It’s been a season of unpredictable twists and turns, especially for NASCAR Cup Series rookie Josh Berry. The driver was forced to look for another seat when Stewart-Haas Racing announced their intention to shut down their four-team Cup Series operation at the end of the 2024 season. And the 33-year-old will now replace Harrison Burton as the new full-time driver for Wood Brothers iconic No. 21 Ford Mustang from the 2025 season.

With Josh Berry moving from one Ford to another, it ushers in a new era for Wood Brothers Racing, with the team’s third-generation owners having just taken over the helm less than 65 days ago. But where does that leave Harrison Burton?

Harrison Burton’s NASCAR Cup Series career is in doubt

Harrison Burton’s racing pedigree is undeniable. Son of former NASCAR Cup Series driver Jeff Burton, and cousin to Xfinity Series driver Jeb Burton, the 23-year-old has been driving for Wood Brothers Racing since 2022. While he was yet to make it to the big garages, the season hasn’t gone as planned for Burton, who is currently languishing 33rd in the standings, with just one top-10 finish and 217 points. His career-best ranking was 27th in 2022, while he finished 31st last year. All things considered, it’s not hard to understand why he isn’t the top pick for Wood Brothers Racing anymore.

Harrison Burton was classy as always when talking about his departure from Wood Brothers Racing. In a video uploaded on X, the 23-year-old said, “Never good news, and never news you want to hear as a racecar driver. At the end of the day, that’s the way this business works, and we need to put that behind us. We still have a great opportunity to go try and get the Wood Brothers their 100th win this season. They’ve been really good to me and my family. Still have been over these last few weeks obviously, with all the stuff developing. Our team is as motivated as ever to get them win number 100 and I’m on the same boat.”

With Harrison Burton failing to impress at Wood Brothers Racing, it remains to be seen if he will get another seat in the NASCAR Cup Series. Currently, two Stewart-Haas Racing drivers are still looking for a seat in 2025, which means Burton will have to impress in the seven races left before preseason begins to have any hope of remaining in the Cup Series in 2025.

As things stand, Noah Gragson is a top candidate for one of the two Front Row Motorsport seats, while Ryan Preece’s future appears more ambiguous. Along with Front Row, Kaulig Racing and Rick Ware Racing have not finalized their 2025 lineups as well. While Burton has some sponsorship behind him, which will undoubtedly be a valuable addition to any of the three national series, he will hope to remain in NASCAR’s top tier for 2025. If social media is anything to go by, fans would want Burton around as well.

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Fans back Harrison Burton despite his WBR’s departure

It didn’t take fans long to express their support for Harrison Burton on social media after the news about his impending departure was announced.

Acknowledging that Wood Brothers Racing is no longer the team that they once were, and the fact that their technical alliance with Team Penske hasn’t yielded the desired results, a fan wrote, “It’s not you it’s the Wood brothers. They never update personal or equipment or technology it’s not the 1970s. Josh Berry signing on is a death sentence to his career unless Rodney Childers signs on. You’ll land a ride, kiddo.”

At just 23 years old, Harrison Burton still has time to make his mark in the NASCAR Cup Series. Giving credit to how he has handled the news, a fan wrote, “Classy as always, Harrison! You’re a young guy with talent, a great attitude, and fantastic work ethic. Your future in this sport remains bright.”

Encouraging Burton to perform well in the remaining seven races of the NASCAR Cup Series season, a fan said, “I hate this for you Harrison but I know you’ll land on you feet and great things will happen for you. Go get em in Chicago and the rest of the year. 🏁”

One fan encouraged Burton to take a step down into the NASCAR Xfinity Series, just like Cole Custer and John Hunter Nemechek have done in the past, to get some wins under his belt. The X user wrote, “Take the JHN/Custer approach and go win some Xfinity series races”.

Burton has already been linked to a seat at the Haas Factory Team, AM Racing, and Joe Gibbs Racing in the Xfinity Series next year. Expressing his optimism for next season, a fan wrote, “You’ll have a new ride next year!!!”

Do you think Harrison Burton will secure a seat in the NASCAR Cup Series next season? Let us know in the comments!