Man I wish he was still driving . . . NASCAR

Non-NASCAR fans may even understand how cool some of these guys are. Take a listen to Ward Burton. A past NASCAR star who just seems to get it. No, me-me-me, no glitz, no slick. Just a good ole boy who could wheel a race car . . .

Two (four) minutes with Ward Burton

I get PO'd often that he isn't driving anymore, but I think he's comfortable enough financially etc. to say, "unless I can take days off to hunt and fish and be outdoors, screw it." Seems like he'd fit in here . . .

P.S. Give it a second to load and then hit the play button. I don't know how to directly link a video . . .

Re: Man I wish he was still driving . . . NASCAR

QC said:

Non-NASCAR fans may even understand how cool some of these guys are. Take a listen to Ward Burton. A past NASCAR star who just seems to get it. No, me-me-me, no glitz, no slick. Just a good ole boy who could wheel a race car . . .

Two (four) minutes with Ward Burton

I get PO'd often that he isn't driving anymore, but I think he's comfortable enough financially etc. to say, "unless I can take days off to hunt and fish and be outdoors, screw it." Seems like he'd fit in here . . .

P.S. Give it a second to load and then hit the play button. I don't know how to directly link a video . . .

Click to expand...

Ya, I always kind of liked WB too. Unfortunately in today's racing, the driver needs to be a self-promoter and also needs to be a successful promoter of the brand on the side of his/her car. With Ward's southern draw and laid back, do as he wants style, that just won't cut it.

He has plenty of talent, I just think he cannot carry a big sponsor and that keeps owners from hiring him to drive full time. At this point, as you said, he may not even want to drive any more. Once racing gets in your blood though, it's hard if not impossible to get it out. Maybe one day he will be back regularly.

CAT was the perfect match for him.


BTW, it will only play for about 5 seconds before stopping. I allowed it to load for several minutes too.

Re: Man I wish he was still driving . . . NASCAR

Agree CJY. I worked for/with CAT for 23 years and that's how I got hooked to NASCAR. Bass Pro shops might have worked, Polaris liked him, but they are not a primary sponsor, there was talk of Berretta and Remington woulda worked etc. It is amazing how many fans he has though and the drawl coulda worked on TV adds too. An example is Net Zero (short time sponsor) coulda done an add showing that nobody could understand him and then say "just send me an email" . . . In some ways I think Jr. is the closest "young gun" to these old school guys. I actually think Ward hated him, but Jr. seems very genuine in his interviews etc.

Anyway, I had no trouble getting the whole thing to play. Maybe there are others on it clogging that side?

Re: Man I wish he was still driving . . . NASCAR

Those sponsors would have been a great match as well.

Maybe this is nothing more than WB's lack of desire to conform for the sake of the sponsors. I willrespect him even more if this is the case.

Did you ever hear Jimmy Spencer speak before publicity coaches got their hands on him? Wow, what a difference. The sponsors took a guy(JS) that grew up literally in his father's junk yard and then presented him to us as though he grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth. It just did not work even though Jimmy was willing to do as they asked to stay in the racing business. It was simply too transparent in my opinion.

I liked the pre coached Jimmy Spencer compared to the post coaching. Maybe Ward has similar feelings and just won't conform for those reasons. Personally, I want to see and hear these guys for whom they really are. I don't want sponsors to eliminate racing's roots from NASCAR. Unfortunately though, sponsors are probably afraid the public(white collars?) will look down upon them and their product for their true roots.

Thoughts?


Draw, drawl? I don't think I have ever had to write that word before in my life - thanks.

Re: Man I wish he was still driving . . . NASCAR

QC not to steal anything and a bit OT..... Cat rocks! When I was in the Army I was the largest military owner of Cat equipment and whenever I needed anything they would deliver! I once changed over to a JP5 fuel and they sent a team to adjust all the equipment racks so it would work better!

My opinion of the racing..... we have lost too many gentleman and gained a whole bunch of star seeking publicity pups!

Re: Man I wish he was still driving . . . NASCAR

I think it's drawl . . . Anyway, Jimmy Spencer used to be proof to me that Ward deserved a ride. It blew my mind that the ugliest guy on the circuit was Target's driver whose "target" customer was women . . . plus he wrecked cars way more than he raced them. How the flyin' flip does Todd Bodine ever get a ride? Joe Nemechek? "He like to 'bout tore the whole side uh mah car off . . ." Jeez . . .

BTW, I like the role of business in NASCAR though. It is why we don't generally have the scandals and crap and strikes that occur in all other "Major League" sports. Everybody is an independent contractor, the team, the driver, the owner etc.

Re: Man I wish he was still driving . . . NASCAR

QC said:

How the flyin' flip does Todd Bodine ever get a ride? Joe Nemechek? "He like to 'bout tore the whole side uh mah car off . . ." Jeez . . .

BTW, I like the role of business in NASCAR though. It is why we don't generally have the scandals and crap and strikes that occur in all other "Major League" sports. Everybody is an independent contractor, the team, the driver, the owner etc.

Click to expand...

Todd Bodine - excellent point.......Looks? Skill? Nope, has neither of these. Joe N? Mom must be paying the owner for the ride, much like a rental(fairly common practice in lower level rides).

Business plays a necessary/vital role. Without them, well, we would surely not be watching races on Sunday's. Maybe there is no common ground to be had between racings roots and the needs of million dollar sponsors. I guess this brings us full circle regarding why Ward does not have a ride?

Re: Man I wish he was still driving . . . NASCAR

Yea, I like old Ward also - definitely a good old boy! The video is a pain to load, though - have been trying for 6 minutes and only about 13% is loaded! If something doesn't change soon, it ain't gonna happen.

Ward would have been well suited for RealTree, BassPro, Cabelas, or any other Sporting Goods line or chain. You never have to guess where he stands, or what he is thinking. I don't think he is a great racer, but he is definitely better than the average NASCAR jockey.

And yes, the young guns are a bit to spoiled and selfish for the good of the sport, and if they keep up they way they are going, will loose a lot more fans (ie Hamlin and Busch's tricks last week - whether or not either were intentional, at the very least they were both caused by youthful over-exuberance). These drivers need to realize that it is the fan base that makes them appealing to the sponsors, who pay the bills. No fans, no sponsors, no contract.

Re: Man I wish he was still driving . . . NASCAR

Only one to ever put BDR in winner's circle. But they were previously hampered by mediocre drivers like, uh, Jeff Gordon . . . He was/is not a great driver, but the tracks he won at were pretty impressive. Darlington (twice), Rockingham, Daytona (some say fluke, but he ran up front all day AND the year before, but flippin' Robby Gordon spun him), New Hampshire. All technically tough; especially Darlington. He and his brother owned that place for a while . . . Went one two and were always tough, and Ward had the Qualifying record until I am guessing today . . . And unlike his brother, he can put down a lap. He also held the qualifying record at Michigan for a while, and he easily wins one at Richmond except for a burnt up rear end.

Re: Man I wish he was still driving . . . NASCAR

CJY said:

With Ward's southern draw...

Click to expand...

Never noticed that. Sounded just normal to me.

Re: Man I wish he was still driving . . . NASCAR

From today:

.. Biffle broke Ward Burton’s track qualifying record of 28.295 seconds, 173.797 mph – set March 22, 1996, in the first qualifying session after the last re-paving of Darlington raceway. Burton’s was the longest standing qualifying record at an active, non-restrictor-plate track. The top-41 times bettered Burton’s speed.