Harrison Burton admits he still has a “sour taste” after Wood Brothers Racing sacked him, shares his thoughts on potential Cup Series return

Syndication: The Indianapolis Star - Source: Imagn
Harrison Burton got candid after Wood Brothers Racing sacked him Source: Imagn

Former Cup Series driver Harrison Burton was recently featured in an interview with NASCAR analyst Joseph Srigley ahead of the first playoff race scheduled for this weekend. During the interaction, Burton opened up about having a 'sour taste' after Wood Brothers Racing ended its ties with him.

Ad

Burton debuted in the Cup Series a few years back in 2021 with Gaunt Brother Racing and drove the #96 Toyota at Talladega Superspeedway. Later in his sophomore year, he landed a full-time seat with Wood Brothers Racing and piloted the #21 Ford. The 24-year-old won the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway last year. Additionally, he has secured two top-five finishes and six top-ten finishes in 109 starts in the series.

Despite winning the Daytona race, the Cup Series team ended its ties with Burton after wrapping up the 2024 season. Following that, Harrison Burton claimed to have a 'sour taste' after leaving Wood Brothers Racing and stated:

Ad
"I've been up front with AM since the beginning, and they want this for me too. It is for me to hopefully wonder and get back to the Cup Series. It wasn't the run I wanted. I have a sour taste in my mouth from that, and I feel like I'm capable." [01:00 onwards]

Reflecting on that, Burton claimed he got hold of the car and began figuring out things, but the team pulled the plug. He further explained:

Ad
"So kind of an awkward taste in my mouth right to leave after winning, and have to watch the Daytona 500 on TV was one of the hardest, probably one of the hardest days of my life. So I'm definitely hungry to get back, but also focused on the now and understanding that I have an amazing opportunity with an amazing group of people in an amazing series."
Ad
Ad

Ahead of the 2025 season, Harrison Burton moved to the Xfinity Series and partnered with AM Racing. He pilots the #25 Ford for the team in the series. Additionally, Burton has prior experience driving in the series. He piloted the #18 and the #20 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing from 2019 to 2021.


Despite a late race spin, Harrison Burton secured his spot in the NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs

After Connor Zilisch secured yet another victory at the Nu Way 200 Sauced by Blues Hog held on Saturday, September 6, 2025, at Gateway, Harrison Burton moved to the 2025 season's playoffs. However, his brother Jeb Burton marred his chances to enter the playoffs after hitting the outside walls.

Ad

Burton began the 160-lap race with a place among the top-ten drivers on the grid. He secured a P6 finish with a best time of 33.06 seconds and a top speed of 136.11 mph. However, he lost his lead in stage one and fell to P15. Following that, he also got involved in an accident, which spun him out after making contact with Brennan Poole over Turn 2.

However, Harrison Burton was able to recover from the accident and finished the main event in P22. Additionally, his brother Jeb was not that lucky and had to retire from the race after sustaining heavy damage to his right front. Following that, the NASCAR reporter revealed the final playoff drivers after the Gateway race.

Ad
"Harrison Burton gets last playoff spot."

Harrison Burton currently ranks 11th in the Xfinity Series points table with 2002 points to his credit. He has secured nine top-tens and two top-fives in 26 starts this season. Notably, the Food City 300 is scheduled for Friday, September 12, 2025, at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Get the latest NASCAR All-Star race news, Xfinity Series updates, breaking news, rumors, and today’s top stories with the latest news on NASCAR.

Quick Links

Edited by Pratham K Sharma
Sportskeeda logo
Close menu
WWE
WWE
NBA
NBA
NFL
NFL
MMA
MMA
Tennis
Tennis
NHL
NHL
Golf
Golf
MLB
MLB
Soccer
Soccer
F1
F1
WNBA
WNBA
down arrow icon
More
Manage notifications