Burton hurtin' for certain? Not since ending that winless streak

Now, finally, Jeff Burton can be called a legitimate championship contender.

And NASCAR can breathe just a little easier knowing it is one step away from making sure its 2006 Nextel Cup champion is a driver who has actually won a race.

Matt Kenseth (right) reaches out to congratulate respected Jeff Burton. (AP)

Now, if only Mark Martin, the only winless driver remaining in the Chase for the Nextel Cup, can win in the next few weeks, NASCAR will be home free.

For Burton, the pressure is now off. His victory last week at Dover ended one of the most dubious streaks in the sport.

A 17-time winner and once a perennial championship contender, Burton, 39, had gone five years -- and 175 races -- without a win. He fell into such a prolonged slump that he left Roush Racing, one of the most powerful teams on the circuit, to join Richard Childress Racing, which, at the time, was mired in its own horrible slump.

It had been so long since Burton had been to victory lane after a Cup race that many had begun to wonder if he would ever win again, or if he would become the next Ken Schrader, riding out his career on a 15-year winless streak. (That, of course, would not be unheard of. Both Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip, two of the sport's biggest stars, raced for years after their final victory.)

Burton's career resurgence has been a major story this season. When he battled to earn a spot in the Chase, it was a landmark moment for both Burton and RCR, which put its team in the championship Chase for the first time.

But Burton entered the 10-race playoff as one of two Chase drivers who had not won a race this year. Could he win the championship without winning a race?

With 17 top-10 finishes in 28 races, and considering the wild inconsistency of some of the top challengers, it was certainly a possibility, one neither Burton nor NASCAR relished.

Now, they don't have to worry about it. And now, Burton suddenly looks like a serious contender.

Often, one win can spark a driver to a streak of victories. It happened to Jimmie Johnson in 2004, when he won three straight races, and four of five, in the Chase and nearly won the title.

It happened to Tony Stewart when he won five of seven races in the middle of last year to launch him into the point lead and propel him to his second series championship.

Carl Edwards also did it last year, following his first career victory with three more wins and a strong run in the Chase.

Kasey Kahne broke out this year. He slumped badly after scoring his first career win last season, but this year's first victory led to four more and a spot in the Chase.

Can Burton's first win in five years spark a similar streak and push him to a series championship that eluded him during his heyday in the late 1990s?

He had been knocking on the door all season, leading long segments of races at Chicago, Indy, Bristol and New Hampshire, only to fade at the end. He dominated the August race at Bristol, leading 263 of 500 laps, before he fell off dramatically and finished ninth.

That had been his Achilles all season: He was good enough to win, but couldn't close the deal, always fading at the end.

Now, those demons are gone. He not only finished first at Dover, but he won a thrilling, 20-lap, door-to-door duel with Matt Kenseth, the 2003 champion who dominated the race and has four wins this season.

To top it all off, Burton came home with the points lead, making the most of his milestone victory and giving the Chase what seemed weeks ago like an improbable leader.

Now NASCAR fans and many throughout the sport are salivating at the thought of one of the biggest underdogs walking away with the title.

Aside from Martin, who has never won a Cup championship and is running his last full season, NASCAR could not hope for a better champion than Burton.

The South Boston, Va. native is one of the most well respected drivers in the sport, and that respect extends from the media to fans to NASCAR officials and to rival competitors. Nearly everyone, it seems, has the utmost respect for a driver who has raced with class and integrity throughout his career, demonstrating that he learned a thing or two from all those years serving as Martin's sidekick and teammate.

Burton has also emerged as a leader in the sport, speaking out on vital issues and doing so in a professional, productive way. He is a favorite among reporters seeking some perspective and insight on controversial issues.

He also carries the virtues and values NASCAR covets most from its stars and champions. He is a fan-friendly, family man with a keen understanding of the traits that make NASCAR and stock car racing popular.

All of those things would make Jeff Burton a popular and deserving champion. Yet, none of it would have mattered had he not won a race.

That was indeed a possibility under NASCAR's current Chase format and a reason many believe the system should be tweaked to put more emphasis on winning races.

Imagine how demeaning and unfair it would have been for Burton to win the title, yet have to spend months answering questions not about his championship run, but about the fact that he won it without winning a single race.

Now neither he nor NASCAR has to worry about that. With his win at Dover, Burton is now a legitimate, serious and completely deserving championship contender.

Now, if only Mark Martin can find a way to win.

This week's prediction

Jeff Gordon. Don't look now, but Gordon is suddenly in serious contention for his fifth series title. After starting the Chase in ninth, he has climbed to second with back-to-back third-place finishes and is now just six points behind the leader. He is in prime position to take over the point lead with a win at Kansas, one of his best tracks. Gordon has two wins in five years at Kansas and won in July at Chicago, the track most similar to the 1.5-mile Kansas track. Don't be surprised if Gordon dominates this race.

Keep an eye on ...

Matt Kenseth. He was gunning for his fifth win of the season at Dover until Burton beat him at the end. Kenseth then ran out of gas, knocking him back to 10th and costing him the points lead. Still, it could have been worse. Kenseth is still third in points and only 18 behind the leader. That could spell trouble for the others. Kenseth has been strong on speedways all season and could score another win at Kansas. He was leading at Chicago when Gordon took him out on the final lap. That could lead to some more fireworks between the two at Kansas.

Also keep an eye on ...

Jeff Burton. When a driver finally breaks through with a big one, it's not unusual to see him keep it going. Burton teammate Kevin Harvick did it a few weeks ago, winning back-to-back races at Richmond and New Hampshire. Burton and Harvick should both be strong again at Kansas.

Dark horse

Kyle Busch. Having fallen out of the first two Chase races, Busch's championship hopes are over. Now, he's racing for one thing -- to win. Don't be surprised if he plays the role of spoiler at Kansas.

Jeff Owens is executive editor of NASCAR Scene and a columnist for CBS Sportsline.com.