Harrison Burton's Lone Cup Win Still Paying Dividends—For Rick Ware Racing

Forbes

12-05-2025

DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA - AUGUST 24: Harrison Burton, driver of the #21 DEX Imaging Ford, celebrates ... More in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on August 24, 2024 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by)
Harrison Burton is making the most out of his one shining moment in the NASCAR Cup Series—or, more accurately, Rick Ware Racing is.
Once a rising star with a famous last name and a golden ticket to the big leagues, Burton entered the Cup Series in 2021 and stepped into the storied No. 21 Ford for Wood Brothers Racing in 2022. On paper, it looked like a match made in NASCAR heaven: the young prodigy with a racing pedigree—his father Jeff won 21 times over 22 seasons, and Uncle Ward has a Daytona 500 trophy on the mantle—paired with one of the most iconic teams in the sport.
But reality is rarely that neat. By mid-2024, the dream pairing was fraying at the seams. Burton and the Wood Brothers had managed just two top-10s the year before, and the current season wasn't going any better. By race 24, Burton had just one top-10 finish—and plenty of speculation about his future.
Then came Daytona in August, and with it, a plot twist straight out of a Hollywood script. On a muggy Florida night, Burton held off Kyle Busch by less than half a second to win the summer race. It was the Wood Brothers' 100th Cup win and Burton's first—an improbable, emotional victory that might've saved his career. Except it didn't.
A month earlier, the team had already announced Burton would be replaced by Josh Berry for 2025. One win couldn't undo the math.
Burton was out of a Cup ride and dropped back to the Xfinity Series full-time with AM Racing. And to his credit, he's made the most of it—he's already notched a top-5 and six top-10s this year. But now, thanks to that one glorious night in Daytona, Burton is back—if only briefly.
The NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway will see a first-time entrant in Rick Ware Racing, the perennial underdog of the Cup garage. RWR has been slogging through the series since 2012, often running at the back, but thanks to Burton's Daytona win, they've got a guaranteed ticket to the big show.
'The All-Star Race is one of those events you grow up dreaming about, so to have a spot on the grid is really special,' Burton said. 'Winning at Daytona last year was a huge moment in my career, and I'm thankful to Rick and the entire RWR team for giving me the opportunity to make that win count by putting me in their car for the All-Star Race.'
He'll drive the No. 51 Morton Buildings Ford Mustang Dark Horse, while regular RWR driver Cody Ware—yes, that Cody Ware—is relegated to the undercard. He'll pilot the No. 15 Schluter-Systems Ford Mustang Dark Horse in the All-Star Open, hoping to race his way into the main event. He'll be back in the No. 51 for the next points race, the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte.
'Being a part of the NASCAR All-Star Race for the first time is a milestone moment for our organization,' said Rick Ware, team owner. 'It's an honor to have a place in the main event, and we're just as proud to provide Harrison the opportunity to compete. He definitely earned his spot and he deserves to be here.'
The All-Star festivities go green on Sunday. The 100-lap All-Star Open begins at 5:30 p.m. EDT, followed by the 250-lap main event at 8 p.m. Three drivers will advance from the Open: the top two finishers and the Fan Vote winner.
So yes—Burton may have lost his full-time Cup seat, but for one night under the lights at North Wilkesboro, the kid's back in the big leagues. And Rick Ware Racing, usually more known for blue flags than checkered ones, will finally get their moment in NASCAR's spotlight.