Tag Archives: Ward Burton

After starting 40th in the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, Ward Burton came on strong, finishing on the lead lap in 14th position. It was a wise decision by the team to have their best run of the season at a track that pays well: Burton collected $161,125 for the top-15 finish, nearly double the amount of his next highest payout. It was also the best finish for this single-car outfit in over two years.

Lowe's Motor Speedway is a 1.5-mile oval that has a reputation for going fast and wrecking hard; Saturday night's race proved no exception to that rule. As such, it's time to take a look at how a myriad of non-Chasers performed under the lights in NASCAR's hometown of Charlotte, N.C. Let's take a look at Who's Hot, and Who's Not, non-Chase style...

The 1-mile flat track up in New Hampshire proved as difficult as ever to pass on Sunday, but that didn't stop a resurgent Jeff Gordon from giving it a shot. His last lap battle with Denny Hamlin left the two side-by-side heading to the finish line; but in the end, Hamlin held on, squeaking out a win while sending out a statement that his team could pose a challenge to Hendrick's Car of Tomorrow dominance. In the meantime, several storylines developed behind the two contenders, with late-race pit strategies, dropped jacks, and two-tire stops doing their best to separate the contenders from the pretenders as the Race to the Chase began its final 10-race stretch.

0.068 - Denny Hamlin's margin of victory over Jeff Gordon at New Hampshire (in seconds).

After a two-year absence, Burton made his long-anticipated return to Nextel Cup competition in October at Martinsville. He started the race from the 35th position and had an eventful day.

Did the series of shakeups at Roush Racing the last two months cost Matt Kenseth his shot at the title?

Surviving a thrilling duel with rookie Denny Hamlin in the final six laps, Jimmie Johnson held on to win by a car length at Martinsville's tricky short track. The win marked his first checkered flag at the track since the tragic Hendrick Motorsports plane crash killed 10 people the day the No. 48 team won here in 2004. Hamlin held on for second, with Bobby Labonte, Tony Stewart, and Jeff Gordon rounding out the top five.

10. We are hearing that Mark Martin's pending 2007 CTS contract with Roush Racing prohibits him from winning EVERY race. He must "throw" one once in a while and place second.