Burney Lamar
A versatile NASCAR driver who found success in the lower series and famously married country music star Nicole Kidman.
Born 1980 (age 46)·American racing driver·Birthday: August 21·Generation X
Biography
Burney Lamar's story is one of West Coast speed and a life that intersected with unexpected celebrity. Hailing from California, Lamar cut his teeth on the short tracks before breaking into NASCAR's national series. He made a name for himself as a consistent contender in what is now the Xfinity Series, driving for teams like Kevin Harvick Incorporated. While a victory at that level proved elusive, he notched several top-five finishes and demonstrated a smooth, capable talent behind the wheel. His career trajectory, however, is often framed by a personal milestone: his 2006 marriage to actress Nicole Kidman, which brought intense media scrutiny to his previously low-profile racing life. The marriage ended in 2007, and Lamar eventually stepped back from full-time competition. His legacy in the sport is that of a skilled driver whose personal narrative captured public attention in a way few from the racing world ever do.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Burney was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Burney Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Burney's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Earned a career-best 2nd place finish in a NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Memphis Motorsports Park in 2005.
- Competed full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series during the 2006 season.
- Made multiple starts in the NASCAR Truck Series, with a best finish of 6th at Texas in 2005.
Did You Know?
He was married to actress Nicole Kidman for less than a year in 2006-2007.
Lamar's racing number in the Xfinity Series was often 77.
He is a licensed pilot and enjoys flying.
“You have to be aggressive on these short tracks to get any respect.”
