All-star race isn't about the money for Burton

By Jared Turner - SceneDaily Staff Writer

Friday, May 16, 2008

Jerry Markland
Getty Images for NASCAR

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CONCORD, N.C. - Some drivers in Saturday's NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at Lowe's Motor Speedway may see extra incentive to win because of the whopping $1,012,975 winner's purse.

Not Richard Childress Racing's Jeff Burton.

"I'll be honest with you: You know you're racing for a million dollars here because everybody makes such a big deal about it, but when I think about winning the all-star race, I think about - I know you guys don't believe me - but I really think about the legacy that's involved in that and the trophy that's involved in that," Burton said on Friday at the 1.5-mile suburban Charlotte, N.C., track. "We're financially in a position where it's easier to think like that. If I didn't have any money, that money would seem so large obviously, and it is large don't get me wrong but at this point in my career, I'm much more concerned about the history that's involved in winning it, the legacy that's created, the trophy that's yours. Those things really mean more to me than anything else."

Burton, who has a best finish of fourth on two occasions over 10 starts in the all-star race, acknowledges that the sum earned by winning high-paying events still has its benefits, however.

"The money allows us from a company standpoint to do more if we go win big races," the driver of the No. 31 Chevrolet said. "Luckily, last year we won big races. If you look at what [RCR teammate] Kevin [Harvick] won and you look at what we won, we won three of the biggest five races of the year money-wise, and that helped our company.

"That allowed us to do some things that we otherwise wouldn't have been able to do. That's kind of how I look at it. Obviously, from a personal standpoint, I look at the money, but that's kind of after the fact. That's kind of, 'Wow, we won this, and that is cool.' ... But honestly, if it was $10 million I'd still look at the trophy and the legacy that's created more than the money."

For Burton, happiness doesn't come from wealth.

"Obviously, I'd rather be rich and unhappy than poor and unhappy," he said. "But the reality of it is that being exposed to money the way that I've been exposed to money and been fortunate enough to be, I'm not happier because of that. I'm really not. Don't get me wrong: It allows me to do things that I otherwise wouldn¹t do.

"But when you sit back and you think about what really makes you happy, it's not being able to buy an airplane, it's not being able to buy a motor home, it's not being able to buy a big house. It's really not. When you buy them you think it, but once you have it for a year or so you realize that¹s not what really makes you happy."