CHINA GROVE, N.C. — Brandon Overton becomes the latest high-profile driver to work for veteran Dirt Late Model mechanic Anthony Burroughs, who today was announced as the crew chief of the Longhorn Factory Team, ending his run of three-plus years overseeing Morgantown, Ind.-based SSI Motorsports.

The 53-year-old Burroughs will finish out Nov. 6-9’s World of Outlaws Case Late Model Series season-ending World Finals at The Dirt Track at Charlotte and Nov. 15-16’s Castrol FloRacing Night in America finale at Senoia (Ga.) Raceway as crew chief for SSI and driver Hudson O’Neal before moving fully into his role at the helm of Longhorn’s house car program.

Burroughs and Overton, who joins the team after five seasons with Kentucky-based Wells Motorsports, won't officially debut until Dec. 5-7's Gateway Dirt Nationals at The Dome at America's Center in St. Louis, Mo., and have upcoming tests at Senoia (Ga.) Raceway on Nov. 17-18 and Millbridge Speedway in Salisbury, N.C.

Burroughs brings an extensive resume to Longhorn’s revamped Factory Team that includes crew-chiefing stints with Earl Pearson Jr. (2012 and July 2020-August 2021), Jared Landers (2013), Steve Francis (2015), Darrell Lanigan (2016), Don O’Neal (2017-18), Josh Richards (2019), Brian Shirley (Jan. 2020-July 2020), Ricky Thornton Jr. (Aug. 2021-July 2024) and Hudson O’Neal (July 2024-Nov. 2024).

“It means a lot. They’re very dedicated,” Burroughs told DirtonDirt.com. “They’re wanting us to build this. It’s not like they’re wanting us to build a program because they’re about to win a championship” with 2024 driver Brandon Sheppard, who is trying to clinch his fifth WoO title at Charlotte.

“But having it here on site and them having the trust in me, (Longhorn co-owner Steve) Arpin and (car owner) Scott Riggs, to build this team to see where we can take it, along with everybody else here that’s going to be part of the team, it’s very humbling to me. I was grateful. It’s a challenge. It’s part of the reason I took it.”

Burroughs, who collected 58 total victories in three-plus seasons between Thornton (53) and O’Neal (five) at SSI, said “it was really, really tough” to leave car owners Todd and Vicki Burns “who are like family to me.”

“They’ve become more than just car owners,” the Alabama native added. “It was very, very difficult. … They were very good with me. They let us come in there like here and do pretty much what they’re doing here, let us build a program the way it needs to be.”

Though Burroughs doesn’t fully move into his role with the Longhorn Factory Team until Nov. 17, he’s already relocated to North Carolina from Indiana. On Saturday he moved into his new Landis, N.C., home 6 miles from the Longhorn’s China Grove headquarters and has spent the last two weeks preparing for Overton’s arrival, ever since the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series season ended Oct. 19 at Ohio’s Eldora Speedway.

Burroughs, who brings with him Justin Tharp from SSI while Ryder Cantillo stays on board as the Longhorn team’s tire specialist, said stepping into the crew chief role “is kind of like going into the same deal with Ricky.” He sees parallels from his partnership at Longhorn with Overton that he did with Thornton that led to his SSI team being so successful.

Burroughs sees his similarities with Overton.

“He doesn’t venture too far off in the pit area during the day,” Burroughs said. “We’ve known each other for several years but never really hung out, per se. But Brandon Overton is Brandon Overton. He doesn’t have to prove anything to anybody.

“We believe in him 100 percent. I know he believes in us 100 percent. We’re going to rally and build a team around him to give him what he needs. I think it’s really exciting to see what we can do.”