Ward Burton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ward Burton
Burton in 2019
Born	John Edward Burton III (1961-10-25) October 25, 1961 (age 63) South Boston, Virginia, U.S.
Achievements	2002 Daytona 500 Winner 2001 Southern 500 Winner Led Busch Series in poles in 1993
NASCAR Cup Series career
375 races run over 13 years
Best finish	9th (1999)
First race	1994 Pontiac Excitement 400 (Richmond)
Last race	2007 Subway 500 (Martinsville)
First win	1995 AC Delco 400 (Rockingham)
Last win	2002 New England 300 (Loudon)
Wins Top tens Poles 5 82 7
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
161 races run over 10 years
Best finish	6th (1993)
First race	1990 Pontiac 200 (Richmond)
Last race	2007 Carfax 250 (Michigan)
First win	1992 Goodwrench 200 (Rockingham)
Last win	1993 Slick 50 300 (Atlanta)
Wins Top tens Poles 4 50 7
NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series career
1 race run over 1 year
Best finish	59th (2012)
First race	2012 NextEra Energy Resources 250 (Daytona)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 1 0
Statistics current as of April 17, 2013.

John Edward "Ward" Burton III (born October 25, 1961) is a former professional stock car racing driver from the United States. He won five races in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. These wins include the famous 2002 Daytona 500 and the 2001 Southern 500. Ward is part of the well-known Burton racing family. His younger brother, Jeff Burton, is also a NASCAR driver and a TV broadcaster. Ward is the father of NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Jeb Burton. He is also the uncle of NASCAR Cup Series driver Harrison Burton. Today, Ward runs the Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation. This group works to protect nature and support outdoor sports.

Ward Burton's NASCAR Journey

Ward Burton started his racing journey in the NASCAR Busch Series. This series is now known as the Xfinity Series. He raced full-time for four years, starting in 1990.

Early Busch Series Races

In his first year, Ward raced 23 times. He finished in the top 10 three times. He ended the season in 21st place. His racing skills got better each year. In his second season, he had 29 starts. He finished in the top 5 twice and the top 10 ten times. He moved up to 18th place overall.

First Wins in Busch Series

Ward's third season in 1992 was a big one. He got his first win on February 29 at Rockingham. He drove the No. 27 Gwaltney car. He finished the season in eighth place. He had one win, three top 5 finishes, and ten top 10 finishes.

His last full-time season in 1993 was even better. He won three more races. He also had nine top 5 finishes and ten top 10 finishes. He ended up in sixth place in the final points standings.

After 1993, Ward raced part-time in the Busch Series. He drove for different teams. In 1999, he had a great run for Bill Davis. He finished second at Dover International Speedway. He also had three top 5s and five top 10s that year.

In 2007, Ward planned to race 20 Busch Series events. He drove the No. 27 Kleenex Ford Fusion. But he was released from the team later that season.

Ward's Cup Series Career

Ward Burton moved up to the top NASCAR series in 1994. This was then called the Winston Cup Series.

Starting in the Cup Series (1994-1999)

In 1994, he raced in 26 events. He drove the No. 31 Hardee's Chevy. He won his first pole position at Charlotte Motor Speedway. A pole position means starting first in the race.

In 1995, he joined Bill Davis Racing. He drove the No. 22 MBNA Pontiac. He won his first Cup Series race that year. It was the AC-Delco 400 at Rockingham.

In 1999, Caterpillar became his main sponsor. That year was his best in points. He finished 9th overall. He had six top 5 finishes and 16 top 10 finishes. He even finished second three times. His brother Jeff won those races!

Winning the Daytona 500 (2000-2007)

The year 2000 was strong for Ward. He won the Mall.com 400 at Darlington Raceway. He also had 17 top 10 finishes. He ended the season in 10th place in points.

In 2001, Bill Davis Racing switched to Dodge cars. Ward won the Mountain Dew Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. He had ten top 10 finishes that year. He finished 14th in the points. He also led the most laps in the 2001 Daytona 500. But he had to stop racing due to a crash.

The 2002 Daytona 500 was a huge moment. Ward was racing near the front. Another driver, Sterling Marlin, tried to fix his car during a red flag. This is against the rules. So, Marlin was sent to the back. Ward then took the lead. He held on to win the biggest race in NASCAR!

Ward's 1997 MBNA racecar

Ward also won the New England 300 in 2002. This was at New Hampshire. It was the only time he won more than one race in a single season. Later that year, he had a crash at Bristol. He even threw his heel pads at Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s car!

In 2003, Ward had fewer good finishes. He left Bill Davis Racing near the end of the season. He then drove for Haas CNC Racing.

In 2004, he had three top 10 finishes for Haas CNC Racing. He was released from the team with two races left. He then spent two years without a full-time ride.

Ward returned to the Cup Series in 2006. He drove for Morgan-McClure Motorsports. He raced a few times that year. In 2007, he signed to drive full-time for them. But his results were not great. He was released in November 2007. The team closed soon after.

Ward did not officially retire from racing. In 2012, he raced in one Camping World Truck Series event. He finished 8th at Daytona International Speedway. He also helped his son, Jeb, with his racing.

In 2013, Ward joined Turner Scott Motorsports. He worked as a driver coach. He helped young drivers get better. But the team closed in 2014.

Ward's Work for Nature

Ward Burton is very passionate about nature. He loves hunting and protecting wildlife.

Ward Burton (left) in 2007

In 2005, the Governor of Virginia appointed Ward to a special board. This was the Virginia Board of Game and Inland Fisheries. He helped make decisions about hunting, fishing, and wildlife in Virginia.

Ward is also the founder and president of the Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation. This group works to protect land and wildlife. He has also been a spokesperson for Virginia's state parks since 2003.

Awards for Conservation Work

• He received the Governor's Environmental Excellence Award in 2008.
• He helped raise money for the Virginia Natural History Museum.
• He works with the Natural Resources Conservation Service. They help protect and create wetlands in America.
• He helps 4-H clubs in Alabama and Virginia. He assists them with wildlife programs on his Foundation's land.

Ward's Family Life

Ward Burton was born in Danville, Virginia. But he grew up in South Boston, Virginia. In 1990, he married Tabitha Conner. They have three children: Sarah (Ward adopted her), Jeb, and Ashton. His nephew is Alexander Burton.

Ward owns a lot of land in Virginia. He uses it for hunting. He also has a home in Nags Head, North Carolina.

Ward's family has a long history in Virginia. His earliest ancestor came to the Jamestown Colony. He is also on the Board of Directors for the Red Hill Patrick Henry National Memorial.

Images for kids

• 

  Burton's crew working on his 2004 car

• 

  Burton's No. 4 car in 2007