Burton joins RCR
Jeff Burton will switch from Roush Racing's Ford team in a multi-year to join Richard Childress Racing's Chevrolet outfit as of next weekend's Nextel Cup race at Michigan. He will be replaced in the unsponsored Roush No. 99 Taurus by Craftsman Truck front-runner Carl Edwards
Burton, who will join Kevin Harvick and Robbie Gordon at RCR, brings veteran experience and winning pedigree to to the team. Team owner Childress admitted he has had an eye on Burton, 1994 rookie of the year, for some time.
"Jeff will bring a great deal of experience and knowledge to the America Online team and all of RCR," the owner said. "I know back in 1998 and 1999, Dale Earnhardt talked to Jeff quite a bit about driving the No 3 car when he retired. Then Kevin [Harvick] came along and the plan shifted toward him, but Jeff was one of the few people we kept an eye on to be in our organisation."
Childress also discussed the No. 30 ride with Jeff's older brother, Ward, toward the end of last season. Ward instead ended up in the Gene Haas No 00 car.
"Since 1996, I have enjoyed some of the greatest days of my life with the No. 99 Roush Racing team," said Burton. "I will forever be grateful to Jack Roush, my driving team-mates and my crew. I wish only the best for the entire organisation."
For Edwards a promotion to Roush's Nextel Cup team is his big break and Jack Roush is known to be grooming the rookie to assume Mark Martin's role when the veteran eventually retires. "This is the opportunity of a lifetime," said Edwards. "I've been watching the team, and it's obvious they have turned a corner, and I'm excited to have the chance to help continue that momentum."
Why NASCAR's most resilient driver has landed on his feet at 23XI
In a career that has had many ups and downs, Kurt Busch has been written off many times before. But facing career uncertainty after the sale of Chip Ganassi's NASCAR team, the 2004 Cup champion has found a new berth at Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan's 23XI organisation - which underlines his enduring value
The F1 nearly-man winding back the clock in NASCAR’s European cousin
A multiple F3000 race winner, Marc Goossens was on the precipice of making Formula 1 in the 1990s - but a lack of budget left him without a path to the promised land. Turning to an illustrious racing career in sportscars, Goossens left the endurance circuit to try his hand at racing stock cars - and now calls the NASCAR Euro Series home
Why a British prospect is trying to make it in NASCAR
There has never been a full-time British driver in the NASCAR Cup. But Alex Sedgwick, who is rising through the stock car ranks, wants that to change and could be a trailblazer for European talents to reach the top echelons of the NASCAR ladder
How Earnhardt’s death changed American motorsport
It's 20 years since legendary driver Dale Earnhardt Sr died at the Daytona 500, but the legacy of his crash continues today through the pioneering safety work done by NASCAR
The NASCAR subplots to keep an eye on in 2021
This weekend's Daytona 500 kickstarts a NASCAR Cup season that promises plenty of intrigue courtesy of new owners and a refreshed calendar. Here's what you need to know ahead of the new season
How a second-chance NASCAR ace is rebuilding his career
From a disgraced NASCAR exile, Kyle Larson has been given a shot at redemption by the powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports squad. Replacing seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson is no easy billing, but Larson has every intention of repaying the team's faith
Autosport's top 5 NASCAR machines
The American stock car scene is more famous for its close racing and occasional punch-ups, but there have been some fantastic machines too. As part of Autosport's 70th anniversary celebrations in 2020, we picked out five of its best
Why NASCAR's latest second-generation champion is just getting started
Chase Elliott's late charge to the 2020 NASCAR Cup title defied predictions that it would be a Kevin Harvick versus Denny Hamlin showdown. While the two veterans are showing no signs of slowing down, Elliott's triumph was a window into NASCAR's future
