Jeff Burton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Jeff Burton |
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Burton at Dover International Speedway in 2019
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| Born | Jeffrey Tyler Burton June 29, 1967 South Boston, Virginia, U.S. |
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| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) | ||||||
| Achievements | 1999 Southern 500 Winner 1999, 2001 Coca-Cola 600 Winner |
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| Awards | 1994 Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year Named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers (2023) |
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| NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
| 695 races run over 22 years | |||||||
| 2014 position | 41st | ||||||
| Best finish | 3rd (2000) | ||||||
| First race | 1993 Slick 50 300 (Loudon) | ||||||
| Last race | 2014 Irwin Tools Night Race (Bristol) | ||||||
| First win | 1997 Interstate Batteries 500 (Texas) | ||||||
| Last win | 2008 Bank of America 500 (Charlotte) | ||||||
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| NASCAR Xfinity Series career | |||||||
| 306 races run over 20 years | |||||||
| 2009 position | 28th | ||||||
| Best finish | 9th (1992) | ||||||
| First race | 1988 Miller Classic (Martinsville) | ||||||
| Last race | 2009 Ford 300 (Homestead) | ||||||
| First win | 1990 Zerex 150 (Martinsville) | ||||||
| Last win | 2007 Ford 300 (Homestead) | ||||||
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| NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series career | |||||||
| 4 races run over 1 year | |||||||
| 1996 position | 42nd | ||||||
| Best finish | 42nd (1996) | ||||||
| First race | 1996 Lund Look 225 (Topeka) | ||||||
| Last race | 1996 Hanes 250 (Martinsville) | ||||||
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| Statistics current as of August 23, 2014. | |||||||
Jeffrey Tyler Burton (born June 29, 1967) is a former professional stock car racing driver. He is also known as "the Mayor" and is currently a racing commentator. Jeff is part of the famous Burton racing family. He won 21 races in the top NASCAR series, including two Coca-Cola 600 races and the Southern 500.
Today, Jeff works as a commentator for NBC Sports, sharing his racing knowledge. His son, Harrison, and nephew, Jeb, are also NASCAR drivers. His brother, Ward Burton, also raced in the Cup Series.
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Early Racing Days
Jeff Burton grew up around racing. His father introduced him and his brothers to go-kart racing when they were young. Later, Jeff started driving in bigger races with late model stock cars at tracks like South Boston Speedway.
Jeff Burton's NASCAR Journey
Starting Out in NASCAR
Jeff began his NASCAR career in 1988, racing in the Busch Series. He drove car number 69, which was owned by his father. In 1989, he competed for the Busch Series Rookie of the Year award.
In 1990, Jeff won his first career race while driving for Sam Ard. He later moved to different teams, gaining more experience in the Busch Series. In 1993, he made his first start in the top NASCAR series, then called the Winston Cup.
Rookie Year and Early Success
In 1994, Jeff Burton became a rookie in the Winston Cup Series. He drove the No. 8 Ford for Stavola Brothers Racing. He finished 4th in one race and was named the 1994 NASCAR Rookie of the Year. This was a big achievement, as he competed against many other talented new drivers.
Joining Roush Racing
In 1996, Jeff joined Roush Racing and drove the No. 99 Ford. From 1997 to 2000, he had some of his best years, finishing in the top 5 in points each season.
He earned his first win in 1997 at Texas Motor Speedway. In 1999, Jeff won a career-high six races, including the Coca-Cola 600 and the Southern 500. These wins earned him special $1 million bonuses. He finished 5th in points that year. His best points finish was 3rd in 2000.
In 2000, Jeff did something amazing at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He led every single lap of the race, which is very rare! He continued to win races in 2001, bringing his total wins to 17.
Moving to Richard Childress Racing
In 2004, Jeff made a big change and joined Richard Childress Racing (RCR). He started driving the No. 30 Chevrolet. He quickly improved his performance with the new team.
Success with the No. 31 Car
In 2005, Jeff began his first full season with RCR in the No. 31 car. He had several top-5 and top-10 finishes. In 2006, he won four pole positions, meaning he started the race from the very front. He also won a race at Dover International Speedway, ending a long winless streak. This win helped him qualify for the Chase for the Nextel Cup, which is like the playoffs for NASCAR.
Jeff won again in 2007 at Texas Motor Speedway, becoming the first driver to win multiple times at that track. He also qualified for the Chase again. In 2008, he won two more races: one at Bristol Motor Speedway and another at Charlotte Motor Speedway. This was his first season with multiple wins since 2001.
In 2009, Jeff had a tougher year and missed the Chase. However, he finished strong with two second-place finishes at the end of the season. In 2010, he made it back into the Chase. He nearly won a race at Martinsville Speedway but had a flat tire late in the race.
In 2011, Jeff won his qualifying race for the Daytona 500. He had some tough luck during the season, including his engine failing in the Daytona 500 while he was leading. He also came very close to winning the Coca-Cola 600.
In 2012, Jeff had six top-10 finishes, including a thrilling second-place finish at Daytona. In 2013, he made his 1,000th career NASCAR start, becoming only the sixth driver in NASCAR history to reach this milestone.
In September 2013, it was announced that Jeff would not return to RCR in 2014. He decided to race part-time instead.
Sponsorship Changes
During his time at RCR, there was a big discussion about his sponsor, Cingular Wireless. When Cingular changed its name to AT&T, NASCAR initially said they couldn't change the logo on the car because of a rule with NASCAR's main sponsor, Sprint Nextel. After some legal discussions, AT&T was allowed to stay on the car until the end of 2008. In 2009, Caterpillar became Jeff's new main sponsor.
Later Racing Years
In 2013, Jeff joined Michael Waltrip Racing to race a limited schedule. He also filled in for Tony Stewart in two races for Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014 when Stewart was unable to race.
Life After Racing
After his full-time racing career, Jeff Burton became a racing analyst for NBC Sports Network in 2015. He now shares his insights and knowledge of the sport with fans.
In 2023, Jeff Burton, along with other racing legends like Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, and Trackhouse Racing Team, bought the CARS Tour, a racing series for younger drivers.
Personal Life
Jeff Burton is the younger brother of Ward Burton, who also had a successful career as a NASCAR driver. Jeff is married to Kim, and they have two children, Paige and Harrison. Harrison has followed in his father's footsteps and is also a NASCAR driver, currently competing in the Cup Series. Jeff also has another brother, Brian, who took over the family's construction business.
Jeff's family history goes back a long way, to the 1600s in Colonial Virginia.
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See also
In Spanish: Jeff Burton para niños
