● Junior Journey: AM Racing will embark on its junior year journey in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2025 with driver Harrison Burton for the entire 33-race tour, continuing with Friday night's running of the Food City 300 at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.
● Future Focused: In September 2024, AM Racing announced that NASCAR Cup Series winner Harrison Burton would join the family-owned operation to pilot the team's No. 25 Ford Mustang, beginning with the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season-opener from Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on February 15, 2025.
Burton, a native of Huntersville, N.C., has been a staple in the NASCAR Cup Series for the past three seasons but will embrace a return to the NASCAR Xfinity Series and continue his relationship as a driver of the Ford blue oval.
Burton, 24, arrives on the scene at AM Racing after a 108-race stint driving for the historic Wood Brothers Racing team.
● Welcome Back, AirBox!: Long-time AM Racing partner AirBox will increase its partnership with Harrison Burton and AM Racing and serve as the team's primary partner for the series' return to Bristol Motor Speedway for the second time during the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series season.
Founded in 2017, AirBox, the industry leader in commercial indoor air quality (IAQ) solutions, is delivering healthier indoor environments through advanced air purification.
AirBox specializes in implementing ASHRAE's performance-based ventilation (IAQP), enabling clients to achieve significant energy savings while meeting high standards for occupant health and wellness.
Their High-Volume Air Purifiers (HVPs), manufactured in North Carolina, combine Certified HEPA and Advanced Molecular Adsorbent technologies with IAQ Verification Testing and expert engineering and analytical science support to provide a turnkey approach.
With a proven track record and unmatched expertise, AirBox continues to lead the way in creating safer, healthier indoor environments for all.
The 27th race of the season marks the fifth time AirBox has held the primary role with the family-owned team this season.
In addition to Bristol Motor Speedway, their livery was showcased at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in June, followed by Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway, Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International last month and most recently the road course race at Portland International Raceway on August 30.
● Welcome to the Xfinity Series Playoffs!: With their finish in last Saturday night's NASCAR Xfinity Series race at World Wide Technology (Ill.) Raceway, Harrison Burton and AM Racing secured the final berth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs, clinching the 12th and last remaining spot for the seven-race dash to the Championship 4 at Phoenix (Ariz.) Raceway in early November.
Burton held strong under pressure, fending off late challenges from his cousin Jeb Burton as well as Xfinity Series contenders William Sawalich and Christian Eckes -- each of whom was eager to shake up the Playoff grid.
Heading to the Round of 12 opener in Thunder Valley, Burton is seeded 11th in the Playoff standings, just three points below the cutline in eighth, currently occupied by Taylor Gray.
The opening round of the Xfinity Series Playoffs consists of The Last Great Colosseum at Bristol, two weeks at Kansas Speedway and the final road course event of the year at the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway ROVAL on Saturday, October 4.
No matter what unfolds over the seven-race Playoff stretch to the checkered flag in November, Burton is locked into a top-12 finish in the championship standings.
After the completion of all 33 events on the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule, the AM Racing driver will stand no worse than 12th in the final points.
This marks the first time AM Racing has advanced into the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs. The organization launched its full-time Xfinity Series program in 2023 and, in just its third season of competition, has earned the opportunity to contend for a championship.
● Double Duty: It's a busy weekend for Harrison Burton. No, he won't be behind the wheel in Saturday night's NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Instead, Burton is heading back to his short-track roots, set to compete in the zMAX CARS Tour Late Model Stock Car event at South Boston (Va.) Speedway on Saturday night.
He'll pilot the No. 51 Ford for Rick Ware Racing, returning to the series where he's already left his mark.
Burton is no stranger to success in the CARS Tour, claiming victory in the 2017 season opener at Concord Speedway while driving the No. 12 DEX Imaging Toyota.
Now, with additional experience across NASCAR's top three national series, Burton is eager to showcase his skills in a high-profile Late Model showdown.
Earlier this season, Burton, 24, reunited with Rick Ware Racing to compete in the 2025 NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro (N.C.) Speedway.
He earned eligibility for the prestigious event after capturing his first NASCAR Cup Series victory at Daytona International Speedway in August 2024 -- a landmark triumph that also delivered Wood Brothers Racing their milestone 100th win.
● Harrison Burton NASCAR Xfinity Series Bristol Motor Speedway Stats: Friday night's Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway marks Burton's sixth Xfinity Series start at the "World's Fastest Half-Mile."
Burton has delivered two top-five and four top-10 finishes in his previous five starts.
He earned a track-best of fourth twice, most recently in the fall 2020 edition of the Food City 300 after starting sixth for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Additionally, Burton carries an average Xfinity track finish of 10.2.
Earlier this season, Burton qualified his No. 25 DEX Imaging Ford Mustang 10th for the Sci-Apps 300 but experienced a flat tire in the opening laps of the race, forcing the team to make an unscheduled pit stop.
Strategy never worked in the team's favor to recover, and they left the 0.533-mile oval with a frustrating 26th-place finish.
Also, the Huntersville, N.C. native has four NASCAR Cup Series starts at Bristol, delivering a track-best of 16th after starting 27th in the 2022 edition of the BASS Pro Shops NRA Night Race, driving for Wood Brothers Racing.
Burton, the second-generation racer, also has two NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts at Bristol Motor Speedway.
● Harrison Burton NASCAR Xfinity Series Career Stats: Entering Bristol, Burton has 101 career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts to his credit with four wins, 28 top-five and 58 top-10 finishes, and a championship-best result of eighth, twice in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
Burton's four wins in the NASCAR Xfinity Series occurred during the 2020 season. Burton, the son of former NASCAR driver and current television analyst Jeff Burton, captured the checkered flag at Auto Club (Calif.) Speedway, Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, respectively.
Burton maintains a solid Xfinity Series average finishing position of 12.5 in four years of competition.
In addition to the 100 Xfinity Series starts, he has achieved 109 NASCAR Cup Series starts, 40 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN® Truck Series starts and 52 career starts across the ARCA Menards Series platforms.
● World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway | Nu Way 200 Sauced by Blues Hog Race Recap: The NASCAR Xfinity Series journeyed to World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Ill., for its regular-season finale -- a pivotal night contested within sight of the iconic Gateway Arch.
For Harrison Burton and the AM Racing team, the mission was clear: secure a berth in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs.
After struggling with the balance of their No. 25 DEX Imaging | Dead On Tools Ford Mustang during Friday's practice, the team rebounded in qualifying, posting the sixth-quickest lap overall.
When the green flag waved, Burton worked to maintain a top-10 pace, but handling issues saw him slip back through the field, clinging to a top-20 effort at the conclusion of Stage 1.
Through the middle stages of the race, Burton managed the ill-handling Mustang and kept his cousin, Jeb Burton, within sight -- a key benchmark in protecting his margin for the final Playoff spot.
That battle shifted dramatically when Jeb Burton suffered a tire failure and made contact with the wall, ending his Playoff hopes.
Harrison Burton was collected in the ensuing caution after another competitor spun him.
Fortunately, his Ford Mustang avoided serious damage. Despite restarting on scuffed tires, Burton methodically worked his way back through the pack, ultimately bringing home a resilient 22nd-place finish.
Meanwhile, withstanding late-race charges from William Sawalich and Christian Eckes, it was Connor Zilisch who prevailed at the finish line.
His triumph not only denied both drivers a chance to claim their first career Xfinity Series victory but also prevented a shakeup in the Playoff standings that could have altered Harrison Burton's path to the postseason.
For Burton and AM Racing, however, the finish was enough to lock themselves into the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs for the first time in team history.
● Thanks For Your Support: With 78 percent of the 2025 Xfinity season complete, AM Racing and Harrison Burton would like to thank their partners for their continued support: 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.
● From the Pit Box: Veteran race engineer and former NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Danny Efland is Harrison Burton's crew chief.
He will serve as crew chief for his 31st career NASCAR Xfinity Series race -- and his second race at Bristol Motor Speedway in a leadership role on Friday night.
In his previous 30 Xfinity Series starts, he has collected one pole (Daytona International Speedway | February 2016), three top-five and 10 top-10 finishes.
● AM Racing NASCAR Xfinity Series Overview at Bristol Motor Speedway: This weekend's Food City 300 will mark AM Racing's fourth-career NASCAR Xfinity Series appearance at Bristol Motor Speedway.
In the team's three previous outings on the half-mile oval, their best track performance came in 2023 when Brett Moffitt charged from a 36th-place starting position to finish 16th under the lights.
Collectively, AM Racing holds an average finish of 23.0 in its Bristol Xfinity efforts.
On tracks shorter than one mile in length, the Statesville, N.C.-based organization has logged 12 Xfinity Series starts, highlighted by one top-five and two top-10 finishes, with an average result of 20.3.
● Follow on Social Media: For more on AM Racing, please visit AMRacingteam.com, like their Facebook page (AM Racing), or follow them on Instagram and X | Twitter @AMRacingNASCAR.
For more on Harrison Burton, please visit theharrisonburton.com, like his Facebook page (Official Harrison Burton), or follow him on Instagram (@harrisonburton12) and X | Twitter (@hburtonracing).
Harrison Burton Quoteboard:
On Bristol Motor Speedway: "I'm really looking forward to getting back to Bristol this weekend. The spring race there didn't go the way we wanted, and Gateway was another tough one, even though we were able to lock ourselves into the Playoffs.
"That's why this race feels like a real shot at redemption for our team. Bristol is such a demanding track, but it's also one of the most exciting places we go.
"Under the lights, with everything on the line in the Playoffs, I feel like we have a chance to bounce back and really show the strength of this No. 25 AM Racing team."
On Keys to Success at Bristol Motor Speedway: "Bristol is all about balance, patience and track position. You've got to have a car that rotates the center well but still has the drive off the corner to keep pace on long runs.
"At the same time, it's such a tight track that you have to be smart with traffic and avoid mistakes, because things can happen fast.
"If we can qualify up front, keep ourselves in clean air, and make good adjustments throughout the night, I think we'll have a chance to be in the mix when it counts."
On Expectations for Bristol Motor Speedway: "Our expectations for Bristol are simple -- go out, execute and put ourselves in a position to compete.
"We know it's the Playoffs now, and every stage point and every finish matters. We also know Bristol can be unpredictable, so we have to control what we can, stay out of trouble and maximize our night.
"If we do that, I believe we can come away with a result that keeps us moving forward in the Round of 12 and builds momentum for the rest of this Playoff run."
On Making the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs with AM Racing: "Making the Playoffs means a lot to me personally, but even more so for everyone at AM Racing and for our marketing partners and everyone at Ford Racing.
"This is the team's third year in the Xfinity Series, and to already be a Playoff contender shows how much progress has been made in a short amount of time. I'm proud to be the driver who gets to represent them on this stage.
"Ford has been behind me throughout my career, and being able to carry the Blue Oval into the postseason is something I don't take for granted.
"Now the goal is to keep building on this and show what we're capable of over these next seven weeks."
On World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway Finish: "We knew coming into Gateway that the pressure was on to make the Playoffs, and honestly, it wasn't the smoothest night for us.
"We fought the balance of our Mustang all weekend and had to grind it out to stay in the game. Getting spun and having to come back through the field wasn't ideal, but the guys never gave up and we kept fighting for every spot.
"At the end of the day, the result wasn't pretty, but it was enough to get AM Racing into the Xfinity Series Playoffs for the first time, and that's something we're proud of.
"Now the focus is on resetting and seeing what we can do over these next seven weeks."
On CARS Tour Race at South Boston Speedway: "I'm really looking forward to getting back into the CARS Tour this weekend at South Boston.
"That series was such a big part of my development, and it's where I learned a lot about racing against some of the toughest Late Model drivers in the country.
"Coming back now with more experience in NASCAR, it's exciting to measure myself again in this environment. I'm thankful to Rick Ware Racing for giving me this opportunity and can't wait to get after it on Saturday night and have some fun."
Race Information:
The Food City 300 (300 laps | 159.9 miles) is the 27th of thirty-three (33) races on the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule. Group practice is set for Friday, September 12, 2025, from 2:00 p.m. to 2:55 p.m. ET, with qualifying immediately following at 3:05 p.m. ET. The 38-car field will take the green flag shortly after 7:30 p.m. ET, with live coverage on The CW Network, the Performance Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are Eastern.
About AM Racing:
AM Racing is a multi-tiered, multi-faceted Motorsports program headquartered in Statesville, N.C.
Established in December 2015, AM Racing is prided on faith, honesty and intelligent performance.
In its ninth year of competition, the family-owned team will compete in the ARCA Menards Series, the NASCAR Xfinity Series and various Dirt Modified events.