Jeb Burton makes 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup leap with BK Racing Toyota
Jeb Burton, son of 2002 Daytona 500 winner Ward Burton, will move up to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this year with BK Racing
The 22-year-old has signed a three-year deal to race the team's #26 Toyota Camry.
"It's mixed emotions," he said. "Just making sure I am ready for it. I feel like I am.
"It's a great opportunity for me to prove myself, to show people that I can do it, and to carry that role off the track as well."
Burton has spent the past two years racing full-time in Trucks, finishing fifth in 2013 with Turner Scott Motorsports and eighth last year with ThorSport Racing.
He has also made two starts in the second-tier Nationwide (now Xfinity) Series, achieving a best result of eighth at Kentucky Speedway.
Patrick Donohue, who will serve as Burton's crew chief, admitted that his charge faces a steep learning curve.
"I think he certainly deserves an opportunity," he said. "Is he going to make mistakes? Yes. Is the team going to make mistakes? Yes.
"But the race team wants to build with him and build around him for the future.
"Hopefully it's someone we can have for a few years and get some continuity."
Burton fills the gaps at BK Racing that were created by the departures of Cole Whitt and Alex Bowman to Front Row Motorsports and Tommy Baldwin Racing respectively.
JJ Yeley will drive BK's #23 entry, with Johnny Sauter set to race a third car for the team at Daytona.
2015 NASCAR SPRINT CUP FIELD SO FAR
Chevrolet
Chip Ganassi Racing: Jamie McMurray, Kyle Larson
Furniture Row: Martin Truex Jr
Germain Racing: Casey Mears
Hendrick Motorsports: Kasey Kahne, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr
HScott Motorsports: Michael Annett, Justin Allgaier
JTG Daugherty Racing: AJ Allmendinger
Phil Parsons Racing: Josh Wise
Premium Motorsports: Brian Scott tbc
Richard Childress Racing: Austin Dillon, Paul Menard, Ryan Newman
Hillman-Circle Sport: Landon Cassill, tba
Stewart-Haas Racing: Kevin Harvick, Danica Patrick, Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch
Team Xtreme Racing: tba
The Motorsports Group: Ron Hornaday Jr
Tommy Baldwin Racing: Alex Bowman
Ford
Front Row Motorsports: David Ragan, Cole Whitt, David Gilliland
Go FAS Racing: Bobby Labonte/Boris Said/tba
Richard Petty Motorsports: Sam Hornish Jr, Aric Almirola
Wood Brothers: Ryan Blaney
Roush Fenway Racing: Trevor Bayne, Greg Biffle, Ricky Stenhouse Jr
Team Penske: Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano
Toyota
BK Racing: JJ Yeley, Jeb Burton
Joe Gibbs Racing: Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth
Michael Waltrip Racing: Clint Bowyer, Brian Vickers*
* Michael Waltrip and Brett Moffitt to stand in for Vickers for first two races while he recovers from heart surgery
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