-season wins in 2020 and qualified for the Xfinity Series playoffs, where he was eliminated after the first round. He closed the year with a dramatic last-corner pass at Texas Motor Speedway and a win at Martinsville in the Draft Top 250. In 2021, he returned to JGR, advanced one round further in the playoffs, and finished eighth in the standings despite going winless.
NASCAR Cup Series Era (2021-2024)
Burton made his Cup Series debut on April 15, 2021, driving the No. 96 Toyota for Gaunt Brothers Racing at Talladega Superspeedway. He became the first driver born in the 2000s to start a Cup Series race. In July 2021, Wood Brothers Racing named him the driver of the No. 21 Ford Mustang for the 2022 season, replacing Matt DiBenedetto.
His first full Cup season in 2022 was highlighted by a third-place finish at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and a tenth-place run at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In 2023, he finished 31st in the standings with only two top-ten results. The 2024 season changed everything when he won the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona by 0.047 seconds over Kyle Busch. That victory earned him a Cup Series playoff berth, marked the 100th Cup win for the Wood Brothers, and was his first win with his father Jeff calling the race from the broadcast booth. He finished 16th in the final standings.
Driving Style and Strengths
Burton has built his reputation as a steady, patient racer with strong superspeedway instincts. His win at Daytona in 2024 showed his comfort in the closing laps of restrictor-plate races, and he has posted some of his best Cup results on drafting tracks. He pairs that race craft with a calm approach, which has helped him grind out top-ten finishes on a variety of track types.
Notable Races and Milestones
Key moments in Burton’s career include his first Xfinity Series win at Auto Club Speedway in 2020, his first Cup Series win at Daytona in 2024, and his 2017 K&N Pro Series East championship. He also co-drove to victory with Zane Smith in the 2023 IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge opener at Daytona. Off the track, he scored the 100th Cup Series win for the Wood Brothers with his 2024 Daytona triumph.
Harrison Burton Career Wins
Harrison Burton has collected wins across several stock car series, beginning in the late model ranks and rising through the ARCA Menards Series East, Xfinity Series, and Cup Series. His breakthrough victories in 2020 and 2024 made him a historic figure in NASCAR.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Highlights
Burton has four Xfinity Series wins. He scored his first at Auto Club Speedway in 2020, then added a late-season win at Texas Motor Speedway and a victory at Martinsville in the Draft Top 250. He is the first driver born in the 2000s or later to win in the series, and he finished the 2020 regular season as a playoff qualifier.
NASCAR Cup Series Highlights
Burton earned his first Cup Series victory at the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona in 2024, beating Kyle Busch by 0.047 seconds. The win locked him into the Cup Series playoffs for the first time, gave the Wood Brothers their 100th Cup victory, and ended a winless streak for the team that dated back to Ryan Blaney’s 2017 win at Pocono. He was eliminated in the Round of 16 and finished 16th in points.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside the national series, Burton has five ARCA Menards Series East wins and three ARCA Menards Series victories, including a superspeedway debut win at Pocono in 2018. He is a former K&N Pro Series East champion, won the 2017 World Series of Asphalt Super Late Model title, and added an IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge win at Daytona in 2023 with Zane Smith.
| Series | Wins | Top Tens | Poles |
|---|---|---|---|
| NASCAR Cup Series | 1 | 6 | 0 |
| NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series | 4 | 60 | 1 |
| NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series | 0 | 18 | 1 |
| ARCA Menards Series | 3 | 15 | 1 |
| ARCA Menards Series East | 5 | 24 | 4 |
Harrison Burton Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Burton comes from one of NASCAR’s most recognized racing families. His father, Jeff Burton, is a former NASCAR driver and current NBC analyst. His uncle, Ward Burton, also had a long NASCAR career, and his cousin Jeb Burton continues to race. Growing up around the sport, Harrison was introduced to racing at a very young age and steadily worked his way up through quarter midgets, late models, and stock cars.
Personal Life
Burton is married to Jenna Petty. He graduated from the Cannon School in Concord, North Carolina, in 2019, and is involved with the Celebratory Cause. He currently stands 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs around 180 pounds. Burton is a native of Huntersville, North Carolina, and remains closely tied to his family and the NASCAR community.
2025 Season Performance
In 2025, Harrison Burton returned to the NASCAR Xfinity Series on a full-time basis with AM Racing, driving the No. 25 Ford Mustang Dark Horse. He stayed consistent throughout the regular season, recording nine top-ten finishes and delivering AM Racing its first playoff appearance. Although he was eliminated from the playoffs at the conclusion of the Round of 12, his season was a clear step forward in his return to the series.
Earlier in 2025, Burton was also announced as a driver for Rick Ware Racing’s No. 51 car in the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro, an invitation he earned through his 2024 Daytona win. He finished twentieth in the exhibition event, but the appearance reflected the momentum from his first Cup Series victory the year before.
Looking ahead, Burton is set to drive the No. 24 Toyota GR Supra for Sam Hunt Racing full-time in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series in 2026. He was also named a reserve driver for Legacy Motor Club in the Cup Series for 2026, keeping him connected to the top level of the sport. With a new team, a strong manufacturer in Toyota, and a refreshed schedule, Burton heads into the next chapter of his career aiming to build on his 2024 Cup breakthrough.
