A burner retraction system includes a mounting assembly having a mounting sleeve, an insertion assembly having a tubular sleeve including an insertion portion sized and shaped for insertion into the mounting sleeve and an opening therethrough, a pivot rod rigidly mounted to and extending rearwardly from the mounting plate, and a pivot assembly rigidly mounted to the insertion sleeve and including a pivot tube surrounding and coaxially rotatable about the pivot rod, one of the pivot rod and the pivot tube having a slot including a straight axially extending portion and an angled portion extending rearwardly from the straight portion at an angle θ, and a stop pin slidably inserted into the slot in the one of the pivot rod and the pivot tube, the stop pin being secured to the other of the pivot rod and the pivot tube.