What Would Be Best Ride for Harrison Burton? (2024)

What would be the best ride for Harrison Burton in 2025?

Mark Kristl: Sign a multi-year deal with AM Racing to grow its NASCAR Xfinity Series program. Harrison Burton has more Xfinity wins than Hailie Deegan. He is experienced like Deegan’s predecessor Brett Moffitt and he would remain in the Ford family. Burton is almost 24 years old. He still can have a bright future in NASCAR. Ford ought to entrust he will follow a similar trajectory as Cole Custer. Drop back down to Xfinity, compete for wins, the championship and bolster your NASCAR Cup Series stock and return a better racecar driver. AM would benefit from Burton’s funding and he would help the team grow its program too.

Luken Glover: What a difference a win makes. Before Burton’s Cinderella win at Daytona International Speedway, his options to stay in the Cup Series or even a top ride in the Xfinity Series were few. Now, while he still has work to do this season, the win is hard to ignore. A Cup ride is likely not in the cards given his all-around struggles since joining Wood Brothers Racing, so an Xfinity ride would be the best fit to gain more confidence and experience.

With Joe Gibbs Racing likely having multiple openings next season, plus Burton’s sponsorship money, a potential reunion could be an option. The other team I’d keep an eye on is RSS Racing if Burton stays with Ford. While the team isn’t a weekly contender for wins, it has been making strides, and bringing in Burton could continue to help the team build.

James Krause: The win at Daytona didn’t save Burton from being out of a Cup ride in 2025, but it opens him up to better options in Xfinity. The best available ride for Burton might be with JGR to replace the departing Sheldon Creed as a full-time driver. Then again, there’s a real possibility that Team Penske and Ford will try to retain Burton in their stable. In that case, I wouldn’t be shocked if Penske dips its toes back into the Xfinity waters with a full-time ride for Burton.

Does anyone below the Cup cut line make the playoffs?

Glover: For a driver on the outside looking in to make the playoffs, it’s going to take a win. Could Bubba Wallace or Ross Chastain point their way in? Theoretically, yes. However, that has proven extremely difficult in this format, and being 20+ points behind is a hard gap to bridge. Chris Buescher is also someone who does not make many mistakes and he was a contender for the win until a late incident at Darlington Raceway in the spring.

So if someone wants to spoil the playoff party, they are going to have to earn it by taking the checkered flag in all likelihood. Given the strength of drivers who have already qualified for the playoffs such as Tyler Reddick, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, etc., I don’t see someone winning their way in. If anyone does, look out for Chastain. Chastain should have a win at Darlington by now and he is no stranger to going all out in pressure moments (looking at you, Hail Melon).

Krause: No. While Wallace and Chastain will probably have good pace at Darlington, the odds are going to be in favor of Buescher to pick up the win he was denied in May. Even if Buescher doesn’t win, he’ll likely be at the front and be able to coast into the playoffs on points. Outside of Kyle Busch and former Southern 500 winner Erik Jones, I don’t see anyone needing a win to get in having a shot in normal circ*mstances.

Kristl: No, because Buescher will win. Darlington is the type of race track where experienced drivers flourish and the younger ones don’t see immediate success. Yes, Chase Briscoe has an Xfinity win there, but this is Cup. Busch has been on a resurgence, but still will not sniff victory lane. Wallace, Chastain and others below the cut line might be wise to use some contrarian strategy to have a shot. Otherwise, the playoff field is set.

Will losing one race help Richmond Raceway?

Krause: Attendance-wise, yes. In terms of its on-track product, it actually might hurt it if NASCAR doesn’t find a way to make the Next Gen car better on short tracks. Even before its second date was given to Mexico City, Richmond had the perception of being one of the more lackluster tracks on the schedule in terms of racing. Finishes and drama that we saw from Austin Dillon’s win a few weeks ago will help, but providing a solid race from start to finish should be the goal.

Kristl: Yes, for two reasons. First, it serves as the site of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series regular-season finale. Expect some harder-than-normal racing, desperation and tempers, stress and disappointment in the garage. It also hosts the penultimate race of the Cup Series regular season. Playoffs will be the talking point and if NASCAR keeps the option tire, the playoff picture could be reshaped, hopefully without a driver taking out two others for a controversial win. Add in both events will likely be night races and hopefully the picturesque backdrop will give two exciting races and finishes.

Glover: As a Virginia native, the decision stung a good bit, especially since road course racing has proven little with the Next Gen car to take a date from an oval, especially Richmond. No, Richmond has not put on a barn burner per se, but races have become unique there in recent years between tire strategy and multiple-lane options. That being said, one full weekend could be a good way to bring an extra level of intrigue back to the track. The crowds there have been solid between the two events, so only having one could create an even more packed house. Hopefully, all three series will be in action, unless they spread out the dates for the lower series. Tracks like Pocono Raceway, Michigan International Speedway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway have benefitted from moving to one date, so the same could play out for Richmond.

How will Daniel Dye fare driving for Kaulig Racing in 2025?

Kristl: How many Truck Series wins does Daniel Dye have? Zero. How many ARCA Menards Series wins did he score? One, and he only contended for two to three more. Now, one top five in 40 Truck starts is not screaming promotion. Sure, he’s in the playoffs, but he has the fewest top fives and top 10s of those 10 drivers. Furthermore, other than Shane van Gisbergen’s road course triumphs, Kaulig has not regularly contended for wins this year. The combination of the two will likely make Dye’s 2025 a rough one to endure.

Glover: Dye has been solid in his few starts with Kaulig this season, recording two top 10s and four top 20s in seven races. Expectations would be for him to run 10th to 15th weekly, which seems to be where Kaulig is right now aside from overachieving performances by AJ Allmendinger and van Gisbergen. I don’t expect him to contend for wins at most tracks, but 2025 will be a solid year to continue to get his feet wet in run in the front half of the field.

Krause: He’ll fare well for his first full-time season based on his improvement in the Truck Series and his sporadic starts in Xfinity this season. After three so-so performances in his first starts of the season, Dye notched off a top 10 at Iowa Speedway followed by solid runs at Pocono and Indianapolis Motor Speedway. His accident with Lawless Alan a few weeks ago at Michigan was his first DNF in nine Xfinity starts. Kaulig doesn’t quite have the winning pace it had two or three years ago, but Dye can still shape up to be a constant face in the top 10 or top 15.