Photo – Courtesy of FRR
When Furniture Row Racing began operations in 2005, it was yet another start-up Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series team. Start-up teams have rarely, at least in the last couple of decades, found top-tier success. Mid to the back of the pack finishes are the normal routine and funding is hard to come by. Thankfully for Furniture Row Racing, owned by Barney Visser, it worked a little differently and that’s helped get his team to championship contention. Continue reading
Jeff Burton, driver of the #31 Caterpillar Chevrolet, waits on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Camping World RV Sales 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 12, 2013
Photo – Jerry Markland/Getty Images
After two disappointing seasons and a slow start to the 2013 Sprint Cup season, veteran driver Jeff Burton is showing he can still compete at a high level. In a weekend that started out with news that Burton will compete for Richard Childress Racing once again in 2014 in the Sprint Cup Series, ending speculation that he’d be replaced, the 31 team put together easily its best performance of the season at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The Luke Lambert led team spent the majority of the race inside the top-ten with, at many times, the fastest car on track, and worked their way into the top-five where Burton would remain to score a third place finish. The finish was big because it was the first top-three finish at a non-restrictor plate event since 2010. However, the performance shouldn’t come as a huge surprise as the Burton-Lambert pairing has been successful in the past.
Going back to 2011, RCR opted to replace veteran crew chief Todd Berrier with the young engineer Lambert for the seasons’ last 17 races, a span that included five top-tens. Of those top-tens, Burton scored four of them in the seasons’ final five races and the team was able to work their way to 20th place in the final season standings. Despite the strong end to what had been a disappointing 2011 season, it was decided, that given the limited experience as a crew chief, Lambert would spend 2012 working as a Nationwide Series crew chief. In that move, Lambert worked with veteran Elliot Sadler on RCR’s No. 2 Nationwide team. The pair went on to win several races enroute to a runner-up finish in the point standings, and giving Lambert valuable experience working as a crew chief. Things were different for Burton. Continue reading
Photo – John Harrelson/Getty Images
After a solid first qualifying lap at the Phoenix International Raceway 1-mile oval Friday, Busch’s No. 78 Furniture Row/Beautyrest Chevrolet SS scraped the wall during the second lap due to a malfunction in the coolant system.
The damage (right-front and right-side) was enough that the team will go to the backup car for Sunday’s Subway Fresh Fit 500 Sprint Cup race.
“Kurt did a great job saving the car from further damage,” said team crew chief Todd Berrier.
The culprit for the loss of grip was a parts breakage in the coolant system that sprayed water under the tires, causing Busch to wiggle and eventually lose control of the car.
“The Furniture Row/Beautyrest Chevy steered to the right, brushed the wall and we’ll be in a backup car come Sunday,” said Busch. “You would think after Daytona we would fare a little better. But right now we need to suck it up and battle through this adversity.”
Going to a backup car will result in Kurt starting Sunday’s race from the rear of the field.
Busch was credited with the 25th fastest speed based on his first lap, which is usually the slower of the two. His first lap time and speed were: 26.618 seconds at 135.247 miles per hour.
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| Jeff Burton, sponsored by Catepillar |
For race fans, the start of any new season provides optimism that their favorite driver can win races and put themselves into championship contention at seasons’ end. Jeff Burton fans, felt good about 2011 being a successful season. Jeff had just come off of a season that saw him make the chase and earn fifteen top-ten’s and six top-five’s to go along with a 12th place points finish. This team had several chances to win races along the way only to fall short, but their competitiveness was obvious. Despite a struggle at the 2010 seasons’ end, it seemed apparent the #31 team would be back stronger and ready to go in 2011. Continue reading