By TONY FABRIZIO

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 10, 2008

With 14 races left in the 2004 NASCAR season, a fading driver joined a once-dominant team seemingly in decline.

Jeff Burton hadn't won in almost three years, and Roush Racing was having trouble finding him a sponsor. Richard Childress Racing, which had ruled racing with Dale Earnhardt Sr., was struggling to put a driver in the top 10.

Nearly four years later, Burton, 40, has fully revived his career, and RCR, with three drivers in the top three of the Sprint Cup standings for tonight's Dodge Challenger 500 at Darlington, has reclaimed a place among the best teams.