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GREAT DEAL; Questionable at first, Jeff Burton's move to Richard Childress Racing is working out just fine.(Motorsports)
Byline: Al Pearce
The deadline was upon him and Jeff Burton still had no clue. Should he stay with Roush Racing for a 10th year or bolt to Richard Childress Racing? Even as he picked up the telephone, he didn't know what to tell Childress.
For Burton, the rest of his racing life hinged on that phone call in August 2004. The 37-year-old Virginian was an established star for Roush Racing. He had won two poles and 17 races, and had been in the top-10 in points five times. As they say in the business, he had equity with owner Jack Roush and Ford Motor Co. Now, Childress on the other hand? Hah! Once among the most feared teams in racing, the Chevrolet-based organization foundered since the death of Dale Earnhardt in 2001. It used 11 drivers on three teams before Richard Childress renewed his courtship of Burton in 2004. Clearly, Roush was a better deal.
Then again, maybe not. For Burton, things didn't feel quite right at Roush. Newcomers Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch and Greg Biffle were aboard and winning, and veteran Mark Martin was still a fixture. Burton hadn't won since '01, leading to garage gossip that Roush was more focused on the others than on Burton. There was a feeling-nothing concrete, of course-that maybe Burton had overstayed his welcome.
According to him, the 30-second call to Childress changed everything.
"Richard answered the phone and said [in an anxious, excited tone], `What did you decide? What are you gonna do?''' Burton relayed this story after winning the Dover 400. "So I asked what he was going to do. He said, ...
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- Press release article from: Business Wire January 23, 2007 700+ words
...major associate sponsor of Richard Childress Racing and the No. 29 team...Series Champion. About Richard Childress Racing Richard Childress Racing (www.rcrracing...No. 29 Shell) and Jeff Burton (No. 31 Cingular Wireless...
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...it will sponsor Richard Childress Racing's No...and driver Jeff Burton in the Sprint Cup...thehartford.com. About Richard Childress Racing Richard Childress Racing (www.rcrracing...Pennzoil), Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar...
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- Press release article from: Business Wire December 3, 2004 700+ words
...Chevrolet and Jeff Burton moving to the...commented Richard Childress, president and...responsibly. About Richard Childress Racing Celebrating...NASCAR in 2004, Richard Childress Racing (www...race winner Jeff Burton, and 1995 World...
- Prilosec OTC Teaming Up With Richard Childress Racing and NASCAR.
- Press release article from: PR Newswire February 15, 2006 700+ words
...performance," said Richard Childress. "Prilosec OTC...scenes access to Richard Childress Racing operations...partnerships with NASCAR and Richard Childress Racing will allow...positioned on Jeff Burton's firesuit and...
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- Press release article from: Business Wire May 2, 2007 700+ words
...workwear brand, and Richard Childress Racing (RCR), a...Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton or Clint Bowyer - tour...and our fans," said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. "Burton, Harvick and Bowyer...
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- Newspaper article from: Columbus Dispatch (Columbus, OH) April 27, 2006 700+ words
...fallen behind in technology. No Richard Childress Racing driver qualified for the...teammates Clint Bowyer and Jeff Burton finished seventh and ninth, respectively...ve ever been part of that at (Richard Childress Racing ). It was usually everybody...
