Ward Burton picked Martinsville to attempt his comeback because driver skill is a huge factor. Credit: Autostock

Emotional, Ward Burton glad to be back in seat

After more than two years away, qualifies 35th at Martinsville

MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- At the far end of this paperclip-shaped track at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains is a red tent covering a red and white No. 4 Chevrolet Monte Carlo.

The hauler is outside the track several hundred yards away, leaving the crew with only a big blue tool box to prepare the car.

It has been 69 races since Ward Burton has been in a Nextel Cup race. Credit: Autostock

Inside the Numbers Ward Burton's career stats Year St. W T5 T10 Rank 1994 26 0 1 2 35 1995 29 1 3 6 22 1996 27 0 0 4 33 1997 31 0 0 7 24 1998 33 0 1 5 16 1999 34 0 6 16 9 2000 34 1 4 17 10 2001 36 1 6 10 14 2002 36 2 3 8 25 2003 36 0 0 4 21 2004 34 0 0 3 32 Totals 356 5 24 82   Note: 2002 Daytona 500 winner NASCAR TodayWard Burton makes his return to Nextel Cup racing this weekend Sign up for TrackPass now BUY THE NEXTEL i836

This is where the struggling teams, those not among the top 35 in owners' points guaranteed a spot in Sunday's Nextel Cup race, work feverishly while everybody else is under a covered garage with a fully equipped hauler a few steps away.

This is where Ward Burton has decided to make his comeback after nearly a two-year hiatus to work on his wildlife foundation and spend time with his wife and three children.

"I feel like I'm a little bit back to the beginning of my career," said the native of nearby South Boston, Va., who qualified 35th.

Burton has been itching to get back in a stock car since testing at Daytona in January. There were times when he thought he was close to a deal to drive the No. 88 Ford for Robert Yates Racing next season.

He purchased a new fitted seat and helmet long before anything came along.

The deal to drive this weekend for Morgan-McClure happened so fast that Burton arrived at Martinsville wearing a white Lucas Oil shirt borrowed from team owner Larry McClure.

Both hope to run at least two more races, perhaps Atlanta next week and Phoenix the week after, and turn this into a full-time deal.

Burton showed on Friday there's something left in the tank, posting the eighth-fastest speed early during the practice session with a car that is 39th in owners' points with drivers Scott Wimmer and Todd Bodine.

He backed that up with a solid qualifying run that had him fourth among those outside of the top 35.

"It just feels natural," Burton said. "It felt like picking up a firearm and shooting a skeet again. There are only a couple of things I'm natural at, and driving a racecar is one of them."

Burton had plenty of support. One of the first things Kurt Busch asked after winning the pole was if Burton qualified.

"It's just good to see him back," Busch said. "He deserves a ride. He's a proven winner."

Burton actually showed he was ready to return on Wednesday when he and crew chief Chris Carrier went to Motor Mile Speedway in nearby Radford, Va., to test the brakes and gears.

"My first thought was, 'Why in the hell haven't I been doing this, because it felt really good being in the car,'" said Burton, who finished the practice 38th-fastest and sixth among those battling for eight spots not guaranteed a position.

Carrier described Burton as "smooth as silk." He recalled a moment a few laps into the second time on the Radford track when Burton said, "Shoot, I ain't got no rust on me."

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"I was not surprised at all," Carrier said. "A lot of people play a big game on the age thing. I don't buy into that. Age is what's in your heart, in your mind. I know talking to him, I knew his mind and heart were right on track once we got there."

Burton's younger brother, Jeff, is proving that. Halfway through the 10-race Chase he leads Matt Kenseth by 45 points and Richard Childress Racing teammate Kevin Harvick by 89.

A few gray hairs aside, Ward doesn't see why his career can't have a similar rebirth.

But he makes it clear that sibling rivalry or Jeff's success had no bearing on him wanting to return to NASCAR's premier series. He simply misses doing what he's done for more than half of his life and the people associated with it.

"I'm not looking back on the past and what got us to this point," Burton said. "I'm just excited about being to this point."

Fans certainly are glad to have Burton back. Several drove six hours to sit in the stands and watch the test on Wednesday.

Burton doesn't know why he has remained so popular. Perhaps, he said, it's that South Boston accent that even his family struggles to understand.

"[Jeff's] a little more polished speaker that I am," Ward said. "Somebody said once upon a time maybe I was brought up in the south end of the house and him on the north end."

But there's no denying they're brothers.

"The blood tests are definitive," Jeff said.

Ward wants to make sure they remain friends as well.

"This may not be the time to trade paint, although I probably owe him one," said Ward, referring to his brother's position in the standings.

Burton admitted watching races from home has been difficult, particularly with all the talk about a lack of new talent.

"Yeah, I feel like I'm a wasted talent on Sundays," he said.

It also was difficult knowing he was simply a sponsorship from being in decent equipment such as the No. 88 that Dale Jarrett is leaving in 2007.

"I've been pretty lucky to bring in some pretty big sponsors to the organizations I've been with," Burton said. "The problem is trying to do it without a tight relationship with the car owner.

"It makes it tough. That was the problem. We were never tied in close enough with any organization to get that done."

He doesn't have that problem with Morgan-McClure.

"This team has been down, but we think we're taking the right steps to get our team back where it needs to be," McClure said. "Certainly, if we have success, Ward's going to have success."

Burton said it's all about timing. Timing also is why he chose to make his return at Martinsville, a track that relies more on the driver than the car. In his last six starts at the half-mile facility he qualified in the top 10 five times.

Still, between taking care of his wife who recently underwent surgery and his sick 4-year-old Ashton, Burton didn't sleep much on Thursday night.

Nerves might have had something to do with that, as well.

"Hell yeah, I'm nervous," Burton said. "I'm a little out of my environment. At the same time it's a little bit of old hat, too. I've got quite a few emotions going on."