One NASCAR Driver’s Key to Success? Kindness

by Greg Crumpton on Jul 8, 2021

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Greg Crumpton lives by a simple mantra: Relationships drive business. Each week on Straight Outta Crumpton, Crumpton dives into the lost art of networking and speaks with the biggest influencers in business services to learn how they build, nurture and value their professional relationships.

On this episode of Straight Outta Crumpton, Host Tyler Kern and Greg Crumpton talked with former NASCAR driver Ward Burton, who won the 2002 Daytona 500. He now operates the Ward Burton Wildlife Foundation, whose mission is to conserve America’s Land and Wildlife through wise stewardship. They talk about his foundation, NASCAR, and how kindness benefits everyone.

Greg grew up watching Ward, just as Ward was also growing up, as they are near the same age. As Ward progressed through his NASCAR career, or Phase One of his life, according to Crumpton, he noted that he always admired how Burton handled his sponsorships. While growing up in Atlanta, Greg attended some of Ward’s races. But, Crumpton noted that professional athlete aside, he always admired how Burton carried himself and how he was a nice guy.

“It is really easy to be kind and available if they want a story about you, versus being the other way, so I was never aloof on any of that.” – Ward Burton

“In business and in personal life, that goes so far,” Crumpton said. “How you treat your people: your interviewers and your co-competitors. You set a good bar for that.”

Back in the days of print reporters in pit row and TV network reporters, Burton noted that those folks had a job to do, too.

“It is really easy to be kind and available if they want a story about you versus being the other way, so I was never aloof on any of that,” Burton said. He always took time to be available for requests because not only would you get a good message out about your team or partners, but it was about working together.