Jeff Burton
A consistent, respected wheelman known as 'The Mayor' for his diplomacy, who conquered NASCAR's crown jewels and now commands the broadcast booth.
Born 1967 (age 59)·American racing driver·Birthday: June 29·Generation X
Biography
Jeff Burton brought a methodical, intelligent approach to the chaos of NASCAR, earning the nickname 'The Mayor' for his reasoned voice in driver meetings and his clean, strategic racing. Part of the storied Burton racing family from Virginia, he broke through with Roush Racing, where his No. 99 car became a perennial contender. His legacy is etched in the sport's most demanding races: he tamed the treacherous Darlington Raceway to win the Southern 500 and conquered the marathon Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte not once, but twice. Burton was never the flashiest champion, but his 21 Cup wins are a testament to his remarkable consistency and racecraft. After retiring, he smoothly transitioned to the broadcast booth for NBC, where his analytical mind and dry wit have made him one of the most insightful commentators in motorsports, guiding a new generation of fans through the nuances of the sport he helped define.
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.
Jeff was born in 1967, 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 Jeff Was Born
The biggest hits of 1967
#1 Movie
The Jungle Book
Best Picture
In the Heat of the Night
#1 TV Show
The Andy Griffith Show
Jeff's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1967Born
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1972Started school
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1980Became a teenager
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
1983Could drive
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1985Could vote
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
1988Turned 21
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1997Turned 30
Princess Diana dies in Paris car crash; Harry Potter published
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $104,100Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Candle in the Wind 1997" — Elton JohnBest Picture: Titanic
2007Turned 40
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2017Turned 50
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 59 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won two of NASCAR's crown jewel events: the Coca-Cola 600 in 1999 and 2001, and the Southern 500 in 1999.
- Accumulated 21 career NASCAR Cup Series victories over a 19-year career.
- Served as a pivotal driver for Roush Racing during its peak competitive years in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
- Successfully transitioned to a lead color commentator role for NBC Sports' NASCAR coverage.
Did You Know?
His nickname, 'The Mayor,' was given by fellow driver Kenny Wallace for his diplomatic manner in driver council meetings.
He and his brother Ward Burton are one of the few pairs of brothers to both win multiple NASCAR Cup Series races.
He made his Cup Series debut in a car owned by his own family, Burton Racing.
His son Harrison and nephew Jeb are both professional NASCAR drivers, continuing the family legacy.
“You have to be able to look in the mirror and know you did everything you could.”
