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The Buzz What it means Dave Kallman of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel says Jeff Burton has the part about winning races down cold. But success, these days, is measured not only by a series of 3-hour triumphs. To truly prosper, a man and the people who support him must perform consistently, almost flawlessly, over an unrelenting, 10-month, 36-race stretch. That is where Bobby Labonte succeeded, and where Jeff Burton failed. Where Burton has struggled is to qualify near the front -- ahead of trouble -- and to avoid finishes that are mediocre or even bad. In 1999, Burton made two more trips to victory lane than did Winston Cup champ Dale Jarrett. But Jarrett finished among the top 10 in 29 of 34 races, whereas Burton recorded five fewer top-five and top-10 finishes than the champ and ended up fifth in points. John Sturbin of the Fort-Worth Star Telegram says speculation about the impact of NASCAR's blockbuster $2.8 billion TV contract will be replaced by real-time lap and speed numbers in Daytona next weekend. When it is, the entire sport will be under the microscope. Cup teams are set to launch a 2001 season that will witness the return of the Dodge nameplate after a 15-year absence, genuine concerns about safety in the aftermath of three driver deaths last year, and a concerted effort by NASCAR officials to improve the overall quality of racing. Doug Nye of The State in Columbia, S.C. says a new era begins for stock car racing this weekend. Fox begins its television coverage, to be followed later in the season by TBS and NBC. For the first time, next Thursday's NASCAR Gatorade 125 will be televised live on Fox Sports Net. In previous years, the race aired on tape two days later. Fans will also see plenty of new technology, as well. That three networks bid so ferociously for the television rights is testimony to just how far the sport has come. Once confined to the South, NASCAR speedways can be found throughout the country from California to New York. Ratings have zoomed, and NASCAR is second only to pro football. In a key demographic, males 18-34, NASCAR is 27 percent ahead of its nearest competitor, the NBA. Ken Willis of the Daytona Beach News-Journal says NASCAR may have learned its lesson from an incident a year ago that may have done extensive damage. It's remembered simply as the "Article 4 Days." Last winter many in the media perceived that, with their credential applications, they were being asked to sign away everything but their backyard mineral rights. At the least, NASCAR overreached, and the resulting bad feelings lingered. But Thursday brought a new year and, presumably, a new feeling. NASCAR types talk of the "Article 4 Days" the way your Uncle Ed talks about Hurricane Donna -- glad that's over; hope it never comes back.

 

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