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Wood Brothers Racing driver Harrison Burton's future in the NASCAR Cup Series remains uncertain after recent reports suggest Josh Berry will take over the iconic #21 Ford Mustang.
Berry and the #4 Stewart-Haas Racing team have shown strong performances in recent weeks, contrasting with Harrison Burton's lackluster season in the #21 Ford Mustang, now in his third Cup Series campaign. Both drivers are looking for a ride next season, with reports indicating Burton is set to lose his seat at WBR.
Fox Sports reporter Bob Pockrass reported on X that Wood Brothers Racing would announce the driver of the #21 Ford Mustang on Wednesday, June 3. Pockrass also mentioned that Josh Berry was the leading contender to drive for the team next season.
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"Wood Brothers has set an announcement of its 2025 driver for Wednesday. Josh Berry has been the favorite for the ride and I have heard nothing to indicate otherwise." he wrote on X.
Following Pockrass's announcement, NASCAR fans began speculating the implications for Harrison Burton's future in the Cup Series. Many suggested the 23-year-old would return to the Xfinity Series next year.
Amidst Hailie Deegan's continued struggles in the Xfinity Series, one X user suggested Burton replace her in the #15 AM Racing Ford next year while speculating on Deegan's potential return to the ARCA series.
"Burton to the Xfinity #15, Deegan gets shipped to ARCA," the comment read.
Another NASCAR fan suggested Burton would join Haas's Xfinity outfit.
"Haas Factory Team in xfinity along side Ryan Preece," another fan commented.
Another comment suggested that Burton could return to Joe Gibbs Racing's Xfinity team, while also considering JR Motorsports as a possible option.
"I would JGR Xfinity with him already being there before..But I’m gonna throw JRM in there with Jr doing Potentially 5 cars and Harrison carrying Sponsorship and a couple seats could be open," the comment read.
A majority of the predictions foresee Harrison Burton stepping down to the Xfinity Series following his struggles at the premier level. Here are a few comments:
"Xfinity where he can develop more. There is a good driver there. Just hasn’t been the right fit in the 21," one X user wrote.
"Probably back to Xfinity, or worse case a truck ride. He went to cup way too early," another X user remarked.
"AM Racing probably. I think the Hallie Deegan experiment is over," another fan reckoned.
Exploring Harrison Burton's tenure with Wood Brothers Racing
The #21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford is one of the most iconic cars in NASCAR, with a storied history associated with the team. Harrison Burton got a chance to drive the car in 2022, when he replaced Matt DiBenedetto.
There was a noticeable decline in performance for the #21 WBR team as NASCAR transitioned into the next-gen era. Burton finishing 29th in the standings compared to DiBenedetto's 18th the previous season. In his sophomore season, Burton was classified 31st in the standings.
During his tenure at Wood Brothers Racing, Harrison Burton has achieved one top-5 and five top-10 finishes. Halfway through the 2024 season, he currently sits 33rd in the standings. Burton is likely to lose his seat at WBR, with Josh Berry expected to drive the #21 Ford in 2025.
