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Live From...

Interview With Jeff Burton

Aired February 05, 2004 - 14:50   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: All right. It's green flag time for NASCAR. The stock car circuit launches another season of high speed thrills with a brand new sponsor a, new set of rules to make the racing even more compelling. And as promised, we welcome Jeff Burton, one of the sport's top drivers who is being sponsored for his couple of race by our sister network TNT. He joining us now on CNN. And we're so glad you're here.
JEFF BURTON, NASCAR: It's great to be here.

PHILLIPS: With the sister network.

All right. You're seven-years-old, you're in your go-cart, take me back. Tell me how it all started.

BURTON: My brothers were racing go-carts and my father was racing go-carts. And if they are doing something, you have to it because it is cool if they are doing it. So that's what got me going.

And from that, my brothers and I, we both won a lot of races and I just got the opportunity to make the step. Every year we went one more step in the sport and eventually got to NASCAR.

PHILLIPS: Fess up. You beat dad and you beat your brother.

BURTON: Actually, my middle brother Brian beat all of us. He was the best but he chose to have a real job.

PHILLIPS: He's a doctor now?

BURTON: No, he run as construction company. So has a real job and Ward and I get to play all the time.

PHILLIPS: Very good. Well you've been pretty outspoken on safety issues. Tell me why.

BURTON: The main reason is because I think we have a responsibility as the upper end of the drivers to set a good example.

I broke my back in a race car 15 years ago and I built the car myself. And I thought everything was done just right. I thought it was perfect. Come to find out it wasn't. And what that taught me was if somebody like me who is conscientious, trying hard to do the right thing could do the wrong thing, then anybody could.

So I really tried to get educated to learn how to build cars safer. And I know people look at my race car. I looked at Dale Earnhardt's race car, I looked at the people that were there before me to see what they were doing and I copied and emulated what they were doing.

So I tried to be educated and make the right calls. And the more information and the more education you have, the better decisions you can make on how you want to make your car safe.

PHILLIPS: All right, you got to educate me now on this new scoring system. The chase for the championship. How are things changing this year?

BURTON: It is really quite simple. In the past we accumulated points throughout the year. The guy and the team with the most points won the championship. Simple.

What we're doing now is we're taking the first 26 races. If you are in the top ten of points you transfer into the championship chase. Everybody else still races, we still have 43 cars at the race track.

From the last race to the ten races to go you accumulate points. And the person with the most points at the end of those ten races he is the champion.

So we created s situation where there is drama in the middle part of the year to be in the top ten. But also when the year is over we are going to have ten guys racing for the championship.

And the reason it is going on is the Super Bowl. So many people watch the super bowl, not just the halftime show. They actually want to watch more things than that.

PHILLIPS: Who is going to dance at NASCAR? That's what i want to know. What is going to be ripped off?

BURTON: I hope nothing.

But we want people watching our sport at the end of the year. We also want them watching at the beginning and at the middle. And this proposal does that. This gets excitement building throughout the whole year.

And when we go to the last race of the year, which is not a whole lot of people watch. When we go to the last race of the year everybody is going to watch it. The casual race fans are going to want to tune in and see what's going on and who the champion's going to be.

PHILLIPS: All right, we're tuning in. What is going on with your sponsorship?

BURTON: This sponsorship, this NBA all-Star Game?

PHILLIPS: Continued sponsorship.

BURTON: We certainly had a little trouble with obtaining sponsorship. We're kind of in an economic low time right now. A lot of teams had problems gaining sponsorship to get them through the whole year.

Fortunately I drive for a great company that can make the thing happen and pursue sponsorship while we're racing. Some teams are just going to have to shut down. But we're going to be able to pursue sponsorship. We don't have sponsorship for the remaining part of the year, as of yet. But we feel really confident that we'll get it.

PHILLIPS: All right, so right now we're asking for that sponsorship. In the meantime, if something doesn't come through, we have an idea for you.

BURTON: All right. Let's hear it.

PHILLIPS: what do you think? LIVE FROM..., only on CNN, we will sponsor you.

BURTON: That is awesome.

PHILLIPS: Is that sweet?

(CROSSTALK)

BURTON: Twenty bucks? I'll take your 20.

(CROSSTALK)

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: I got a ten spot, too.

PHILLIPS: Here, I'll take his ten.

BURTON: Now, tonight, Charles Barkley and all the guys are going to have their picture on the car.

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIPS: Let's get our picture on the car. What do you think?

BURTON: For another 20 I can make it.

PHILLIPS: I'm getting a hard rap right now. you know what? Give him all the money you got, Miles. Give him your wallet.

O'BRIEN: Take it.

(CROSSTALK)

BURTON: She said give me your money. She didn't say (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

PHILLIPS: Spend all the man's money, right? Hey, you did pretty well last year. All right, I guess we get to chat with you later.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired February 5, 2004 - 14:50   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: All right. It's green flag time for NASCAR. The stock car circuit launches another season of high speed thrills with a brand new sponsor a, new set of rules to make the racing even more compelling. And as promised, we welcome Jeff Burton, one of the sport's top drivers who is being sponsored for his couple of race by our sister network TNT. He joining us now on CNN. And we're so glad you're here.
JEFF BURTON, NASCAR: It's great to be here.

PHILLIPS: With the sister network.

All right. You're seven-years-old, you're in your go-cart, take me back. Tell me how it all started.

BURTON: My brothers were racing go-carts and my father was racing go-carts. And if they are doing something, you have to it because it is cool if they are doing it. So that's what got me going.

And from that, my brothers and I, we both won a lot of races and I just got the opportunity to make the step. Every year we went one more step in the sport and eventually got to NASCAR.

PHILLIPS: Fess up. You beat dad and you beat your brother.

BURTON: Actually, my middle brother Brian beat all of us. He was the best but he chose to have a real job.

PHILLIPS: He's a doctor now?

BURTON: No, he run as construction company. So has a real job and Ward and I get to play all the time.

PHILLIPS: Very good. Well you've been pretty outspoken on safety issues. Tell me why.

BURTON: The main reason is because I think we have a responsibility as the upper end of the drivers to set a good example.

I broke my back in a race car 15 years ago and I built the car myself. And I thought everything was done just right. I thought it was perfect. Come to find out it wasn't. And what that taught me was if somebody like me who is conscientious, trying hard to do the right thing could do the wrong thing, then anybody could.

So I really tried to get educated to learn how to build cars safer. And I know people look at my race car. I looked at Dale Earnhardt's race car, I looked at the people that were there before me to see what they were doing and I copied and emulated what they were doing.

So I tried to be educated and make the right calls. And the more information and the more education you have, the better decisions you can make on how you want to make your car safe.

PHILLIPS: All right, you got to educate me now on this new scoring system. The chase for the championship. How are things changing this year?

BURTON: It is really quite simple. In the past we accumulated points throughout the year. The guy and the team with the most points won the championship. Simple.

What we're doing now is we're taking the first 26 races. If you are in the top ten of points you transfer into the championship chase. Everybody else still races, we still have 43 cars at the race track.

From the last race to the ten races to go you accumulate points. And the person with the most points at the end of those ten races he is the champion.

So we created s situation where there is drama in the middle part of the year to be in the top ten. But also when the year is over we are going to have ten guys racing for the championship.

And the reason it is going on is the Super Bowl. So many people watch the super bowl, not just the halftime show. They actually want to watch more things than that.

PHILLIPS: Who is going to dance at NASCAR? That's what i want to know. What is going to be ripped off?

BURTON: I hope nothing.

But we want people watching our sport at the end of the year. We also want them watching at the beginning and at the middle. And this proposal does that. This gets excitement building throughout the whole year.

And when we go to the last race of the year, which is not a whole lot of people watch. When we go to the last race of the year everybody is going to watch it. The casual race fans are going to want to tune in and see what's going on and who the champion's going to be.

PHILLIPS: All right, we're tuning in. What is going on with your sponsorship?

BURTON: This sponsorship, this NBA all-Star Game?

PHILLIPS: Continued sponsorship.

BURTON: We certainly had a little trouble with obtaining sponsorship. We're kind of in an economic low time right now. A lot of teams had problems gaining sponsorship to get them through the whole year.

Fortunately I drive for a great company that can make the thing happen and pursue sponsorship while we're racing. Some teams are just going to have to shut down. But we're going to be able to pursue sponsorship. We don't have sponsorship for the remaining part of the year, as of yet. But we feel really confident that we'll get it.

PHILLIPS: All right, so right now we're asking for that sponsorship. In the meantime, if something doesn't come through, we have an idea for you.

BURTON: All right. Let's hear it.

PHILLIPS: what do you think? LIVE FROM..., only on CNN, we will sponsor you.

BURTON: That is awesome.

PHILLIPS: Is that sweet?

(CROSSTALK)

BURTON: Twenty bucks? I'll take your 20.

(CROSSTALK)

MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: I got a ten spot, too.

PHILLIPS: Here, I'll take his ten.

BURTON: Now, tonight, Charles Barkley and all the guys are going to have their picture on the car.

(CROSSTALK)

PHILLIPS: Let's get our picture on the car. What do you think?

BURTON: For another 20 I can make it.

PHILLIPS: I'm getting a hard rap right now. you know what? Give him all the money you got, Miles. Give him your wallet.

O'BRIEN: Take it.

(CROSSTALK)

BURTON: She said give me your money. She didn't say (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

PHILLIPS: Spend all the man's money, right? Hey, you did pretty well last year. All right, I guess we get to chat with you later.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com