Burton says he wasn’t concerned about his job at RCR

Jeff Burton

As Jeff Burton struggled in the #31 car the last two seasons, even Burton himself couldn't avoid hearing the rumors that he might be replaced. His car owner, Richard Childress, when pressed on the issue by the media, would merely say that Burton had a contract for 2013, almost leaving the door open that, well, contracts are made to be broken. The obvious candidate to replace Burton was Kurt Busch, whom Childress talked about how much he'd like to have if a sponsor would step up for him. But Busch signed Monday with RCR affiliate Furniture Row Racing, and that should make Burton breathe easier about 2013. But it won't – because Burton wasn't wasting time thinking it would happen.

"I never worried about being replaced," Burton said Tuesday during a Charlotte Motor Speedway media day at the RCR shop. "I never woke up in the morning saying, 'Damn, I might not drive the 31 car next year.' Because I knew all those things weren't true. The fact that I was in the conversation bothered me." Sporting News