Despite chasing an ill-handling AT&T Chevy and experiencing a pair of setbacks during Saturday night’s LifeLock.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway, Jeff Burton and the AT&T Racing team held on for a 19th-place finish and maintained their spot in the season’s championship point standings.

For the second week in a row, the Scott Miller-led crew had a less than expected finish after showcasing consistent performances during the season’s first 17 races. Despite finishing outside the top 15 the past two weeks, Burton and Company still sit third in the NASCAR Cup Series championship point standings with seven races remaining until the Chase for the Cup commences.

Severe thunderstorms forced NASCAR to cancel Thursday night’s time trial session for the fourth time this season, allowing the No. 31 AT&T Chevy to line up third for the annual 400-mile showdown in the Windy City based on the current NASCAR owners’ point standings.

Challenged with a tight-handling AT&T Chevy during the opening 35 laps, the South Boston, Va., native plummeted 14 positions before the first of nine caution flags slowed the 43-car field. The window of opportunity for adjustments and valuable track position slammed shut when Burton came down pit road and missed his pit stall. The mishap led to contact with the No. 26 machine as he was trying to exit pit road forcing Burton to come back down for service on the ensuing lap. The 41-year-old driver restarted the 267-lap event 41st.

Although the veteran driver began making his way through the field, handling characteristics on the bright orange machine swung from tight to loose and Miller summoned the 20-time Cup Series winner to pit road on lap 105 for green-flag service, which included air pressure and chassis adjustments.

Six laps later, while running 31st, Burton became a victim of circumstance when the No. 55 machine went low to avoid the No. 10 machine’s contact with the wall, clipping the right-front fender of the AT&T Chevy and causing light damage. Burton was scored on the tail end of the lead lap for the lap 116 restart but was quickly passed by leader Matt Kenseth six laps later.

A timely caution flag flew on lap 144 allowing Burton to receive the Lucky Dog award, pass the leader and earned his lap back. After receiving service by the AT&T over-the-wall crew two laps later, Burton returned to the racing surface 29th in the running order.

Five yellow flags and two pit stops consumed the balance of the event but savvy driving afforded Burton the opportunity to snare 10 spots over the closing laps.

Kyle Busch took the checkers with Jimmie Johnson and Richard Childress Racing teammate Kevin Harvick in tow. Greg Biffle and Tony Stewart rounded out the top-five finishers.

Burton’s fellow RCR teammate Clint Bowyer finished 22nd.

After a well-deserved weekend off, the NASCAR Cup Series returns to action in two weeks at the hallowed ground of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Live television coverage of the 15th running of Allstate 400 at the Brickyard will take the green flag Sunday, July 27 beginning at 1 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on ESPN. The race will also be broadcast on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network and Sirius Satellite Radio. Qualifying for the 20th points-paying races on the 2008 NASCAR Cup Series calendar will be televised live on ESPN2 Saturday, July 26 beginning at 10 a.m. EDT and will also broadcast live on the IMS Radio Network and Sirius Satellite Radio.

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