How do you come up with a number when you start racing? You take the number of daughters you have and the number of lives you have, and then stick the letter of your first and last name on it, presto……..

B39 Brian Burke, Dalton Ga. Limited driver. That is how Brian describes how he got his number 26 years ago.

Brian is the 2005 & 2006 limited late model track Champion of North Ga. Speedway. Driving the familiar blue, black and white B39 Chevy powered DWB Chassis. Brian is a firm believer in the saying” dirt is for racing and asphalt is for getting there,” Brian owns Burke Fabricators in Dalton, and there have been many local race cars through his shop, and it is one of the things Brian loves to do, fabricate, I have personally watched as he has taken idea’s from drawing pad to actual part in just a short time, and made them work. Just look at the B39 and you will see what I mean. Brian says every track is his favorite, Atomic, North Ga, all of them that are oval shaped, this man just loves to race.

Brian is married to his lovely wife Sarah, with 3 daughters Brandy, Alicia, and Jessica, Brian and Sarah have 2 grand babiess, Braylon and Addyson with one on the way.

In his 26 years of racing Brian has won at almost every track he has raced at, and has really come into his own the past 5 or 6 years with the 2 track championships at North Ga. Speedway and 3^rd in points in the Top Track Challenge series , where he was also “rookie of the year”. And winning 13 races at the State line Speedway, before it closed mid season, and no champions were crowned. Not bad for a man who is 47 years old.

Brian says that the thing that he remembers most about racing was his first win after 18 years of racing at Cleveland Speedway. Brian is sponsored by Burke Fabrication and Graphic’s, Precision Parts (ppiparts.com) Gene’s Racing parts, Long’s Carpet, Dave’s heating and air, and Parks Motorsports. His crew is made up of Gary “bubba” Wimpy, Jason Watts, and Clyde Parks.

Brian don’t like to fix tore up race cars, but it is his job and someone has to do it. Brian says he is not superstitious in any way,and the late Dale Earnhardt was his favorite driver, Brian wants to get up Eldora way to make a few laps around the famed half mile one day but til then he is happy making laps at NGS.

Brian says if he could tell his fans one thing it is “ to follow Jesus, not me” and that is good advice to anyone, Brian is quick to spend time with kid’s who are starting to follow the sport, and always gives of his time to let the little one’s sit in his cars takes pictures with them, and he knows they are the future of the sport.

It don’t matter which car or engine he is running whether it is the 604 crate motor or his Clyde Parks Motorsports limited motor you can bet Brian Burke is there to win. And that is what he list his goals for this year as, to win as many races as possible, I know he has put on a few good show’s this year, watching him and the legendary Leon Brindle battle a couple weeks ago was awesome. So if you see Brian at the track walk up and say hi, he loves to talk racing to his fans, or you may see him at a local golf course swinging away, but either way say hi, he will be happy to stop and talk to you. And when you see the B39 pull into the track, you know your in for a show no matter which class he runs.

I am happy to count him as one of my friends.

CYA@THERACES

the dr.