Jeff Burton, RCR Make A Statement
Jeff Burton and Richard Childress Racing Make a Bold Statement they sweep Dover weekend.
Four years, and nearly 11 months, and 175 NASCAR Nextel Cup races ago, Jeff Burton won the Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix.
Back then, Burton was still driving Citgo sponsored Fords for Jack Roush, the series was still sponsored by Winston, his brother Ward was still driving, current teammate Kevin Harvick, and former teammate Kurt Busch were only rookies, Dave Marcis had yet to retire, and names such as Kasey Kahne, Carl Edwards, and Denny Hamlin were unbeknownst to just about every NASCAR fan.
Heck, I was still a single guy in my early 20's living all by myself in a 1,000 square foot apartment. Seems like a lifetime ago. For Jeff Burton, it seems more like an eternity. Burton was among NASCAR's elite drivers throughout the late 1990's and was a yearly championship contender. Somewhere along the way, around 2002, Burton lost that edge and became an obscurity in the NASCAR garage. He even spent half of the 2004 season without sponsorship.
In August of 2004, Burton joined Richard Childress Racing, and two years to later, Burton may be on the horizon of his first Nextel Cup championship- the championship that everyone thought he would have won long before now.
Burton passed former Roush Racing teammate Matt Kenseth with six laps to go in the Dover 400. Burton and Kenseth, two of the NASCAR Nextel Cup series cleanest drivers, engaged in an intense duel over the final 30 laps before Kenseth ran out fuel with only 2 laps remaining.
The win was Burton's 18th of his career, which began in 1994. It was also a huge boost for Richard Childress Racing after a week full of cheating allegations.
Still, Burton was elated after capturing his first win since Nextel has sponsored the series, and praised his former teammate Kenseth.
"I knew that the sooner we could get by Matt, the better chance we had of winning. Every lap that went by was another lap I had to pass a great race car driver."
Rookie Clint Bowyer won the Busch Series event on Saturday, while Kevin Harvick finished third. Both drivers couldn't help but take a verbal swipe at SPEED TV reporter Bob Dillner.
"I just want to dedicate this to Bob Dillner and all the wheels that we have. I think this is pretty bittersweet to put all that to bed," Harvick said. "RCR finished one and three. Take that and take it to the bank."
Before Bowyer ended his victory lane interview, he threw in his two cents worth, "By the way, we want Bob Dillner to come down (to victory lane) and check the wheels out for us."
Harvick's Nextel Cup race at Dover didn't go as planned as a broke valve train relegated him to a 32nd place finish.
Harvick has fallen to 5th in the NASCAR Nextel Cup standings, as Burton now inherits the championship lead for the time this season.
Kasey Kahne was knocked out of contention after he collided with Tony Stewart who lost control of his Chevrolet early in the race. Kahne would finish 38th and in a melancholic tone he conceded, "No more championship."
Kahne is 9th in the Nextel Cup standings, unofficially 182 points behind Burton.
Kyle Busch's Chevrolet suffered a fatal mechanical failure resulting in a 40th place finish. Busch is currently 224 points ouf of first place. "We're done!" was Busch's response.
Quote of the Week
Jeff Gordon on his current teammate Brian Vickers
"He hasn't been able to win races like other guys at Hendrick Motorsports. He wants it bad and he's driving hard and I think it was just a little lapse in judgment."
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