Truck driver Bill Waldron, 41, a Pittsylvania County resident who drives for TNC Transportation, was hauling a load of coiled steel down southbound U.S. 29 around 7:30am/et Monday, when he came upon a man on the side of the road, waving his arms. What Waldron didnÃÂÃÂt know then was that the stranded motorist was Ward Burton, a NASCAR driver who hails from South Boston [VA]. Burton had fallen asleep at the wheel of his 2004 Chevrolet Suburban only minutes before. The brand-new vehicle hit a guard rail and overturned several times before coming to rest on its roof. ÃÂÃÂHis truck was completely upside down, all four tires pointing towards the sky,ÃÂÃÂ Waldron said. ÃÂÃÂIt looked like it slid a good 40, 45 yards.ÃÂÃÂ Waldron said no one else had stopped to help the man, so he pulled over. ÃÂÃÂI asked him if he was all right, and he said, ÃÂÃÂYeah, I believe so,ÃÂÃÂÃÂÃÂ Waldron said Tuesday. Waldron said Burton borrowed his cell phone to phone his wife, Tabitha, who called the North Carolina Highway Patrol to report the accident. After using the phone, Burton told Waldron he could leave, but Waldron opened up the cab of his truck so Burton wouldnÃÂÃÂt have to stand in the rain. After about 10 minutes of ÃÂÃÂsmall chit-chat,ÃÂÃÂ Waldron said authorities arrived at the scene and examined Burton, who suffered only a bump on the head. ÃÂÃÂRight before I left, he shook my hand. I told him my name was Bill Waldron and he said his was Ward Burton,ÃÂÃÂ said Waldron, who said he doesnÃÂÃÂt follow NASCAR enough to recognize the sportÃÂÃÂs famous faces. ÃÂÃÂI know driversÃÂÃÂ names and stuff like that. I knew of Ward, and his brother Jeff, Mark Martin, Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. and some of the other guys. (BurtonÃÂÃÂs name) just didnÃÂÃÂt register with me at the time,ÃÂÃÂ Waldron said. ÃÂÃÂThen the next morning I was listening to John Boy and Billy (on the radio), and they said Ward Burton had a wreck. I called my wife and asked her to find out if that was the same guy IÃÂÃÂd helped out. Sure enough, it was.ÃÂÃÂ Waldron said he is going to start following BurtonÃÂÃÂs career more closely than he did before. He also jokingly said he regrets not knowing at the time of the accident who Burton was. ÃÂÃÂI could have gotten his autograph,ÃÂÃÂ Waldron said with a chuckle.(Danville Register and Bee)(4-16-2004)
