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Burton Wants To Return To Racing
Ward Burton Says He Still Has The Desire To Race And Is Working To Try To Get Back Into NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Racing
Ward Burton still has the “itch” to race.
Burton, a former Daytona 500 winner, has been on the sidelines since being released by Hass CNC Racing with two races left in the 2004 season and is trying to get back into NEXTEL Cup racing.
He has been talking with some possible sponsors, has recently been visiting racetracks and talking with car owners and, on Sunday night, made an appearance on the live call-in television show “Wind Tunnel” with host Dave DeSpain on SPEED Channel.
“That itch is what got me to agree to do this interview tonight,” Burton said following his live appearance on SPEED from South Boston Speedway,
“I do have the urge. I feel like I have not accomplished what I’m capable of. I’ve never been with a stellar, top-notch supported race team.”
Burton’s name has been tossed around in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series rumor mill as a possible candidate to get into Dale Jarrett’s seat at Robert Yates Racing. Jarrett is leaving the team at the end of the season to join Michael Waltrip Racing and the Toyota camp.
With Toyota not yet having completed its team lineups for next year, there has been some speculation that Toyota may possibly be interested in an experienced driver like Burton to bring a measure of experience into its camp.
Burton emphasized that nothing solid has happened with regard to those possibilities or any other possibilities he is exploring.
“Nothing concrete has happened,” Burton pointed out.
“I’m still talking. I’ve got another meeting on Wednesday (today) talking with a company we’ve been entertaining.
“We’ll just see if an opportunity arises,” Burton added.
“ If it does, I’ll give it a hundred percent like I always did. If it doesn’t, I can live without it.”
Burton said that if gets back into the sport it is going to be in a situation that he feels will provide the right “fit” for him.
“When I say that, I don’t mean only being competitive on the track,” Burton said.
“ I enjoy the sponsor relationship. For me to really get excited about it, it would have to be some kind of a close tie that would be a fit for me, whether it was something in relation to Fry,Jordan & Wilson, something with the outdoors or be a company or corporation that fits what I believe in.
“One of the companies we are talking to is that kind of company,” continued Burton.
“Whether that would happen or not, some dominoes would have to fall.”
As far as a possible ride with Toyota is concerned, Burton said, “I’m not actually pursuing that, but if the right situation happens, it’s possible.”
Burton said he had no real interest in returning to racing during the first year he was out of the sport.
“The first year I was out, it would have taken a heck of a situation for me to go back,” he pointed out.
“ I had gotten a bad taste from the (Bill) Davis deal and the people with the O (Haas CNC Racing) car. I needed that year. Once it got to be February this year, I was ready to be in Daytona. I had that itch.”
Burton said the time away from the racetrack has been fruitful in many ways.
“I’ve had time to sit back and enjoy things I have worked really hard on, particularly my family,” he noted.
“ I’m enjoying the time I’m spending with Tabitha and my children. Our conservation program has some exciting things getting ready to happen. I owe a lot of that to racing and to the publicity that has come to me from it and some of the things it has allowed me to do and the opportunity to be involved with people that have asked me to be involved with them.
“I feel very lucky to have been able to have done what I’ve been able to do and to have had the opportunities I’ve had in racing,” Burton added.
“It (racing) has afforded me the opportunity to do many different things I feel like I’ve been able to make a difference on and to support my family. I owe a lot to racing and I will always feel that way.”
credit Gazette Virginian
Ward Burton Says He Still Has The Desire To Race And Is Working To Try To Get Back Into NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Racing
Ward Burton still has the “itch” to race.
Burton, a former Daytona 500 winner, has been on the sidelines since being released by Hass CNC Racing with two races left in the 2004 season and is trying to get back into NEXTEL Cup racing.
He has been talking with some possible sponsors, has recently been visiting racetracks and talking with car owners and, on Sunday night, made an appearance on the live call-in television show “Wind Tunnel” with host Dave DeSpain on SPEED Channel.
“That itch is what got me to agree to do this interview tonight,” Burton said following his live appearance on SPEED from South Boston Speedway,
“I do have the urge. I feel like I have not accomplished what I’m capable of. I’ve never been with a stellar, top-notch supported race team.”
Burton’s name has been tossed around in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series rumor mill as a possible candidate to get into Dale Jarrett’s seat at Robert Yates Racing. Jarrett is leaving the team at the end of the season to join Michael Waltrip Racing and the Toyota camp.
With Toyota not yet having completed its team lineups for next year, there has been some speculation that Toyota may possibly be interested in an experienced driver like Burton to bring a measure of experience into its camp.
Burton emphasized that nothing solid has happened with regard to those possibilities or any other possibilities he is exploring.
“Nothing concrete has happened,” Burton pointed out.
“I’m still talking. I’ve got another meeting on Wednesday (today) talking with a company we’ve been entertaining.
“We’ll just see if an opportunity arises,” Burton added.
“ If it does, I’ll give it a hundred percent like I always did. If it doesn’t, I can live without it.”
Burton said that if gets back into the sport it is going to be in a situation that he feels will provide the right “fit” for him.
“When I say that, I don’t mean only being competitive on the track,” Burton said.
“ I enjoy the sponsor relationship. For me to really get excited about it, it would have to be some kind of a close tie that would be a fit for me, whether it was something in relation to Fry,Jordan & Wilson, something with the outdoors or be a company or corporation that fits what I believe in.
“One of the companies we are talking to is that kind of company,” continued Burton.
“Whether that would happen or not, some dominoes would have to fall.”
As far as a possible ride with Toyota is concerned, Burton said, “I’m not actually pursuing that, but if the right situation happens, it’s possible.”
Burton said he had no real interest in returning to racing during the first year he was out of the sport.
“The first year I was out, it would have taken a heck of a situation for me to go back,” he pointed out.
“ I had gotten a bad taste from the (Bill) Davis deal and the people with the O (Haas CNC Racing) car. I needed that year. Once it got to be February this year, I was ready to be in Daytona. I had that itch.”
Burton said the time away from the racetrack has been fruitful in many ways.
“I’ve had time to sit back and enjoy things I have worked really hard on, particularly my family,” he noted.
“ I’m enjoying the time I’m spending with Tabitha and my children. Our conservation program has some exciting things getting ready to happen. I owe a lot of that to racing and to the publicity that has come to me from it and some of the things it has allowed me to do and the opportunity to be involved with people that have asked me to be involved with them.
“I feel very lucky to have been able to have done what I’ve been able to do and to have had the opportunities I’ve had in racing,” Burton added.
“It (racing) has afforded me the opportunity to do many different things I feel like I’ve been able to make a difference on and to support my family. I owe a lot to racing and I will always feel that way.”
credit Gazette Virginian
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