Grateful Burton eager to make most of All-Star opportunity

Harrison Burton wouldn’t go as far as to say he was worried or thought much about being able to use his NASCAR All-Star Race eligibility, but he was unsure how it would play out.

Burton does not have a ride in the series after departing from Wood Brothers Racing after the 2024 season. But before the two sides split, they won together late in the summer at Daytona International Speedway. The win made Burton eligible for the All-Star Race, which rewards winners from the current and previous seasons.

Rick Ware Racing, however, is fielding Burton this weekend. It gives Burton a chance to cash in his reward, while Ware will be represented in the $1 million exhibition event for the first time.

“It’s really cool,” Burton said this week ahead of the activities at North Wilkesboro Speedway. “I was, not worried, but I guess you never know if an opportunity will come and having an automatic bid into the NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race is such a big deal to me, and being in the race is a big deal and especially having my story with how it’s gone – the ups and downs and now having a chance to go and run in the All-Star Race is such a cool moment for me.

“It’s something I’ve been really looking forward to. I don’t know about 'worried' but I really wanted to make this deal work out, and I’m really happy it did and how it did.”

RWR is fielding Burton in the organization's primary car, the No. 51 Ford Mustang. In doing so, Cody Ware, the full-time driver of the car, has moved to the No. 15 entry, which does not run full-time. He will attempt to join Burton in the main event by competing for a transfer spot from the All-Star Open.

“I’m proud to be a part of RWR and this is another reason why,” Ware said. “Any opportunity at the Cup level is huge. To earn a spot in the All-Star Race and then not be able to actually compete – that’d be a tough pill to swallow. It’s great to see this organization be the one that puts Harrison in the All-Star Race. He earned his spot with his win at Daytona. It’s added incentive for me to race hard in the Open and join him in the All-Star Race.”

The deal between Burton and Rick Ware came about “casually,” the driver said.

“It seemed like a good fit for both of us, with me being eligible and being able to run the All-Star Race because of my win last year, and them wanting to have a car in the All-Star Race and wanting to go compete and try and run as good as we possibly can,” Burton said. “So, it kind of just came together through conversation, and having known the Rick Ware Racing group from being in the garage and over time it became more and more real, and all of a sudden we’re here and getting ready to go racing this weekend.”