Harrison Burton set to leave AM Racing after joining just about 8 months ago

Harrison Burton is leaving AM Racing after less than a year with the team. The news was conveyed via a post on X by Jayski.

Burton joined AM Racing in late 2024 to drive the team’s main Ford Mustang in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The move came after three years with Wood Brothers Racing in the Cup Series. 2026 will see his departure from the team. The news was confirmed on X by Jayski, who wrote:

"Harrison Burton won't return to AM Racing next year. Both Burton and the team will announce their 2026 plans at a later date."

Jayski

@jayski

Harrison Burton won't return to AM Racing next year. Both Burton and the team will announce their 2026 plans at a later date.

Harrison Burton won his first Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway in 2024 and reached the playoffs for the first time with Wood Brothers Racing. However, his overall results were inconsistent, with finishes of 27th and 31st in his first two seasons.

AM Racing brought him in to help strengthen its Xfinity program. The team had just ended its partnership with Hailie Deegan in mid-2024 and used several fill-in drivers before signing Burton for a full-time role.

As per NASCAR, the deal was seen as a fresh start for both sides. At the time of his signing, Harrison Burton said the team shared his motivation to grow. He called AM Racing a group that wanted to:

“get better and do things the right way.” (NASCAR.com)

In the 2025 Xfinity season, Burton has been steady but hasn’t found victory lane. He sits 12th in the standings with 10 top-10 finishes and two top-fives in 29 races. He has led 31 laps this year and kept a strong average finish of 14.8.

While those are solid numbers, they may not have met the expectations set at the start of the partnership. As per Jayski's tweet, both Burton and AM Racing are keeping their future plans private for now, but more updates are expected soon.

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“I have a sour taste in my mouth from that”: Harrison Burton looks back at his Cup Series exit

Before his departure from AM Racing became public, Harrison Burton spoke about the disappointment he felt after leaving Wood Brothers Racing. In an interview with NASCAR analyst Joseph Srigley ahead of the first playoff race of the season, Burton said he still felt a “sour taste” about how things ended.

Burton made his Cup Series debut in 2021 with Gaunt Brothers Racing, driving the No. 96 Toyota at Talladega. The next year, he joined Wood Brothers Racing full-time in the No. 21 Ford.

Over three seasons, he made 109 starts, earning one win at Daytona in 2024, two top-five finishes, and six top-10s. Despite his win, the team ended its partnership with him after the 2024 season. Talking to Srigley, Harrison Burton said:

“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.”

He also described how tough it was to sit out the Daytona 500 after being replaced adding:

“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.”

Harrison Burton has made it clear that his goal is to return to the Cup Series, but he’s also focused on performing well in Xfinity. He drives the No. 25 Ford for AM Racing this year and has prior experience in the series with Joe Gibbs Racing, where he won four races between 2019 and 2021.