View Chase Chronicle: Jeff Burton
Chase Chronicles: Jeff Burton
By Gregg Leary
The Tampa Bay Rays were down three World Series games to one…with a rain delayed game five awaiting them in hostile Philadelphia…no “City of Brotherly Love” to be sure. If the playoff analogy holds, Jeff Burton is in a similar spot.
I thought the expression was “It’s not OVER until the fat lady sings.” The “fat lady” may not be singing yet…but she IS clearing her throat. I couldn’t remember if the expression originated with an aria sung by the large lady Valkyrie at the end of a Wagner opera or with singer Kate Smith. I just googled Kate Smith…the “fat lady” who was famous for singing her trademark song, “God Bless America,” before Philadelphia Flyers hockey games. The team’s record was so good when Kate sang that they erected a statue in her honor. Their expression was, “It ain’t BEGUN ‘til the fat lady sings.” Interesting. I’ll bet Jeff Burton will be glad to hear things are just getting started!
Jimmie Johnson is poised to close out his third Cup Championship on a trio of tracks where he excels. Does Burton have a “Ray”of hope? Perhaps. He is currently 218 Points behind JJ with three to go. There is a 161 point differential available in EACH race, so if Johnson would crash, blow an engine, or have mechanical issues Jeff could be back in the thick of NASCAR’s “World Series.”
Burton has two career wins at both Texas AND Phoenix…the next two stops in the Chase. He has 3 career Top Fives (best finish, 3rd) at the Homestead-Miami finale. If he could duplicate his best results at each track with Jimmie finishing outside the Top Ten…things could get very interesting. Burton is the most mature driver in the Chase at Age 41. He has wins in Cup, Nationwide and IROC. He has finished 2nd in IROC Points and 3rd in Cup Points…so he knows what it is like to be in a championship hunt.
How has Burton fared in his Chase races? In 47 Chase races, Jeff has 2 Wins (4.3% compared to 4.1% in his career), 9 Top Fives (19%: 23%), 21 Top Tens (45%: 42%). His Chase numbers are almost identical to his career statistics. Unfortunately it will take bigger Chase numbers than these for Jeff to hoist the big trophy at the Waldorf in December.
Jeff Burton’s Brief Bio:
DOB 6-29-67 (41)
South Boston, VA
Married: Kim
Children: Kimberle(7-3-95)
Harrison(10-09-00)
Team Owner:Richard Childress
Career Wins: 21
Career Poles: 6
16 Years
508 Starts
117 Top Five
211 Top Ten
Best Championship Finish: 3rd (2000)
First Start: 7-11-93 NH
First Win: 4-6-97 TX
First Pole: 8-16-96 Richmond
Finished in NASCAR Top 5 in Points for 4 straight seasons (1997-2000)
Finished in NASCAR Top 10 in Points 7 Times in career
Career High 6 wins in 1999
2008: 4th in Points (2 Wins: Bristol, Charlotte) -218 to Jimmie Johnson heading to Texas
2007: 8th in Points (1 Win)
2006: 7th in Points (1 Win)
2005: 18th in Points…First Full Season @RCR
2004:18th in Points: 22 Races for Roush, 14 Races for RCR
2003: 12th in points…best finish 2nd in Pepsi 400
2002: 12th in points…best finish 3rd ( Won 5 Busch Races in only 13 starts)
2001: 10th in points…Won Coca-Cola 600, and at Phoenix
2000: 3rd in points, Four wins…NH, Las Vegas, Pepsi 400, Phoenix,,,Won $1 Million No Bull 5 bonus at Vegas…in two of his wins (Las Vegas and 2nd Darlington) Ward finished Second
1999: 5th in points…6 wins(Charlotte, LV,NH,Rock, both Darlington)…Victories at Charlotte and Darlington were No Bull 5 races
1998: 5th in points…wins @ NH and Richmond
1997: 4th in points…3 wins, Texas, NH, Martinsville
1996: 13th in points…First Year with Roush…best start and finish 3rd at Richmond
1995: 32nd in points for Stavola Brothers
1994: Rookie of the Year with 2 top 5’s and 3 top 10’s… Stavola Brothers…24th in points
1993: Made Cup debut at NH S6 F37 (For Filbert Martocci)
1990: Won first Busch race at Martinsville
1988: Won 7 of 21 late model stock races at South Boston…track’s “Most Popular Driver”
1984: Pure stocks at South Boston
Two-time Virginia State Go-Kart Champ
Second…four times
Began racing go-karts at age 8