Ward Burton remembers his move to Bill Davis Racing, that first Winston Cup win at Rockingham, the 2002 Daytona 500, his not-so-pleasant split from the Davis operation and his adherence to The Code.
Ward Burton - a real picture of how the athletes used to be and still ought to be today. Rick and Ward, thanks for a meaningful interview.................................
One of a very few drivers man enough and character enough, to admit repeatedly in interviews, that the reason they didn't win was because he messed up! Huge amount of respect.
I always thought of Ward Burton as a working man's racer. A true role model for the everyday common man. Thank you Ward for giving us dreams and hopes for what we could accomplish.
Ward is the perfect example of how A Daytona 500 win is so much more valuable and sought after. he’s in that special club. I’m sure he can rest easy. I’m happy he won it somebody like Ward🎉😊
Ward is why I became a NASCAR fan. I remember during a rain delay he made a comment about it being good for the farmers. His humble perspective on things was/is so refreshing in the sports world. Principles I hope to instill in my son.
Phenomenal interview and a incredible man with such true class. I love listening him and his outlook on life! I pray his wife gets healed. I lost my Mother to the C word and I know what it does to many lives.
This is a man that lives by the code. It’s not often these days to find someone that’s loyal to the people that helped them along. Loyalty is not always returned.
Imagine how mad JR had to have made this type of guy stand in the middle of the track at Bristol under caution and throw his HANS device through his window 😬😆
Best part of that whole thing... I was watching the race, with it on mute and on MRN. MRN had a comercial break right before that mess, Ward comes on supporting the NRA. Then it happens, then Ward throws his helment, and then says he wishes he had something to shoot through Jr's window. The irony in that whole thing, I may be one of the few that happened to listen to the radio broadcast and TV broadcast at the same time, yet here, in 2021, that still is an amazing and funny thing to think about. Also, to think about, what made Ward so pissed, yeah it had to be something.
I was A big fan of Ward Burton back in the day and I still am, he's A great guy, and with his efforts to wildlife conservation. I believe he was probably the only stock car guy that could have made the transition to Indy car been good enough to win and survived, because he didn't drive with the fenders like so many did back then.
Ward always said his southern accent was stronger than Jeff’s accent because he was born on the south side of the house and Jeff was born on the north side of the house.
One of my all time favorite races was Vegas with Ward out front on older tires trying to hold off brother Jeff on fresher tires. Ward was hanging it out there on every lap but Jeff’s fresher tires finally gave him the lead. I remember Ward’s interview after the race when he said “Damn! I really wanted to beat him!”
After Harry Gant retired I was looking for a new driver to root for and I picked Ward because he kind of reminded me of Harry. I remember going to the Brickyard 400 in 1995 just about the time the AJ Dillard team was going under, but I was just a fan and didn't know what was going on, but figured something was wrong when I wanted to buy a Ward t-shirt and was looking for the team's souvenir trailer and couldn't find it and I asked around and was told, "They don't have none." You know something's up if a team deosn't bring their souvenir trailer to the track. A couple of weeks later, Ward kind of forgets here, his first race in the 22 was at Michigan and he was real strong there and I think finished 6th. They looked like they were going up, and then they missed the North Wilkesboro race, which was the last race ever at that track, but then won a couple of weeks after that at Rockingham so the team was really up & down for the rest of that year and were up & down (mostly down) for the rest of Ward's time there. And anyone who thinks NASCAR's phony baloney is a new thing has to go back and watch that race and see their favoritism in full force in how they handled the Earnhardt situation. It was a travesty. One interesting thing is that there are stories that Ward was offered the 24 car before Jeff Gordon got it and turned it down out of loyalty to DIllard. Gordon at that time was racing for Bill Davis in the Busch Series and took a lot of shit for running out on Davis. A few years later, Ward did the opposite and stayed loyal to Davis and it hurt his career. Some teams are just never going to make the grade, but Ward managed to win five races for them and no one else ever won any. Still wonder what Ward could have done with a top team like Hendrick or Yates. He wouldn't have won 90 races in the 24 car like Gordon did, and Gordon would have ended up at Hendick anyway (probably in the 25 car), but he would have won a lot more than he won at Davis. You figure he could have matched what his brother did at Roush at the very least.
Live by the code brother Ward ,I always said you was that guy I'd want in the trenches because I saw you as a loyal man and I've never even met you ! God's speed ,you are a champion in my book .
After the media made fun of Ward, is when race teams went to the pretty boys. Racers that could do a commercial and turned their backs on a lot of southern talent.
I was at Darlington in Spring of 2000 when he won down there. Great to see him make it back to Victory Lane after a few years. Especially a fellow Virginian.
Ward, the last of a dying breed, a good ole' boy, that has talent beyond what his stats show. His loyality and the code, actually cost him. Never heard of the code before these interviews, but it makes sense. I've always said Ward was the most talented between the Burton brothers, but hearing this, it explains why. Crazy thing is we see it repeating itself now, Jeb fighting and clawing, with obvious tatent, and Harrison, winning, with obvious talent, but yet has superb equipment.
Bill Davis gave a lot of young drivers chances, but man was he a terrible businessman. As for Ward, yeah he wasn't as successful as other drivers during that era but he did win important races, he'll always be remembered fondly by race fans.
I have my picture on the wall in my house in victory lane with my wife with Ward and Bill Davis at the Daytona 500. I am the only guy in the picture with a 22 hat on .
I worked for Amoco during that time when the sponsorship was there. Anytime you'd like to discuss the dealings with BDR and the 93 car, please contact me. The Amoco deal going away was the beginning of the end at BDR. Plus how they were poised to get another sponsor that won't discuss publicly. But they are currently in Nascar.
