E-Mail Article
Rate this article:
SPEED Men's Color Block Jacket - Iron/Black
100% micro fiber polyester wind and water resistant hip length jacket.
Our Price: $85.00
Women's SPEED Performance Pique Polo - Black/Gray/White
60% Cotton/40% polyester H2O Moisture Wicking short sleeve performance pique.
Our Price: $50.00
SPEED Black W/Red Sandwich Bill Cap
Washed chino twill, constructed mid crown w/ pre-curved sandwich visor.
Our Price: $20.00
CUP: Can Biffle Master Martinsville?
Written by:
Tom Jensen
03/26/2008 - 12:12 PM
Harrisburg, N.C.
Greg Biffle is off to a strong start in the Sprint Cup Series this season. (Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images Photo) ยป More Photos
Little more than two years removed from a tantalizingly close runner-up finish in the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship, Roush Fenway Racing’s Greg Biffle is once again firmly in the title discussion.
After subpar seasons in 2006 and ’07, the Washington native is off to a sensational start this season, sitting second in the points behind Kyle Busch and flashing the kind of form that previously led him to titles in NASCAR’s Nationwide and Craftsman Truck Series.
In his quest to become the first driver to capture championships in all three of NASCAR’s top divisions, Biffle will have to overcome his own personal Achilles Heel, Martinsville Speedway. The Virginia short track, site of Sunday’s Goody’s Cool Orange 500, has confounded a lot of drivers over the years, Biffle merely being one of the more recent.
Prior to last October’s Martinsville race, when he finished seventh, Biffle’s three prior results here were a pair of 32nd-place runs and a 31st. Prior to those dismal results, a 20th-place finish at Martinsville in October 2005 more than accounted for the 35 points that Biffle fell short of in his pursuit of eventual series champion Tony Stewart, who finished second in that race.
There is no question Biffle’s back. If he can score his first top-five finish – or even a victory – at Martinsville, he likely would elevate himself into the position of championship favorite this year.
“Martinsville is in the Chase (for the Sprint Cup),” said Biffle. “If I can’t run in the top 10 consistently at Martinsville, it’s gonna be tough to win a Sprint Cup title, and I felt like the last time we were there that we were capable now as a team and as a car and as a driver to compete in the top 10, so we just need to go back and do that again.”
Of course, that’s easier said than done. Martinsville is notoriously difficult on brakes, a problem that’s slowed the Roush Fenway Racing cars here in the past, and handling
“You’ve got to get your car to turn real good around the center of the corner and that’s what makes it fast,” said Biffle. “If your car won’t do that, it’s like you’ve got one arm rubberbanded behind your back – there’s nothing you can do. You can’t change your driving style. You can’t loosen your car up. You can’t really do anything. If your car just won’t turn around there, that track is so small and so finesse, you’re just kind of doomed. Whereas at Darlington, Texas, Phoenix – any of those other places – you can kind of change your line up. You can get a little higher getting in, get the car a little looser, try to burp the throttle in the center – but all of that stuff doesn’t work at Martinsville.”
So that leaves Biffle in two mindsets, not optimistic based on what he’s seen here overall, but more optimistic based on his last race here. In either event, he knows Sunday will be a critical litmus test, although the next two races after Martinsville – at Texas Motor Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway – are races where he’ll likely be among the favorites.
“I’m really nervous about Martinsville this weekend,” said Biffle. “Like I said, that place has not been my best race track in the past, but I’m excited about it now because we ran so well there last time. That’s why I’m excited about going back. Texas and Phoenix, I can’t wait. I just can’t wait. I want to win a race bad.”
Tom Jensen is the Senior NASCAR Editor for SPEEDtv.com, the former Executive Editor of NASCAR Scene and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. He is the author of “Cheating: The Bad Things Good NASCAR Nextel Cup Racers Do In Pursuit of SPEED,” and has appeared on numerous television and radio shows to discuss NASCAR racing. Jensen is the President of the National Motorsports Press Association.
Commenting is not allowed in this article.
- Press Releases | Advertising | Jobs | Feedback | Terms & Conditions | Privacy | Site Map
Fox Sports | FUEL TV | FX Network | FOXReality | National Geographic - © Copyright 2008 Speed Channel, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
