Ward Burton

John Edward Burton III (born October 25, 1961) is an American former professional stock car racing driver. He has five career wins in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, including the 2002 Daytona 500 and the 2001 Southern 500. A member of the Burton racing family, he is the older brother of fellow NASCAR driver and NASCAR on NBC broadcaster Jeff Burton, the father of current NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series driver Jeb Burton, and the uncle of current O'Reilly Auto Parts Series driver Harrison Burton. He currently operates the Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation, a conservation and sportsmans' organization.

NASCAR career

NASCAR Busch Series career Burton began his NASCAR Busch Series career in the 1990 season and competed full-time for four seasons. In his first season, he had 23 starts with three top-ten finishes, ending the season in 21st place. His results improved steadily over the next three years. For his second season, he had 29 starts with two top-five finishes and ten top-ten finishes, completing the season in eighteenth place.

Burton's third season in 1992 brought his first win on February 29 at Rockingham in the number 27 Gwaltney car owned by Alan Dillard. He completed the season in eighth place overall with one win, three top-five finishes and ten top-ten finishes. His final full-time season in 1993 brought three more wins, nine top-fives, and ten top-tens, ending up in sixth place in the final points standings. In 1995, Burton started driving for Buz McCall in the No. 95 Caterpillar Inc.-sponsored Chevrolet after John Tanner was released. He drove for Bill Davis Racing in 1996 for eight starts in the No. 22 MBNA-sponsored Pontiac. Burton did not start another Busch Series race until 1999 when he ran five more races for Bill Davis with a sponsorship from Siemens. He accumulated three top-five and five top-ten finishes including a second-place finish at Dover. He also ran one race for Innovative Motorsports and their No. 47 Chevrolet.

In 2000, Burton ran five more races for Davis with a sponsorship from Polaris Inc. and one race with Innovative Motorsports. He then ran two races in 2001 for Tommy Baldwin Jr.'s new team with a Pillsbury sponsorship.

On January 2, 2007, Brewco Motorsports announced Burton would drive the No. 27 Kleenex-sponsored Ford Fusion in the Busch Series in 2007. Burton was to drive twenty races for Brewco Motorsports and Kleenex, beginning with the Orbitz 300 at Daytona International Speedway. He was released late in the season.

NASCAR Cup career

1994–1999 Burton moved up to the Winston Cup Series in 1994. He ran 26 of 31 races in the No. 31 Hardee's Chevy for A.G. Dillard Motorsports, winning his first career pole at Charlotte Motor Speedway and finishing 35th in the standings. He returned to the No. 31 ride in 1995 but he was released on August 20, one day after finishing sixth at Michigan. The next weekend at Bristol, he moved to the No. 22 Bill Davis Racing MBNA Pontiac after 21 races, and he won the AC-Delco 400 at Rockingham toward the end of that season. Caterpillar became the new primary sponsor for the car in 1999, when he picked up a career high ninth place points finish, with six top-five finishes and sixteen top-ten finishes. He scored three second place finishes that season, at Las Vegas, Darlington and Rockingham, and on all three occasions brother Jeff won the race.

2000–2007 In the 2000 season, he won the Mall.com 400 at Darlington Raceway and had seventeen top-ten finishes to finish tenth in the final points standings. Bill Davis Racing switched to Dodge in the next season, when he won the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway and had ten top-ten finishes to finish fourteenth in the final points standings. Burton had also led the most laps in that year's Daytona 500 but retired after 173 laps after having been involved in the Big One.

In the 2002 Daytona 500, Burton drove among the lead cars and was among the lead pack late in the race. However, he took the lead because Sterling Marlin, who was in front of him at the time, climbed out of his car and tried to fix a damaged right-front fender during a red flag, drawing a penalty as repairs are prohibited during red flag conditions except for non-points paying races. As Marlin was sent to the back of the field at the restart, Burton inherited the lead and maintained it, holding off Elliott Sadler and Geoff Bodine for the win.

He also won the New England 300 at New Hampshire but due to numerous mechanical failures, he fell to 25th in the point standings, but after his win in Loudon, however, 2002 would mark the first and only time in his career that he would win multiple races in a single season. At Bristol, he was involved in a wreck where Dale Earnhardt Jr. bumped into him, and sent him spinning into the wall. Burton responded by throwing his heel pads at Earnhardt's car. 2003 was a season of poorer finishes for Burton. He only had four top-tens, and he left Bill Davis Racing with four races left in the season to begin driving the No. 0 NetZero Pontiac for Haas CNC Racing. He finished the season 21st in the final points standings.

In the 2004 season, Burton raced Haas CNC Racing's No. 0 NetZero HiSpeed car to three top-ten finishes but was released from the team with two races left in the season. He spent the next two seasons as a free agent. He returned to the Nextel Cup Series late in the 2006 season, driving the No. 4 Lucas Oil Chevrolet for Morgan–McClure Motorsports. His first race with the team was the Subway 500 at Martinsville Speedway on October 22, 2006. He started 35th and finished 26th as the last car on the lead lap. On November 5, 2006 at Texas Motor Speedway in his next driving opportunity, he started 37th and finished 25th. On December 12, Burton signed with Morgan-McClure Motorsports to drive the No. 4 car full-time in 2007. That year, his performance was lackluster, posting a best finish of fourteenth. On November 12, he was released from Morgan-McClure Motorsports so that the team could "evaluate performance." Morgan-McClure closed up shop shortly afterward.

Following his release, Burton did not officially retire; however, it was not until 2012 that he returned to NASCAR, signing with Hillman Racing to run in the season-opening Camping World Truck Series race at Daytona International Speedway, as well as selected races later in the year as a teammate to his son Jeb.

Burton joined Turner Scott Motorsports as a driver coach for the team starting in 2013, where he assisted with driver development for the Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series teams. However, just prior to the start of the 2014 season, the primary sponsor of the team defaulted on a payment, and the team was shut down.

Virginia Board of Game and Inland Fisheries

On November 1, 2005, then Virginia Governor Mark Warner appointed Burton to the Virginia Board of Wildlife Resources. As a resident of Halifax County, Virginia, Burton assumed the seat on the board for Virginia's 5th Congressional District that was formerly held by C. Wilson McNeely, IV, who resigned after six years of service.

Burton, an avid sportsman and conservationist, is the founder and president of the Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation, and he has been a spokesperson for Virginia's 34 state parks since 2003.

Further achievements in conservation The Governor's Environmental Excellence Award, 2008. Honorary co-leader of the Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville fundraising efforts. Partner with the Natural Resources Conservation Service to create awareness for the need to protect and create additional wetlands in America. Involved with the 4-H clubs in Alabama and Virginia through PSAs and assisting 4-H clubs to conduct wildlife enhancement programs on Foundation land.

Personal life Burton was born in Danville, Virginia but considers South Boston, Virginia his hometown. In January 1990, Burton married a young widow named Tabitha Conner (née Throckmorton). Burton and Tabitha, have three children: Sarah (Tabitha's daughter whom Burton adopted), Jeb, and Ashton. His nephew is Alexander Burton. He owns several thousand acres of hunting land in rural Virginia close to his hometown of South Boston, Virginia. He also has a home in Nags Head, North Carolina.

Burton's family ancestry can be traced back through Colonial Virginia where the landing of his earliest ancestor Richard Burton came over to the Jamestown Colony. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Patrick Henry Memorial Foundation in Brookneal, Virginia.

Motorsports career results

NASCAR (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Nextel Cup Series NASCAR Nextel Cup Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Pts Ref 1994 A.G. Dillard Motorsports 31 Chevy DAYDNQ CARDNQ RCH35 ATL40 DAR21 BRI25 NWSDNQ MAR16 TALDNQ SON36 CLT37 DOV37 POC42 MCH29 DAY36 NHA42 POC2 TALDNQ IND31 GLN24 MCH29 BRI36 DAR34 RCH25 DOV27 MAR35 NWS18 CLT41 CAR9 PHO21 ATL41 35th 1971 1995 DAY15 CAR9 RCH22 ATLDNQ DAR25 BRI21 NWS24 MAR25 TAL32 SON21 CLT41 DOV38 POC19 MCH18 DAY35 NHA39 POC11 TAL20 IND35 GLN19 MCH6 22nd 2926 Bill Davis Racing 22 Pontiac BRI34 DAR4 RCH11 DOV21 MAR21 NWSDNQ CLT7 CAR1 PHO42 ATL5 1996 DAY26 CAR41 RCH13 ATL15 DAR38 BRI33 NWSDNQ MARDNQ TAL27 SON10 CLT11 DOV16 POC35 MCH35 DAY41 NHA25 POC22 TAL33 IND36 GLN32 MCH35 BRI8 DAR40 RCH37 DOV7 MARDNQ NWSDNQ CLT7 CAR17 PHO22 ATL12 33rd 2411 1997 DAY8 CAR23 RCH24 ATL12 DAR18 TEX7 BRI18 MAR18 SON10 TAL42 CLT36 DOV34 POC38* MCH35 CAL28 DAY26 NHA36 POC15 IND19 GLN41 MCH28 BRI17 DAR27 RCH7 NHA23 DOV22 MAR7 CLT8 TALDNQ CAR26 PHO42 ATL9 24th 2987 1998 DAY25 CAR11 LVS18 ATL24 DAR11 BRI17 TEX15 MAR28 TAL8 CAL12 CLT34 DOV29 RCH19 MCH8 POC24 SON40 NHA23 POC34 IND34 GLN21 MCH37 BRI37 NHA31 DAR12 RCH28 DOV33 MAR11 CLT2 TAL30 DAY7 PHO14 CAR7 ATL14 16th 3352 1999 DAY24 CAR28 LVS2 ATL8 DAR8 TEX16 BRI9 MAR27 TAL32 CAL6 RCH9 CLT8 DOV22 MCH4 POC29 SON35 DAY7 NHA15 POC40 IND6 GLN43 MCH43 BRI9 DAR2 RCH34 NHA8 DOV11 MAR13 CLT5 TAL4 CAR2 PHO13 HOM14 ATL11 9th 4062 2000 DAY8 CAR3 LVS23 ATL8 DAR1* BRI3 TEX14 MAR11 TAL10 CAL6 RCH6 CLT13 DOV8 MCH6 POC27 SON21 DAY7 NHA18 POC28 IND28 GLN22 MCH9 BRI11 DAR6 RCH8 NHA30 DOV40 MAR43 CLT10 TAL22 CAR8 PHO12 HOM39 ATL3 10th 4152 2001 Dodge DAY35* CAR16 LVS21 ATL11 DAR12 BRI5 TEX21 MAR22 TAL33 CAL42 RCH21 CLT9 DOV14 MCH38 POC40 SON6 DAY4 CHI20 NHA20 POC38 IND6 GLN41 MCH33 BRI12 DAR1 RCH12 DOV33 KAN41 CLT3 MAR3 TAL21 PHO13 CAR6 HOM13 ATL5 NHA42 14th 3846 2002 DAY1 CAR13 LVS21 ATL7 DAR31 BRI25 TEX43 MAR14 TAL15 CAL18 RCH30* CLT42 DOV37 POC33 MCH42 SON40 DAY9 CHI41 NHA1 POC14 IND30 GLN20 MCH29 BRI37 DAR6 RCH8 NHA38 DOV43 KAN43 TAL10 CLT33 MAR5* ATL16 CAR40 PHO19 HOM12 25th 3362 2003 DAY38 CAR18 LVS25 ATL18 DAR29 BRI33 TEX12 TAL7 MAR25 CAL21 RCH11 CLT10 DOV37 POC8 MCH30 SON16 DAY30 CHI19 NHA25 POC19 IND26 GLN6 MCH14 BRI13 DAR19 RCH15 NHA39 DOV29 TAL14 KAN21 CLT28 MAR18 21st 3550 Haas CNC Racing 0 Pontiac ATL13 PHO41 CAR18 HOM32 2004 Chevy DAY17 CAR9 LVS26 ATL13 DAR18 BRI28 TEX32 MAR22 TAL40 CAL10 RCH20 CLT16 DOV19 POC17 MCH30 SON24 DAY40 CHI19 NHA29 POC31 IND39 GLN37 MCH30 BRI18 CAL31 RCH40 NHA25 DOV37 TAL10 KAN30 CLT19 MAR28 ATL30 PHO40 DAR HOM 32nd 2929 2006 Morgan-McClure Motorsports 4 Chevy DAY CAL LVS ATL BRI MAR TEX PHO TAL RCH DAR CLT DOV POC MCH SON DAY CHI NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI CAL RCH NHA DOV KAN TAL CLT MAR26 ATL TEX25 PHO28 HOMDNQ 53rd 252 2007 DAYDNQ CALDNQ LVS43 ATLDNQ BRI18 MARDNQ TEXDNQ PHO36 TAL36 RCH35 DARDNQ CLTDNQ DOV41 POC33 MCHDNQ SONDNQ NHA43 DAYDNQ CHI41 IND14 POC43 GLNDNQ MCH20 BRI33 CALDNQ RCHDNQ NHA41 DOVDNQ KANDNQ TALDNQ CLT43 MAR38 ATLDNQ TEXDNQ PHODNQ HOM 47th 939

Daytona 500

Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish 1994 A.G. Dillard Motorsports Chevrolet DNQ 1995 21 15 1996 Bill Davis Racing Pontiac 13 26 1997 17 8 1998 9 25 1999 18 24 2000 6 8 2001 Dodge 10 35 2002 19 1 2003 17 38 2004 Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet 19 17 2007 Morgan-McClure Motorsports Chevrolet DNQ

Busch Series NASCAR Busch Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 Pts Ref 1990 Sam Ard Racing 5 Buick DAY RCH15 CAR27 MAR17 HCY DAR30 BRI18 NZH30 MYB31 OXF NHA BRI30 RCH24 MAR21 21st 2271 Falcon Racing 9 Chevy LAN13 SBO26 HCY12 CLT DOV ROU13 VOL25 SBO6 DUB7 IRP ROU16 CLT7 NHA27 CAR22 Sam Ard Racing 5 Chevy DAR40 65 Pontiac DOV40 MAR 1991 Henderson Motorsports 75 Olds DAYDNQ RCH34 CAR26 MAR9 VOL24 HCY BRI29 NZH12 DOV4 ROU13 18th 3145 Chevy DAR33 CLT9 Buick LAN10 SBO29 A.G. Dillard Motorsports 27 Buick HCY15 MYB8 GLN22 OXF14 NHA34 SBO18 DUB26 IRP26 ROU17 BRI15 DAR36 RCH9 DOV3 CLT12* NHA22 CAR24 MAR6 1992 Chevy DAY3 TAL30 MCH28 8th 3648 Buick CAR1 RCH27 ATL37 MAR19 DAR7 BRI18 HCY7 LAN21 DUB9 NZH17 CLT6 DOV6 ROU12 MYB7 GLN15 VOL19 NHA22 IRP13 ROU8 NHA39 BRI5 DAR11 RCH11 DOV21 CLT16 MAR16 CAR18 HCY21 1993 2 Chevy DAY21 CLT11 GLN3 TAL22 IRP4 MCH24 NHA25 DAR23 DOV30 ROU25 CLT7 CAR2 ATL1* 6th 3413 Buick CAR24 RCH32 DAR4 BRI17 HCY16 ROU1* MAR1* NZH3* DOV35 MYB2 MLW19 BRI24 RCH22 MAR17 HCY12 1995 American Equipment Racing 95 Chevy DAY CAR RCH ATL NSV DAR BRI HCY NHA13 NZH CLT11 DOV31 MYB GLN MLW TAL36 SBO5 IRP8 MCH8 BRI DAR3 RCH DOV12 CLT38 CAR4 HOM31 31st 1389 1996 Fred Turner Racing 22 Pontiac DAYDNQ CAR RCH ATL8 NSV DAR10 BRI HCY NZH CLT10 DOV SBO MYB GLN MLW NHA TAL IRP MCH12 BRI DAR19 RCH16 DOV14 CLT41 CARDNQ HOM 47th 919 1998 Michael Waltrip Racing 14 Ford DAY CAR LVS NSV DAR BRI TEX HCY TAL NHA NZH CLT DOV RCH PPR GLN MLW MYB CAL SBO IRP MCH BRI DAR RCHDNQ DOV CLT GTY CAR ATL HOM NA – 1999 Bill Davis Racing 02 Pontiac DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR TEX NSV BRI TAL CALDNQ NHA RCH NZH CLT DOV2 SBO GLN MLW MYB PPR GTY IRP MCH4 BRI DAR4 CLT6 CAR MEM PHO HOM10 53rd 851 Innovative Motorsports 47 Chevy RCH32 DOV 2000 Bill Davis Racing 22 Pontiac DAY CARDNQ LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX NSV TAL CAL34 RCH NHA CLT34 DOV SBO MYB GLN MLW NZH PPR GTY IRP MCH4 BRI CLT12 CAR5 MEM PHO HOM 54th 724 Innovative Motorsports 48 Chevy DAR5 RCH DOV 2001 Tommy Baldwin Racing 5 Chevy DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX NSH TAL CAL RCH NHA NZH CLT DOV KEN MLW GLN CHI GTY PPR IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV KAN CLT8 MEM PHO CAR HOM7 70th 288 2007 Brewco Motorsports 27 Ford DAY32 CAL34 MXC LVS15 ATL21 BRI27 NSH TEX21 PHO20 TAL8 RCH25 DAR21 CLT19 DOV17 NSH KEN MLW NHA16 DAY19 CHI22 GTY IRP CGV GLN MCH35 BRI CAL RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM TEX PHO HOM 40th 1555

Camping World Truck Series NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Pts Ref 2012 Hillman Racing 27 Chevy DAY8 MAR CAR KAN CLT DOV TEX KEN IOW CHI POC MCH BRI ATL IOW KEN LVS TAL MAR TEX PHO HOM 59th 36