Jeb Burton Signs Multi-Year Deal with BK Racing

Jeb Burton will make his Sprint Cup debut in 2015 (Google Images)

On January 28th, Jeb Burton tweeted that "Due to a lack of sponsorship, I do not have a truck program for this year. I will continue to do everything in my power to fulfill my dream!" Now, just two short weeks later, it appears that Burton no longer needs to worry about his dream of being a race car driver passing him by.

After retooling their driver lineup for this season, BK Racing announced Monday that they have signed Burton, the 22-year-old son of 2002 Daytona 500 winner Ward Burton, to a multi-year deal that will keep him in the team's No. 26 Toyota for the foreseeable future.

"We are very lucky to have a great, young, talented driver like Jeb Burton in one of our NASCAR Sprint Cup Series cars," BK Racing co-owner Anthony Marlowe said in a statement. "It was important for us to find full-time anchor drivers for this season that are experienced and team-oriented. Jeb's success in the Camping World Truck Series, along with his family's history in the sport, makes his emergence into Cup a great story. The story, which also includes a strong shot at winning Sunoco Rookie of the Year in 2015, has already proven to be very marketable."

Burton, who has seven poles, 19 top tens and a win at Texas in 49 truck series starts, said that he is, "...so thankful for the opportunity that BK Racing has given me. It has been a dream of mine to race in the Daytona 500 since I was 9-years-old and I stood with my dad in victory lane." The young rookie went on to reminisce about that day and talk about his cautiously optimistic outlook for 2015.

Jeb Burton (L) poses with his father, Ward, after his lone truck series win
at Texas in 2013 (Google Images)

"I remember thinking to myself then, in 2002, I would like to win the 500 one day," Burton continued in a team statement. "Now I have a chance at making that dream come true. I am looking forward to making the 500, providing the best possible finish I can by racing and by running and racing hard every lap this season. I also look forward to competing for the 2015 title of Rookie of the Year. Each week I will be concentrating on finishing on the lead lap and learning as much as possible."

In addition to Jeb Burton, BK Racing also landed his father. The elder Burton will be working with the organization as a "team ambassador" and accompany his son to select appearances throughout the year.

This latest addition is the latest in what has been a rough offseason for BK Racing. After losing rookie Alex Bowman to Tommy Baldwin Racing and Cole Whitt to Front Row Motorsports, the team only had J.J. Yeley signed a few weeks ago. But now, it appears BKR will be able to maintain the two full-time cars it had a few years ago with veterans Travis Kvapil and David Reutimann.

Yeley will pilot the team's No. 23 car and Burton will be in the No. 26 Camry. The team also announced that it will field a third car on a part-time basis for Johnny Sauter. So far, Sauter will be in the team's No. 83 Toyota in the Daytona 500, the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona this July, as well as both events at Talladega.