J. Burton optimistic despite uncertain future
Burton: 'This is the hardest time of my Cup career'
By Ryan Smithson, Turner Sports Interactive April 3, 2004
FORT WORTH, Texas -- When Jeff Burton won at Texas in 1997, he was about to
enter the prime of a career that saw him win 17 races in NASCAR's top division.
It's been well-documented that Burton's 2004 season has been marked by lack of
sponsorship -- and good runs.
His last top-five finish came 16 races ago. Burton used to rack up a top-five
finish every other week.
Burton acknowledges that times are tough, but he says he will fight through it.
"I have done this a long time and I believe in myself," said Burton, who sits
30th in Nextel Cup points. "I also believe that this is a tough sport. I've had
it good for a long time, and right now, it's hard for me."
"This is the hardest time of my Cup career."
Burton started the season with back-to-back engine failures at Daytona and
Rockingham. That put the team into an immediate hole, and they haven't recovered
yet.
Crew chief Paul Andrews was let go March 17, and untested crew chief Chris
Osborne took over.
Progress has been slow -- Burton failed to finish at Bristol -- but on Friday at
Texas, he qualified 23rd. Not great, but not bad for Burton, who's never been a
great qualifier on superspeedways.
"We were probably a little too conservative, but that was the right thing for us
to do," Burton said. "That's not great, but compared to how we've been
qualifying at places like this, that is a pickup for us."
Burton's all-white No. 99 Ford is an anomaly in for Roush Racing, who has been
unable to find a full-time sponsor after Citgo bailed at the end of 2003.
Burton says he can get through the tough times.
"I've been through times when it was tough. I haven't had a golden paved road to
this type of racing," said Burton, who came up through the rough-and-tumble
short tracks in Virginia. "I am not a stranger to tough times. I am pretty
tough.
"I am not burying my head in the sand saying we don't have issues, because we
do, it'll be OK."
Despite overwhelming odds -- teams need upwards of $250,000 per event just to
survive -- Burton says that he will keep showing up every Sunday.
"We're going to run the whole year," said Burton. "We're going to find a way to
run the whole year.
"I'll be honest. It makes me nervous, but I can't spend a lot of time thinking
about it. We need to be thinking about how to make our race team better."
Burton: 'This is the hardest time of my Cup career'
By Ryan Smithson, Turner Sports Interactive April 3, 2004
FORT WORTH, Texas -- When Jeff Burton won at Texas in 1997, he was about to
enter the prime of a career that saw him win 17 races in NASCAR's top division.
It's been well-documented that Burton's 2004 season has been marked by lack of
sponsorship -- and good runs.
His last top-five finish came 16 races ago. Burton used to rack up a top-five
finish every other week.
Burton acknowledges that times are tough, but he says he will fight through it.
"I have done this a long time and I believe in myself," said Burton, who sits
30th in Nextel Cup points. "I also believe that this is a tough sport. I've had
it good for a long time, and right now, it's hard for me."
"This is the hardest time of my Cup career."
Burton started the season with back-to-back engine failures at Daytona and
Rockingham. That put the team into an immediate hole, and they haven't recovered
yet.
Crew chief Paul Andrews was let go March 17, and untested crew chief Chris
Osborne took over.
Progress has been slow -- Burton failed to finish at Bristol -- but on Friday at
Texas, he qualified 23rd. Not great, but not bad for Burton, who's never been a
great qualifier on superspeedways.
"We were probably a little too conservative, but that was the right thing for us
to do," Burton said. "That's not great, but compared to how we've been
qualifying at places like this, that is a pickup for us."
Burton's all-white No. 99 Ford is an anomaly in for Roush Racing, who has been
unable to find a full-time sponsor after Citgo bailed at the end of 2003.
Burton says he can get through the tough times.
"I've been through times when it was tough. I haven't had a golden paved road to
this type of racing," said Burton, who came up through the rough-and-tumble
short tracks in Virginia. "I am not a stranger to tough times. I am pretty
tough.
"I am not burying my head in the sand saying we don't have issues, because we
do, it'll be OK."
Despite overwhelming odds -- teams need upwards of $250,000 per event just to
survive -- Burton says that he will keep showing up every Sunday.
"We're going to run the whole year," said Burton. "We're going to find a way to
run the whole year.
"I'll be honest. It makes me nervous, but I can't spend a lot of time thinking
about it. We need to be thinking about how to make our race team better."
