Burton, Haas CNC team pumped about '04

New driver brings positive outlook to fledgling team

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- You'd think an outdoorsman like Ward Burton really could see the forest for the trees.

But sometimes a driver is so committed, so loyal to his team that he can't. That was Burton's case with Bill Davis Racing last year. Burton had been with Davis' team since 1995, and even though things were deteriorating, Burton knew they could be fixed.

Davis, though, had other ideas, and he and Burton split. Burton landed at Haas CNC Racing, driving the No. 0 car in the final four races of 2003. Once at Haas CNC, Burton knew leaving BDR was the best thing that could have happened.

	Tony Furr

"Not to bring up anything negative, but my brother (Jeff) made a comment to me that made things stick," Burton said. "He said, 'You know, you might not have known at the time, but Bill Davis did you a favor'. There were a lot of times, and still in some ways I don't feel exactly like that.

"But with what's been going on in my life and with the NetZero team, I just feel completely rejuvenated. The relationship with Tony Furr (crew chief) is great, and I don't feel like that's going to change.

"His racing career has been somewhat like mine. We're both at the age that when some little things that rip a relationship apart, I don't think that's going to happen here. (Team owner) Gene Haas is committed. I'm really excited."

One of the things that has Burton so excited is exactly what didn't happen at Davis. When Burton made some suggestions to fix what he thought was wrong at BDR, he said no one listened. That's not the case at Haas CNC.

"Tony and I talk every day either at the shop or on the phone about who we're interviewing and what positions we need to fill and about the cars and about what we're doing to get ready for Daytona and on and on," Burton said.

"I do have a lot more hands-on. And that input is wanted more. Not that I have all the answers, but certainly it's everything in my life. And so I want to be an asset, not a hindrance."

	Ward Burton says he has a lot more say in how the car is prepared with Haas CNC. Credit: Autostock

Burton certainly brings plenty of experience to the fledgling Haas CNC team. While Burton has been in Cup for 10 years, Haas formed Haas CNC Racing only two years ago after creating a partnership with powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports.

Haas CNC's first season was one of upheaval, as the team went through four drivers -- Jack Sprague, John Andretti, Jason Leffler and Burton -- and two crew chiefs -- Dennis Connor and Furr.

But with Burton and Furr as anchors, Haas CNC could be a sleeper team in 2004. They switched from Pontiac to Chevrolet in the off-season, the result of General Motors pulling its support of the Grand Prix.

"I feel like moving to Chevrolet is not going to be a hindrance, but a positive because of all the technical support that we're developing with Hendrick, and have with Hendrick, it'll make everything be exactly the same now," Burton said. There will be no single variable that'll be different."

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There is plenty of work to do, as Haas CNC finished only 37th in car owners' points last year. But Burton said the team is adding some depth, and he is getting more comfortable with the Hendrick chassis and engines.

And most important, the relationship between Burton and Furr is growing.

"I believe in him and he believes in me," Burton said. "His knowledge of the race car is phenomenal. ... We had talked a month or month and a half before we actually had our contracts done, but I just think that the opportunities that have come his way and not panned out are the same for me. Now maybe we can do it together."

Together. That's what Burton wants. And he has it at Haas CNC.

"Very good. Very refreshing. I feel like I just grew some wings or something," Burton said. "I feel light-footed in the morning, and I'm ready to go."