Jeff's Personal Life

Spouse Kim

Kids Kimberle Paige

Height 5' 7

Weight 160

Hometown South Boston, Va.

Birthdate June 29, 1967

Favorite Book Seinlanguage

Favorite Music Rock n' roll

Favorite TV Show Seinfeld

Personal Heroes Cale Yarborough, Mike Krzyzewski

Hobbies Basketball and boating

Biography

A talented, promising young driver became a major NASCAR Winston Cup Series star in 1997 as Jeff Burton took his place alongside the major players in stock car racing. In his second full season driving the No. 99 Ford for Roush Racing, Burton turned potential into performance. He posted his first, second, and third career wins in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series and finished a career-best fourth in the final standings. Still, Burton's most memorable moment of the season to many fans will likely be his battle with Jeff Gordon at the end of the Mountain Dew Southern 500 at Darlington. With a million-dollar bonus on the line for Gordon, the two young guns bumped and battled through a thrilling final lap before Gordon finally came away with the victory. In addition to the three wins, the Virginia native put up 13 top-5 finishes and 18 top-10s -- both more than he had compiled in the rest of his career put together. With yet another year of experience, coupled another year under the guidance of veteran crew chief Buddy Parrott and another year with Jack Roush power, Burton should challenge for his first NASCAR Winston Cup Series championship in 1998. Burton made his NASCAR Winston Cup debut in the inaugural race at Loudon, N.H., in 1993, in which he qualified sixth. It was his only Cup race that season, but the effort caught the eye of the Stavola Brothers In 1994, Burton ran the full season for the established team. He qualified for all but one race that year and won a hotly contested battle for the 1994 MAXX Rookie of the Year title, beating, among others, his older brother Ward for the crown. Burton's interest in racing began at age 5, watching Ward run go-karts in South Boston, Virginia. Eventually he began racing and won the state go-kart championship twice before venturing into stock car racing. He recorded 21 NASCAR Winston Racing Series win prior to moving up to the NASCAR Busch Series Grand National Division. Success followed him there as he posted four wins, 15 top-5s and three poles in five seasons. Last season Burton had six top-5s and 12 top-10s.