AM Racing | Harrison Burton Watkins Glen International Xfinity Race Preview

Notes of Interest:

● 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 Saturday afternoon’s running of the Mission 200 at The Glen at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.

● 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 the Finger Lakes of New York for the fourth road course race of 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 23rd race of the season marks the third time AirBox has held the primary role with the family-owned team.

In addition to Watkins Glen International, their livery was showcased at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in June, followed by the most recent road course race at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway last month.

● Critical Summer Stretch: Watkins Glen International marks the finale of a pivotal nine-race stretch that has helped shape the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff picture ahead of the postseason opener at Bristol Motor Speedway in September.

Over the past two months, the series has tackled a wide variety of tracks — each presenting its own unique challenges. That trend continues this weekend with a highly anticipated stop at the fan-favorite Watkins Glen International road course on Saturday, August 9.

Throughout this critical run, Harrison Burton and the AM Racing team have delivered consistency, posting an average finish of 13th. Their standout performance last weekend at Iowa Speedway — scoring a top-five finish — vaulted them above the Playoff cutline with just four races remaining in the 2025 regular season.

Following Watkins Glen, teams will enjoy a much-needed off weekend before returning to action at the high banks of Daytona International Speedway on Friday, August 22.

The schedule then shifts west to Portland International Raceway for the penultimate road course event of the year, before wrapping up the regular season at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway on Saturday, September 6.

● Harrison Burton NASCAR Xfinity Series Watkins Glen International Stats: Saturday afternoon’s Mission 200 at The Glen will mark Harrison Burton’s second NASCAR Xfinity Series start at the 2.45-mile road course.

In his lone Xfinity Series appearance at Watkins Glen International, Burton delivered an impressive fifth-place finish after starting fourth in the 2021 Skrewball Peanut Butter Whiskey 200 while driving for Joe Gibbs Racing.

Burton also brings additional experience at The Glen through three starts in the NASCAR Cup Series.

His best Cup finish at the track came in 2024, when he placed 24th in the Go Bowling at The Glen while driving for the legendary Wood Brothers Racing.

Across his three Cup Series starts at Watkins Glen, Burton has completed 99.6 percent of the 272 possible laps, with an average finish of 28.3.

● Harrison Burton NASCAR Xfinity Series Career Stats: Entering Iowa, Burton has 97 career NASCAR Xfinity Series starts to his credit with four wins, 28 top-five and 56 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 12.4 in four years of competition.

In addition to the 97 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.

● Iowa Speedway | Hy-Vee Perks 250 Race Recap: With Playoff hopes on the line, the NASCAR Xfinity Series stormed into Iowa Speedway for a gritty 250-lap showdown on the famed short track.

From the moment the green flag waved in Saturday’s practice session, Harrison Burton and the No. 25 AM Racing team showcased one of their strongest performances of the season.

Piloting the No. 25 Morton Buildings Ford Mustang, Burton clocked the second-fastest lap in practice for the Hy-Vee Perks 250 and believed he had a car capable of contending for his second top-five finish of the year.

Although qualifying didn’t unfold as planned — earning the 17th starting spot — Burton wasted no time making moves once the green flag dropped. Within three laps, he was knocking on the door of the top-10.

Burton soon cracked the top 10 and never looked back. Navigating a race punctuated by late-race cautions and rising intensity, he battled inside the top five during the closing laps before ultimately finishing fifth as the race ended under caution.

The result marked Burton’s second top-five of the season — and his first since Rockingham in April — along with the team’s eighth top-10 effort of the year.

More importantly, the strong performance vaulted Burton above the Playoff cutline with just four races remaining in the regular season.

● Thanks For Your Support: With 66 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 27th career NASCAR Xfinity Series race — and his first at Watkins Glen International in a leadership role on Saturday afternoon.

In his previous 26 Xfinity Series starts, he has collected one pole (Daytona International Speedway | February 2016), three top-five and nine top-10 finishes.

● 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 Watkins Glen International: “I’m really looking forward to getting back behind the wheel in the Xfinity Series at Watkins Glen this weekend.

“My first race there in 2021 was a strong outing — finishing fifth — and that experience gives me a lot of confidence heading into this weekend.

“I’ve also spent the past three years racing in Cup at The Glen, so I feel comfortable with the demands of the road course.

“The goal this weekend is to build off that past success, race smart, and keep our No. 25 AirBox Ford Mustang up front where we believe it belongs.”

On Keys to Success at Watkins Glen International: “Watkins Glen is a place where you’ve got to be aggressive but smart. Braking zones are huge — if you can out-brake someone into Turn 1 or the Bus Stop without overdriving it, that’s where you can make up ground.

“You also need to be precise through the carousel and not give up exit speed. It’s all about hitting your marks, managing track position and being in the right spot when it counts late in the race.

“If we execute all that, I think we’ll be in a great position with our No. 25 AirBox Ford Mustang.”

On Expectations for Watkins Glen International: “Watkins Glen is a place where strategy can really come into play, especially with how stage racing works.

“Our goal is to be in the mix early, try to grab some stage points, and set ourselves up for a strong run in the final stage.

“Like I’ve mentioned before, every point matters right now and if we can stay clean and execute throughout the day, we’ll put ourselves in a good spot to maximize our result and keep pushing toward the Playoffs.”

On Battle for Playoff Cutline: “We’ve worked hard to put ourselves back above the Playoff cutline, and now it’s about keeping that momentum going.

“Every race matters and Watkins Glen is another big opportunity for us to perform, stay clean and keep collecting points.

“The regular season is winding down and our focus is on being consistent, minimizing mistakes and making sure we’re still in a strong position when the Playoff field is set.”

On Iowa Speedway Finish: “Iowa was a really solid weekend for our team. We had speed from the start, and to come out of there with a top-five finish was a big confidence boost for everyone at AM Racing.

“It was one of our strongest runs of the year and really showed what we’re capable of when everything comes together. I sincerely appreciate all the hard work from the entire team — they put in long hours to give me a car that can compete, and I’m proud to be able to deliver for them on race day.

“Now the goal is to keep building on that performance and carry the momentum through the rest of the regular season.”

On 2025 Season Outlook: “I still genuinely believe we can continue to turn some heads in 2025. Now that we’re past the halfway point, our goals haven’t changed, they’re still within reach.

“This AM Racing team has what it takes to fight our way above the Playoff cutline and stay there.

“We’ve got a great group of people and partners who continue to believe in what we’re building. Nothing would mean more to me than delivering AM Racing its first Xfinity Series win, locking into the Playoffs, and making a serious run at the championship.”

Race Information:

The Mission 200 at The Glen (82 laps | 200.9 miles) is the 23rd of thirty-three (33) NASCAR Xfinity Series races on the 2025 schedule. Practice will take place on Saturday, August 9, 2025, from 9:30 a.m. to 10:20 a.m. Qualifying will follow, launching at 10:35 a.m. The 38-car field will take the green flag shortly after 3:00 p.m., with live coverage on The CW Network, the Motor Racing Network (Radio) and SiriusXM NASCAR Channel 90. All times are local (ET).

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.