SOUTH BOSTON, Va. — Ward Burton, the 2002 Daytona 500 winner, returned to the seat of a race car on Wednesday afternoon at South Boston Speedway.
Burton made some laps in a late model stock car co-owned by his son, NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Jeb Burton, and H.C. Sellers.
A five-time winner in 375 NASCAR Cup Series starts, Ward Burton ran his last Cup Series race in 2007 and made his final NASCAR start in the Craftsman Truck Series in 2012.
“It was really fun,” the elder Burton said with a smile. “I appreciate Jeb and H.C. Sellers allowing me to play for a moment. It brings back a lot of memories because I was immediately telling them what I need to get myself comfortable and feeling right. I know what I need to go faster.”
Burton acknowledged it had been quite a while since he last piloted a late model stock car.
“I think it was 1991,” Burton noted. “The late ‘Goo’ Fallen had me go to Orange County Speedway with him. Eddie Hatcher was still working for him. He wanted me to drive the car. The car was fine. It was just the motor wouldn’t run.”
Jeb Burton persuaded his 61-year-old dad to get back behind the wheel.
“Jeb has been after me pretty hard to get back racing and run some races somewhere,” Ward Burton explained. “We’ll see what it leads to down the road.”
Jeb Burton and Sellers had spent the day at South Boston Speedway working with driver Andrew Patterson, who is scheduled to drive the car in the twin late model stock car races that will open the season March 18 at South Boston Speedway.