A young kid grew up loving to watch race cars travel in circles around the clay dirt track back in the hills of Claiborne County and dreamed of someday being the driver in one of those machines. At the time no one could ever imagine the journey that this young man would have to travel but as it stands now he has traveled full circle just like the dirt cars do each week on the track he used to love as a kid. He and his family would later go through one of the worst moments ever witnessed at the famous speed plant and has now came out a stronger, more focused and humble man and competitor.

This man is Anthony Burchett. Anthony is the son of Joey and Connie Burchett. He is married to Lori and has two kids; Dylan and Ella. A teenage Anthony would head to Tazewell Speedway on Saturday nights with his papaw Lehman and his dad. He told them both that one day he would drive one of those cars and with the help of Casey Huffman did just that. Huffman let him drive one of his cars when he turned sixteen and by twenty-three he had one of his own. Burchett purchased a GRT clone and went racing.

On June 11th, 2005 Burchett was ripping around the track during qualifying when the unspeakable happened. A rear brake caliper twisted and broke off a brake line which sent him into the wall between turns three and four sending him airborne. The car rotated in mid-air and landed top down into the grass beyond the fence. Its uncertain how many times the car flipped after the impact and Burchett can only remember seeing the ground and some trees before going into and out of consciousness. Several people were involved in getting Burchett out of the car including rescue squad officials and several drivers and track members. Burchett stated, " It took a few days for me to be fully awake." That was amazing enough considering he had crushed or broke five vertebrae in his neck after getting his helmet stuck between the top of the seat and the top of the roll cage. Along with the neck injury he suffered nerve damage to his left hand, an injury in which he also currently battles now. The neck was needing surgery and a specialist from Indiana was flown in, his name was Dr. Snyder.

With the surgery a success and against his doctors recommendations Burchett turned his attention to racing once again. In 2007 Burchett had another car ready and was brave enough to slide down in the seat once again. No one in his family really wanted to see him back in a dirt late model but his father knew that his headstrong son was going to do it regardless. Joey would not let his son get back in a car that was not as safe as it possibly could be so together they set out and reinforced the chassis in every way they could and also bought a HANS device to help steady Anthony's head if he ever was to be involved in another crash.

On a Saturday night in 2007 the comeback was complete. Burchett had defied the odds and was once again enjoying the sport he so loved. His best finish to date since then was a second place finishing behind only the multi-time champion Jason Trammell. He also has a few thirds and fifth place finishes to his credit but most of all his desire to compete remains intact. He wants to win. He gets some help from two great sponsors; Darians Body Shop in Speedwell, Tennessee and Cumberland Gap Spring Water but still is looking for a little bit more sponsorship money to keep upgrading his car. The rear end that was in his car on June 11th, 2005 is the same one he runs now along with several parts from the former car.

When asking him what helped him get to where he is now Burchett stated, " I want to thank the fans of Tazewell Speedway and dirt racing in general. The fans' prayers and support was simply awesome, they took up money for me and came to see me a lot. I would like to thank Eric Mowers and Bill Reed from Dirt Racing Outreach as well as Jimmy Owens and Rick Brooks who were all big help in supporting my recovery and comeback. I want to thank my family for supporting me like they did and I want them to know that I have the best family out there." Burchett knows how tough it was for his family to watch him get back in a race car and is trying his best to do it in the safest manner possible. He is back doing what he loves and reminds everyone, " Don't go through life scared to live." Anthony Burchett is an inspiration to all of us who love the sport of dirt racing and we thank him for showing us what a human being is capable of. Tazewell Speedway gives out an award for courage now, that award is called the Anthony Burchett Courage Award.