Burton's weekend woes continue with early crash

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- A bad weekend for Ward Burton got worse, a bad year for Ricky Craven got worse and a mediocre weekend for Matt Kenseth turned terrible.

Ward Burton, driving his backup car in Saturday night's rain-delayed Pepsi 400, said he cut down a right-rear tire in Turn 2 early in the race. And when Burton slid up the track to try to regain control of his sliding car, Kenseth braked hard to try and avoid Burton, only to get tapped in the side, which sent his car hard into the wall.

Pepsi 400 Jeff Gordon celebrates his second straight win Play video Jeff Gordon heads to the checkers at Daytona Play video Earnhardt Jr. takes a wild ride through the grass Play video Ward Burton has big trouble in the early laps Play video  •  Results  •  Standings

Behind them, Craven got involved, damaging the rear of his No. 32 Chevrolet.

"Must've been a right-rear tire went down," Burton said. "It bottomed out, and then it sparked real bad, and then I started smelling smoke in the car. Sorry for everybody I collected."

Burton had crashed in Friday's lone practice when Kasey Kahne slipped off Turn 2, so he was in no mood to be philosophical after Saturday's wreck.

"I just can't believe our damn luck," Burton said. "We were going to be pretty good. We had moved up probably halfway through the field. Just a damn shame. I don't know what we could have done to avoid it."

Burton said he tried to keep his car out of the wall, but there was nothing he could do.

"I was just trying to regain control over it," Burton said. "I think actually most of the casing came off of it by the time I had gotten back control, and then I lost it again. I don't know. Just horrible, damn luck. I mean, how in the hell so much could happen at one time is beyond me. I don't know."

As Burton's crew worked to get his car back in the race, Kenseth and Craven stayed in their cars while repairs were made. They were probably in no mood to talk, anyway.

Burton wasn't in much of one.

"I guess that's racing," Burton said. "You're supposed to get used to it. But I don't think you ever get old enough to get used to it."

Burton will slip further down the Nextel Cup points standings after another poor finish. He blew an engine two weeks ago at Michigan after a 14th-place qualifying run. Burton qualified eighth this weekend but had to start of the rear of the field because of the backup car.

Kenseth, the defending Cup champion, started 36th and was only 24th fastest in Friday's practice. Kenseth never has won a restrictor-plate race and will likely fall from this in the Nextel Cup points standings.

For Craven, Burton's and Kenseth's numbers seem gaudy. It has been a disastrous season, with four DNFs and not a single finish higher than 16th. He's 30th in the points.

Perhaps Burton summed up the feelings of all three drivers.

"It was definitely a rough weekend," Burton said. "I'm ready to get the hell outta here."