<div><p><p>Jeff Burton won arguably the biggest Sprint Cup race of his 15-year career on Saturday night as he outdueled Kasey Kahne at Lowe's Motor Speedway in the Bank of America 500.</p> <p>Burton's victory thrust him into serious championship contention. He's now second in the Chase for the Cup, only 69 points behind two-time reigning Cup champion Jimmie Johnson.</p> <p>Yet, the South Boston native was quick to deflect any postrace accolades. However, he couldn't help projecting his unabashed enthusiasm, an unbridled joy of winning for the 21st time in his career.</p> <p>At 41, Burton emptied an array of emotions with adolescent glee during a postrace press conference. He is both mature and young enough to appreciate victory while separating it from, as he often puts it, "real-life stuff that matters."</p> <p>It matters, though, that a Cup title is within Burton's reach midway through the Chase. Still, he insists, he'll have just as much fun in defeat.</p> <p>"We're not curing cancer or trying to solve world hunger," said Burton, who for the first time since 2001 has a multi-win season. "We're just racing. The reason why we got into this thing was to have fun."</p> <p>Burton smiled endlessly. He chuckled instinctively. He laughed out loud.</p> <p>"We are just going to have fun, because no one's picked us [to win the Chase]," said Burton, considered a postseason underdog. "We're just having fun. We are not going to get caught up in the Chase hunt.</p> <p>"I'm telling you, I'm not worrying about it. My wife will tell you we haven't had any conversations about points."</p> <p>Most everyone is talking about Burton's performance during the first half of the Chase. While other Chase qualifiers -- Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Manchester High School graduate Denny Hamlin may have used their allotted mulligans -- Burton has been consistent.</p> <p>"Jeff just kept digging and digging," said team owner Richard Childress, "and the race team kept the car getting better and better."</p> <p>Now, Burton has positioned himself to pressure Johnson, who's usually undaunted when the heat is on. Burton, too, has given himself a chance to push the delete button on a 2006 season in which a title chance was wasted after he left Lowe's Motor Speedway holding a slim lead before finishing seventh.</p> <p>"That year, it slipped away," said Burton, winner of the spring race in Bristol. "That was one of three years I had an honest shot to win [the championship] and didn't get it done.</p> <p>"Those were lessons learned, and we won't do that again. Consistently, we had the fastest car but not the reliability to get it done."</p> <p>Burton's No. 31 Chevrolet was most reliable during a 10-lap stretch in which Kahne threatened to snatch away the checkered flag on the 1.5-mile oval. Despite his consistency, Burton has had only a handful of chances to win this season.</p> <p>"I don't remember feeling like one got away from us," said Burton, a career-best third in points in 2000. "I feel like when we had opportunities, we took advantage of them. Our anxieties have been that we haven't had enough opportunities to win."</p> <p>Admittedly, before his 2004 move from Roush Racing to Richard Childress Racing, Burton doubted, as did others, that he could be a legitimate title contender.</p> <p>"It means a lot that Richard believes in me," Burton said. "I drive every lap with that appreciation.</p> <p>"There was a time when everybody wanted me as a driver. Then, there was a time when no one wanted me. I appreciate this win for what it is."</p> <p>It's why, Burton says, racing is fun -- in victory or defeat. </p><p> <br /> Contact Ralph N. Paulk at (804) 649-6851 or rpaulk@timesdispatch.com.</p><p>TAGS: NASCAR, Sprint Cup, Auto Racing <br /></p></p><img src="http://admatch-syndication.mochila.com/images/ad.gif?aid=34852823&bid=informcom" /></div><div id="copyright"><div>

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