Jeff Burton set for 1,000th NASCAR national series start

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Five drivers have amassed at least 1,000 career NASCAR national series starts in their careers: Richard Petty (1,185), Mark Martin (1,141), Joe Nemechek (1,073), Michael Waltrip (1,062) and Terry Labonte (1,013).

This weekend at Phoenix International Raceway, that group will grow by one as Richard Childress Racing’s Jeff Burton will make his 1,000th national series start in Sunday’s Advocare 500.

It will be his 690th start in the Sprint Cup series to go along with his 306 in the Nationwide Series and his four in the Camping World Truck Series.

“It’s hard for me to imagine that I have driven in 1,000 NASCAR races,” Burton said in a statement. “I’ve been lucky and blessed to have family and friends that have given me all this support.

“I also have good relationships with everyone that I’ve worked with over the years to show for it, which is most important to me.”

Burton got his first NASCAR national series start in a Busch Series (now Nationwide Series) race at Martinsville Speedway in 1988. Since then, his 25+-year career of competition has seen him achieve solid success and now, he stands as one of the more respected veterans in the Sprint Cup garage.

Among his 48 national series wins are triumphs in some of NASCAR’s most prestigious races like Darlington Raceway’s famous Southern 500 and the series’ longest event, Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Coca-Cola 600.

He is also the last driver to ever lead a NASCAR-sanctioned race wire-to-wire, winning at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2000 after leading all 300 laps.

Phoenix has been the setting for two of Burton’s victories. He went back-to-back in the Valley of the Sun in 2000 and 2001 while driving for Roush Racing (now Roush Fenway Racing), and has been running decent there in recent times with two Top-10s and three Top-15s in his last four PIR starts; he finished 10th at PIR in March.

“It makes it even sweeter to reach this milestone at Phoenix International Raceway where we have had a lot of success over the years,” Burton said. “The team had a top-10 finish in March at Phoenix and tested there recently. We expect to contend for the win this weekend.”

The future remains uncertain for Burton, as he is on his way out at Richard Childress Racing and has not officially announced where he’ll land in 2014. Last month, however, he indicated that he may be getting closer to doing just that.

Regardless of what happens beyond 2013 for him, it’s undeniable that Burton has definitely earned the accomplishment he’ll achieve this Sunday in Phoenix.

NTT re-signs as IndyCar title sponsor in multiyear deal starting with the 2024 season

James Black/Penske Entertainment
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The IndyCar Series has re-signed NTT as its title sponsor in a multiyear agreement starting in 2024.

NTT, a global information technology and communications company based in Japan, became the series’ title sponsor before the 2019 season after starting as a sponsor of the No. 10 Dallara-Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing.

NTT Data (a subsidiary of parent company Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp.) will remain the official technology partner of IndyCar, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the Indy 500 and the NASCAR Brickyard weekend.

With the extension, an IndyCar spokesman said NTT would become the second-longest title sponsor in series history. The longest title sponsor was PPG from 1980-97 (under the CART sanction of the Champ Car Series).

NTT replaced Verizon, which was IndyCar’s title sponsor from 2014-18 after IZOD from 2010-13.

“NTT is an excellent partner across our enterprise with strong expertise and a deep commitment to our sport,” Penske Corp. chairman and IndyCar owner Roger Penske said in a release. “From Smart Venue technology at the Racing Capital of the World to the reimagined Series mobile application, NTT is transforming the fan experience in new and innovative ways. We look forward to a bright future together.”

NTT has used artificial intelligence-enabled optical detection technology at IMS to provide information to the track’s operations and security teams, helping improve fan traffic flow and safety, the track said.

“IndyCar is a great partner for NTT Data because of our shared commitment to driving innovation, increasing sustainability and delivering amazing experiences,” NTT Data CEO Kaz Nishihata said in a release. “We also appreciate how IndyCar is so diverse, with drivers from 15 different countries, and races that range from short ovals and superspeedways to road and street courses. It’s both an incredible sport and a wonderful example for our world.”

NTT also has been instrumental in helping redesign the IndyCar app and providing more race and driver data for use in NBC Sports’ broadcasts by utilizing 140 data points from every car in the field.

“NTT is fully invested in the development and growth of our sport and has already established a terrific track record in our industry with problem-solving capabilities and access to top talent and tools,” Penske Entertainment president and CEO Mark Miles said.

Said NTT Data Services CEO Bob Pryor: “We’re thrilled to continue our collaborations that enhance and expand the fan experience for motorsports and serve as proof points for data analytics, AI, and other innovative digital technologies. For more than a century, this racing series has pioneered innovations making driving safer for everyone, and by continuing this relationship, we will accelerate the pace of innovations and new technologies, particularly related to sustainability that ultimately can benefit organizations, communities and individuals around the world.”

Starting as a Japanese telephone company, NTT grew into a $100 billion-plus tech services giant with U.S. operations based in Plano, Texas.