Burman was born in
Imlay City, Michigan on April 23, 1884. While working as a road tester for the
Jackson Automobile Co. in 1906 he got the opportunity to enter several races, in which he performed well. In 1908
William C. Durant, the founder of
General Motors, brought Burman and the
Chevrolet brothers on as drivers for the newly formed
Buick racing team. Burman won the
Prest-O-Lite Trophy Race, a precursor to the
Indianapolis 500, in his Buick in 1909. He finished first in the 1909
Vesper Club Trophy Race driving for the
Buick team and fourth in the 1909 Lowell Trophy Race. In 1910 he won the
Remy Brassard Trophy 2 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and in 1911 he won the first four events at the New Orleans Mardi Gras Races with his
Buick 60 Special. Racing for promoter
Ernest Moross, Burman set a
land speed record at an average of over distance of 0.625 miles (1 kilometer) in his 200-horsepower
Blitzen Benz on the sands of
Daytona Beach on April 23, 1911; however this record was not officially recognized by the AIACR in Paris. He competed at the first ever
1911 Indianapolis 500 in a Benz, before the race he made exhibition runs in the Blitzen Benz on the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway and set speed records at the quarter mile, half mile, kilometer and mile distances. He was crowned speed king before the start of the race. Burman competed in the
1912 Indianapolis 500, crashing his
Cutting at the second turn after 157 laps. He started the
1913 Indianapolis 500 as the favorite, and led 41 laps early, but his car caught fire on lap 55; he was able to repair his
Keeton and continued for a while, but eventually did not finish the race. In 1914, he won the
Kalamazoo Race, and in 1915 he won both the
Oklahoma Southern Sweepstakes Road Race and the
Burlington Race in his Peugeot L76. He finished sixth in the
1915 Indianapolis 500. == Death ==