Jeff Burton says Lowe’s Motor Speedway has changed for the better
By David Exum - SceneDaily Staff
Thursday, October 09, 2008
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CONCORD, N.C. - Jeff Burton says there's no other race track on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series quite like Lowe's Motor Speedway.
Burton, driver of the No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, believes the 1.5-mile track has changed dramatically since it was repaved in 2005.
"This is going to be a very interesting weekend," said Burton, who is currently fourth in the Chase For The Sprint Cup, 99 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson.
"The test here a few weeks ago was very interesting, and every team was here. This is one of my favorite race tracks … , and it's been a big challenge to get hooked up on [green-flag] runs. I hope we can execute."
Unlike some other 1.5-mile tracks on the circuit, Burton says racing at LMS should offer plenty of passing on Saturday night.
"This track is a lot different since the change [in 2005]," Burton said. "This track has become extremely racy, and it has a whole other personality, in my opinion, after the change."
While the preferred racing groove at LMS is the bottom of the track, Burton said that during the three-day test here last month, Cup drivers were able race to race the top groove and in the middle.
"If you can do that in a test, it's going to really doable during the race," Burton said. "When this track was first changed, it was a huge challenge. Racing multiple grooves has really made a huge difference here."
In 29 career starts at the facility, Burton has two wins, seven top-five and 14 top-10 finishes. His last victory here was the Coca-Cola 600 in 2001.
When asked about the multicar wreck that Carl Edwards caused at Talladega Superspeedway Sunday, in which he took out both Roush Fenway Racing teammates Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth, Burton explained that drivers need to start taking more responsibility for their actions on the race track.
"I find it funny that we go to Talladega or Bristol and wrecks happen, and we just say, 'That's just Talladega or that's just Bristol'. Today, we take away the responsibility of the driver," Burton said. "Somebody starts a wreck.... These wrecks just don't happen by themselves."
Burton further explained that if he wrecked one of his RCR teammates, Clint Bowyer or Kevin Harvick, at Talladega that he would make sure they realize he has their best interest in mind when out on the race track.
"It would be stressful if that happened, but I think in a couple of days, we'd all be over it," Burton said. "The question is does Greg Biffle think Carl Edwards has his best interest at heart, and I can't answer that question."
Burton also said that even though four-time Cup champion Jeff Gordon remains winless this season, it doesn't mean he's lost his competitive fire.
"There are 40 other teams that would kill to have the kind of year that [Gordon] has had," Burton said. "Jeff Gordon hasn't forgotten how to win races. People think because he had a kid, he doesn't want to win anymore... .That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard in my life. Competitive people don't work like that. It's absurd to think [Gordon] can't have a family life... and still want to be competitive."
- Mentioned Drivers:
- Jeff Burton
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