Jeb Burton is prepared for double duty in the desert this weekend.
The second-generation racer from Halifax, Virginia, will pilot the No. 50 Team Amerivet Chevrolet with support from Luxedo Projectors and A.O. Smith Water Heaters in the NASCAR Cup Series event at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday.
Burton, who competes full-time for Jordan Anderson Racing in the Xfinity Series, is relishing the opportunity to return to the Cup tour for the first time since 2019.
“Well, it came together last week,” Burton said. “They were interested in going to Phoenix. I had never met those folks before, but we were able to pull it together.
“I’m not really sure what to expect, to be honest. I just want to go, get into this new car and run all the laps. I’m not expecting to go set the world on fire or anything. I just want to go get some laps in this new car, learn as much as I can and stay out of trouble.
“It feels good to be back. I just want to get my name back in the mix. Who knows what will happen down the road.”
Burton, 32, has 33 Cup starts over his 12 seasons in NASCAR. Like most drivers in the Xfinity Series, he’d like to be a Sunday driver.
The affable racer is in his fourth full season in the Xfinity Series, where he has scored two wins, 14 top fives and 40 top 10s. For the last two years, Burton has raced from the Jordan Anderson stable.
A.O. Smith Corporation will also sponsor the No. 27 Xfinity Chevrolet this weekend.
“I’m excited to have A.O. Smith come on board this weekend and be in the big show,” Burton said. “Ultimately, that’s where we want to be. I want to be racing on Sundays, and I know I’m capable of doing it if the right opportunity comes along—but it would have to be the right opportunity.
“I love racing in the Xfinity Series, and Jordan has put a strong support system around me. We’ve had a tough year, but we had a really good run at Martinsville on Saturday. I’m getting good feedback, so that’s good. I’m really excited about next year for that program. We’re doing a lot of things to get better on that side. But we’re working really hard.”
Burton has scored two top 10s in the last five races—solid progress for an organization that does not share a Cup alliance. Anderson has operated his own team since 2018, but for the last four seasons the 33-year-old racer has transitioned from driver to more of an ownership role.
“We just need more resources and people,” Burton said. “We’re racing against Cup teams and we’ve got 30 employees at our shop. Those folks work really, really hard and we do a lot with a little. Chevrolet has started to help us more and we appreciate that relationship.
“We’re racing against Joe Gibbs, Hendrick, RCR (Richard Childress Racing) and Stewart-Haas. We’re racing against Cup resources, and that is what I’m up against. But at Martinsville, we had top-five speed and ran top ten all day so we’re getting our program better.”
Burton hopes to announce his 2025 plans soon. He’s optimistic regarding the potential of Jordan Anderson Racing and hopes to expand his Cup schedule.
“Hopefully, we’ll have something to talk about soon.” Burton said. “I’m really excited about some of the stuff we’re working on for next year. Even racing against 17-18 cars with Cup resources, we outrun a lot of them.
“But for us to take the next step and be able to be able to run like we did at Martinsville every week we just we need to keep working and hire the right people. Then I believe we can beat them.”
Follow Lee Spencer on Twitter @CandiceSpencer or email her at: [email protected].
