MARTINSVILLE, Va. (March 6, 2014) – It has been a roller-coaster 2014 for Jeb Burton, but the young NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver reached another high-point at Martinsville Speedway Thursday.
Burton announced that he would be piloting a Toyota Tundra for ThorSport Racing in the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway on March 29, the day before the STP 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race.
“I’m pleased to say that I’ll be back in a ThorSport Tundra for the Kroger 250 in three weeks. ThorSport has given me a great opportunity and I appreciate everything they have done for me and my family,” Burton said Thursday morning in a press conference at Martinsville Speedway. “Now we just need to keep running good.”
Burton is coming off a huge 2013 rookie season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series that saw him finish fifth in series points. He won a season-high seven poles, including one at Martinsville and picked up his first truck series win. He finished third in both Martinsville races in 2013.
But less than a month before the 2014 season began, his racing world began to unravel. His sponsor suddenly left the sport and his team was forced to shut down. ThorSport came to the rescue, adding Burton to its roster for the season-opener at Daytona last month, joining veterans Johnny Sauter and Matt Crafton.
Burton came through with a strong seventh-place run at Daytona, which led to Thursday’s announcement, and hopefully more good news down the road.
“We were really impressed with Jeb, his ability to mesh with the team and the way he worked his way through that first race and had a respectable finish, which isn’t easy at Daytona,” said ThorSport team manager David Pepper. “We hope we can continue to build on the excitement Jeb and our team created at Daytona because we really need to get more support to continue racing this Tundra.”
With Thursday’s announcement, ThorSport will roll into Martinsville later this month with the top-three finishers in last year’s Kroger 250. Sauter won last year’s race, 2013 series champion Matt Crafton was second and Burton was third.
“ThorSport has a really good team for this track. Looking at the stats from last year, Johnny won this race, Matt finished second and I was third. Those are my teammates. I think I can learn from them,” said Burton.
“This place is a short track and that’s one of my strengths. That has to help me, too.”
Tickets to the STP 500 on March 30, the Kroger 250 on March 29 and Pole Day on March 28 can be purchased by calling 1.877.RACE.TIX. Tickets may also be purchased online at www.martinsvillespeedway.com.
Tickets for youth 12 and under are just $10 in the Clay Earles Tower, rows 15-52. Teen tickets (ages 13-17) in the same area are $25. Youth and teen ticket prices are good with the purchase of an adult ticket.
Youth 12 and under are admitted free to the Kroger 250 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race on March 29 and to Pole Day on March 28.
Adult ticket prices for the STP 500 start at $37.
