Ward Burton 2002

Career Chronology: Ward Burton

Ward Burton raises his trophy in victory lane after winning the Daytona 500, Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL, February 17, 2002. (Photo by Brian Cleary/www.bcpix.com)
Ward Burton raises his trophy in victory lane after winning the Daytona 500, Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL, February 17, 2002. (Photo by Brian Cleary/www.bcpix.com)
  • 1990: Started his NASCAR Busch Series career.
  • 1992: Had his first win at Rockingham.
  • 1994: Won his first pole at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
  • 1995: Won the AC-Delco 400 at Rockingham.
  • 1993: Began racing fulltime.
  • 2000: Won at Darlington Speedway.
  • 2001: Won the Mountain Dew Southern 500 race.
  • 2002: Won at the Daytona 500 and the New England 300.

Photo Links: Ward Burton

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ward_Burton#/media/File:Ward_Burton_1997.jpg

Video Links: Ward Burton

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho70weeSLTw

Career Highlights: Ward Burton

  • He began his NASCAR Busch Series career in 1990 and started strong, competing full-time for four seasons.
  • In the 2000 season, he won the Mall.com 400 at Darlington Speedway and had seventeen Top 10 finishes to finish 10th in the final points standings.
  • In 2001, Burton had led the most laps in that year’s Daytona 500 but retired after 173 laps after been involved in the Big One.

Biography: Ward Burton

Born in 1961, John Edward “Ward” Burton III is an American stock car driver with five career wins in the NASCAR Winston Cup (now the Sprint Cup) Series. He took the Daytona 500 title in 2002. He is the older brother of fellow NASCAR driver and NBC Sports broadcaster Jeff Burton and the father of current Sprint Cup driver Jeb Burton. He began his NASCAR Busch Series career in 1990. In his first season, he had 23 starts with 3 Top-10 finishes, ending the season in 21st place. His results improved steadily over the next few years, and had his first win during his third season in 1992 at Rockingham for Alan Dillard. He completed the season in eighth place overall with one win, three Top-5 finishes and 10 Top-10 finishes. His final full-time season in 1993 brought three more wins, ending up in sixth place in the final points standings.

In 1995, Burton started driving for Buz McCall. He then drove for Bill Davis Racing in 1996 for eight starts in the #22 MBNA Pontiac. He did not start another Busch Series race until 1999, when he ran five more races for Bill Davis, and he took a 2nd place finish at Dover International Speedway. Burton moved up to the Winston Cup Series (now known as the Sprint Cup) in 1994. He won his first career pole at Charlotte Motor Speedway and finishing 35th in standings. Later, he moved to the #22 for Bill Davis Racing, where he won the AC-Delco 400 at Rockingham.

In the 2000 season, he won the Mall.com 400 at Darlington Speedway and had seventeen Top 10 finishes to finish 10th in the final points standings. The next season, he won the Mountain Dew Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway and finished 14th in the final points standings. In the 2002 Daytona 500, Burton drove among the lead cars late in the race, taking over Sterling Marlin who climbed out of his car to fix a damaged right-front fender and drew a penalty. As Marlin was sent to the back of the field at the restart, Burton took the lead and maintained it for the win.

2003 was a harder season for Burton, with only four Top 10 finishes. In the 2004 season, Burton had three Top-10 finishes. He spent the next two seasons as a free agent. He returned to the Sprint Cup series late in the 2006 season. Then, he signed with Morgan-McClure Motorsports to drive full-time in 2007, until they went through difficulties and closed up shop. He did not officially retire, but he did not return until 2012 to NASCAR, signing with Hillman Racing to run in the season-opening Camping World Truck Series race at Daytona International Speedway.

Ward Burton crosses the finish line to win the 2002 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Sunday, Feb. 17, 2002.(AP Photo/Paul Kizzle)
Ward Burton crosses the finish line to win the 2002 Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla., Sunday, Feb. 17, 2002.(AP Photo/Paul Kizzle)




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