Jason Burdett

Jason Burdett is entering his seventh season as crew chief of the No. 7 team for JR Motorsports and his sixth year working with veteran driver Justin Allgaier. During his first six years as a NASCAR Xfinity Series crew chief, Burdett racked up 13 wins, 78 top fives, 137 top 10s and became the winningest crew chief in JRM’s history in 2020. He’s also led his team to the Championship 4 in four of the last five seasons.

Biography
The 2020 season was full of ups and downs for Burdett and the No. 7 team, but they persevered, leading JRM with three victories on the season. Under Burdett’s leadership, the team won at Dover International Speedway and swept the weekend at Richmond Raceway, giving them positive momentum as they charged into the playoffs for the fifth straight season. Despite a dose of back luck during the playoffs, the team managed to advance to the Championship 4. With a strong record at Phoenix Raceway, Burdett and Allgaier headed into the finale as one of the favorites to win the championship. Allgaier led 76 laps and was in the mix at the end of the race, bringing home a fifth-place finish and ending the year second in the NXS championship standings, a career-best for both Allgaier and Burdett.

In 2019, Burdett kept morale up through a frustrating first half of the season where the team hit a string of bad luck after coming close to winning several times. Then, during mid-summer, the team hit its stride, putting together 16 consecutive top-10 finishes. During the playoffs, Burdett and the No. 7 team were the most consistent team in the garage, earning an average finish of 3.6 through the first six races. In the penultimate race of the year, Burdett led Allgaier and the team to their first victory of the season at Phoenix giving them a chance to compete for the title at Homestead-Miami Speedway the following week where they ultimately ended the season fourth in the standings.

The year 2018 brought tremendous success for the No. 7 team. In their third season together, Burdett and Allgaier earned an impressive five wins, which came at Dover International Speedway, Iowa Speedway, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Road America and the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The duo also captured the regular-season championship that led to a solid run in the NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs, but left them short of the overall title.

In 2017, Burdett guided Allgaier to his first multi-win season, with the team capturing victories at Phoenix in the spring and Chicagoland Speedway. The wins locked Allgaier and the No. 7 team into the NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs. Advancing to the Championship 4 for the season finale at Homestead, the No. 7 claimed third in the standings.

His sophomore year as crew chief in 2016 and first season with Allgaier, saw impressive stats with 13 top-five and 27 top-10 finishes in 33 races and a spot in the Championship 4 in the inaugural NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs. With the championship coming down to a tense final restart at Homestead, the No. 7 ultimately ended the season third in the standings, just five points shy of earning the title.

In his first year with JR Motorsports’ No. 7 team, Burdett earned two wins with driver Regan Smith and finished just 22 points behind the 2015 NXS champion.

Being part of a title-contending team is nothing new to Burdett. He’s been a member of two NASCAR Cup Series championship teams, most recently with Hendrick Motorsports and driver Jeff Gordon in 2001. Two years earlier, Burdett was part of the Robert Yates Racing team that won the title with Dale Jarrett.

A native of Arkport, New York, Burdett’s racing journey began with several local teams around the Watkins Glen area. In 1998, he transitioned to North Carolina and joined Robert Yates Racing. A year later, he helped Jarrett’s team to the title as a tire specialist.

A move to Hendrick Motorsports followed, and in 2001 Burdett earned a second championship with Jeff Gordon. In 2007, Burdett joined Michael Waltrip Racing, reuniting with Jarrett and serving as crew chief of the No. 44 team in the latter half of the season. It was there he honed his skills at the top level of NASCAR competition and leveraged the experience into a return to Hendrick Motorsports in 2008. He excelled as car chief on the No. 24 team from 2008-10 before moving over to Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s No. 88 team from 2011-14.

Suspension
After locking himself into the championship race at Homestead, Justin Allgaier and his No. 7 JR Motorsports team got some bad news on Monday that they will likely have to battle for the title without crew chief Jason Burdett.

Allgaier’s car was found to have an unattached brake cooling hose in post-race inspection at Phoenix, leading to a L1 penalty for the team. The rule that was broken (Section 20.15.2.2) reads that “Rear brake cooling assemblies must be sealed from air inlet to exhaust.”

As a result, Burdett was fined $10,000 and suspended from the next race, Homestead. Allgaier’s finish (10th) was also ruled as encumbered and the team was docked 10 driver and owner points, but he had enough of a points cushion that his place in the championship race will not be affected.

Allgaier heads into the championship event with two wins, 10 top-five finishes, 17 top-10 finishes, 495 laps led, and an average finish of 13.1.

The penalty marks the second year in a row in which a JRM crew chief has been suspended prior to the final race of the season. Last year, it was Elliott Sadler’s crew chief, Kevin Meendering, who was suspended from the Homestead race. Sadler went on to finish second in the race and the points with his back up crew chief.

JR Motorsports has the option to appeal the penalty, but decided on Tuesday that they would not appeal. Billy Wilburn was named the replacement crew chief for Allgaier.

“We’re fortunate to be in a position where we have such a strong support staff at JR Motorsports,” said general manager Kelley Earnhardt Miller. “There are a number of talented individuals that could fill this role, but ultimately it makes the most sense to utilize Billy in this capacity. He’s an experienced leader, well-respected, and has a detailed knowledge of this team. We’re lucky to have him and are completely confident in the team’s abilities this weekend.”