Burton Admits Surprise by "Have At It" Attitude Effect on Season

[photo by Debbi Willis, AV/SCR]

Daytona, September 8, 2010- As the Chase looms on the horizon, Richard Childress Racing is poised to place all three drivers in the Chase in 2010 after an abysmal 2009 season that left everyone wondering what went wrong. The only race that usually rearranges the lineup, Richmond, stands before them and essentially only Clint Bowyer will be fighting to stay in the Chase. Jeff Burton visited Daytona to see how the repaving was going on behalf of his sponsor, Caterpillar and also participate in burying a time capsule with Daytona Speedway President, Joie Chitwood III.

[photo by Debbi Willis AV/SCR]

The twofold event involved fans gathered with the media for the burying of a time capsule on the frontstretch and a question and answer session with Burton. Joie Chitwood III welcomed everyone and explained what was in the capsule and how the capsule was designed to last the next hundred years. Fans asked Burton various questions, such as, "do you purposely hang in the back of the pack, then come to the front towards the end of the race?" and Burton responded with a smile, "no, not really" but went on to explain that he usually isn't doing what the announcers seem to think he is doing but it appears that way and it works out that way. He also noted that he doesn't watch the race he's raced until he's about to race there again. Another fan asked about concerns with multicar teams in the Chase such as RCR receiving "team orders". Burton assured them that no such orders exist in Richard Childress Racing because for their fans, their sponsors and with each driver, they feel it’s only fair they each race their own race. They share their information, but they don’t have "team orders" favoring one driver over another. On a humorous note, Chitwood interjected that this was not the “other side of the pond” and “that” racing series. Fans enjoyed volleying various questions back and forth to Burton until it was time for Burton to go drive the Caterpillar Motor Grader, a huge piece of equipment used to grade the surface in preparation for paving.