Catchfence

2009 NSCS Jeff Burton - (Photo Credit: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images for NASCAR)

· This Week’s Caterpillar Chevrolet at Lowe’s Motor Speedway for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race … Jeff Burton will race chassis No. 224 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Cup Series stable. Built new last season, this is the same Chevrolet Impala SS Burton drove to a 12th-place finish at Auto Club Speedway last February (started eighth), a third-place finish at Martinsville Speedway last March (started 24th), a 10th-place finish at Darlington Raceway last May (started 12th) and a ninth-place effort at Phoenix International Raceway last November (started 24th). Most recently, the 16-year veteran piloted this chassis to a 15th-place finish at Phoenix International Raceway in April after starting 16th.

· Stat Facts …

o In 15 full seasons in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Burton has competed in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race 11 times, posting his best finish of fourth in 1998 and 2007.

o Burton became eligible to compete in this year’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race when he won at Bristol Motor Speedway last March. The South Boston, Va., native followed up that victory with a win at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in October, posting his first multiple win season since 2001.

o Burton won the 2003 Open, claiming the final transfer position for the All-Star event where he went on to finish ninth.

· How it Works … The NASCAR Sprint All-Star race consists of four segments. The first segment will feature a 50-lap race with a mandatory four-tire, green-flag pit stop taking place at the mid-point of the segment. The second and third segments will be 20 laps each, a return to the 2007 event format. Following the end of the third segment, a 10-minute break will occur, allowing for adjustments on pit road. The final segment will consist of 10 green-flag laps to determine the race winner.

· Four All-Star Wins for RCR … RCR has won four NASCAR Sprint All-Star Races (formerly The Winston), the most recent coming in 2007 with Kevin Harvick. Dale Earnhardt won the event in 1987, which included the legendary “Pass in the Grass.” Earnhardt also went on to claim the checkered flag in 1990 and 1993.

· Last Time Around … Handling woes plagued the CAT Racing team in last year’s Sprint All-Star Race, leaving them out of contention for NASCAR’s $1 million payday. Crew chief Scott Miller orchestrated the No. 31 crew to an array of modifications on each pit stop, but the changes made didn’t remedy the handling on Burton’s temperamental machine, leaving them with a 20th-place finish. Despite posting a less-than-desired result, the team gained valuable information for the following weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 where the team went on to finish sixth.

· NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge … The CAT Racing Pit Crew will participate in the NASCAR Pit Crew Challenge Thursday, May 14 at 7 p.m. at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, N.C. All qualified teams for the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race are eligible to compete, which includes NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race winners from 2008 and 2009, NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race winners of the past 10 years, and NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champions of the past 10 years who are active drivers and have competed in at least one Series event during the 2008 or 2009 season. Also eligible is the 2008 Pit Crew Challenge winner. The remaining unfilled positions will be available to the car owners ranked highest in the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship owner points standing as of May 13, 2009, who are not otherwise eligible for the event. Seven members of each team are allowed to compete. For ticket information, visit www.pitcrewchallenge.com or call 1-800-495-2295. SPEED will air the event later that evening at 9 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.

· Up to Speed … Live coverage of the NASCAR Sprint Showdown and the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race begins Saturday, May 16 at 7 p.m. EDT on SPEED. The race will be covered live on the Motor Racing Network and Sirius XM Satellite Radio. Qualifying is scheduled for Friday, May 15 at 6 p.m. EDT and will be aired live on SPEED.

JEFF BURTON QUOTES:

The final segment of the Sprint All-Star Race will feature a 10-lap dash to the checkers. What are your thoughts on this?

“I’m glad we’re going back to the 10-lap shootout. I’m not a fan of long runs at the end of the race. Anything we can do to mix it up is how an All-Star race should be. The ending to the race should be a short run. You’re going to see a lot of different strategies come into play – some teams may pit and others may not. A dash for cash ought to be a short run and I’m glad they brought it back this year.”

With a million dollars up for grabs, are drivers prone to be more aggressive?

“There have been incidences where drivers have been more aggressive than others. Jimmie (Johnson) went three-wide on the straightaway in one race. That was a pretty aggressive move, but no one wrecked. That’s how it should be. You are not racing for points, you’re racing for money. But, the one thing that has happened in our sport is the understanding that you are going to have to deal with that guy the next week. If I spin someone out, chances are it’s coming back to me the next week. You have to weigh the worth. I think we race more today than we used to. You’re with each other more, so the consequences are greater and all that plays a role.”

Is competing in the All-Star Race still a big deal to you?

“It’s an honor to be in the race. It’s a special race and fans get really get excited about it. It’s a huge deal. The reason I know it’s a big deal is because I have not been in it. The times when we didn’t run well enough to be in it really hurt. Having the perspective of being in the All-Star Race makes you want to run well all the time so you don’t miss out on not being in the race.”

The All-Star Race qualifying format includes not only you as the driver, but the team as well. What are your thoughts on that?

“That’s how it ought to be. The driver gets so much attention and notoriety where the pit crews don’t get nearly as much as what they deserve. It’s cool that the pit crew is such a big part of how we qualify. They play a big part in the team’s overall performance week in and week out that they deserve to be recognized in the All-Star event, as well.”

- Richard Childress Racing, Press Release