By Mark Aumann, NASCAR.COM
March 7, 2006
03:13 PM EST

Las Vegas nearly became the city of brotherly shove during the 1999 Las Vegas 400.

With 14 laps remaining, Ward Burton held a good-sized lead over brother Jeff. However, the younger Burton's car was quicker -- and the No. 99 Ford rapidly closed the gap on Ward's No. 22 Pontiac.

The Burtons ran side-by-side for four laps before Jeff made the pass on the high side and pulled away for a 1.074-second victory.

If it had been anyone else, Ward Burton might have been more physical, especially since he hadn't visited Victory Lane since 1995. As it was, he made his brother earn it.

"I wasn't going to give him an inch," Ward said. "I even thought about moving up a little bit higher than I did, but I knew one of us wouldn't have gotten out of the corner if I did.

"I was trying to crowd him as much as I could without wrecking him. I don't want to wreck my brother."

In the other car, Jeff Burton had similar feelings.

"You don't forget he's your brother. No matter what, he's your brother," Jeff said. "I was doing everything I could do to win the race and he was, too."

The Burton brothers combined to lead 182 of the 267 laps.

"We always wanted it to come down to the end like that," Jeff said. "The next time, he'll get me."

Unfortunately for Ward, Jeff's prediction didn't pan out. The Burtons would go on to finish 1-2 on two other occasions, with Jeff coming out on top in the 1999 Southern 500 at Darlington and 1999 Pop Secret 400 at Rockingham.

However, Ward finally did something that Jeff hasn't yet accomplished -- winning the Daytona 500 in 2002.