With his NASCAR future uncertain, other than confirmation of the fact that he wouldn't be returning to Wood Brothers Racing for the 2025 Cup Series season, Harrison Burton went out and won the summer 2024 Cup race at Daytona International Speedway to lock himself into the playoffs for the first time.
Given the fact that the first-time winner was still 34th of 34 full-time drivers in total points, it surprised nobody that he didn't make it out of the first round of the postseason.
But what he did do was land a full-time ride with AM Racing for the 2025 Xfinity Series season, keeping him in the sport and allowing him to return to the series in which he won four races in 2020.
Harrison Burton drops below playoff cut line, faces uphill battle
Burton has had by far the team's best ever season by a full-time driver at the Xfinity level. Brett Moffitt finished in 17th place in the 2023 standings with eight top 10 finishes, including one top five effort, and Hailie Deegan was fired halfway into the 2024 season without a top 10 finish.
Burton, however, made it into the playoffs on points this year, recording nine top 10 finishes, including two top five results, during the regular season. And after a seventh place finish in the playoff opener at Bristol Motor Speedway, he elevated himself from 11th in the playoff picture, three points below the round of 8 cut line, to fifth, nine points above it.
But after a 20th place finish in this past weekend's race at Kansas Speedway, Burton is back below the cut line. He's back to 11th in the playoff picture, and he faces an eight-point deficit heading into this coming weekend's round of 12 finale at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval.
Richard Childress Racing's Jesse Love currently occupies the eighth and final spot above the round of 8 cut line, though with three other drivers no more than 11 points ahead, he is certainly not the only driver at risk of dropping out. He entered Kansas below the cutoff and is the driver who effectively replaced Burton on the plus side.
Burton trails Joe Gibbs Racing's Taylor Gray by 19 points, Haas Factory Team's Sheldon Creed by 15 points, and JR Motorsports' Carson Kvapil by 12 points.
Currently between Love and Burton at eight points below the cut line are Big Machine Racing's Nick Sanchez (-5) and Richard Childress Racing's Austin Hill (-7). JR Motorsports' Sammy Smith is last among playoff drivers (-14).
The Blue Cross NC 250 is set to be shown live on the CW Network from the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval beginning at 5:00 p.m. ET this Saturday, October 4. Start a free trial of FuboTV now and don't miss any upcoming NASCAR Xfinity Series playoff action!