CUP: Biffle Best Again In Second 500 Practice

Sprint Cup

CUP: Biffle Best Again In Second 500 Practice

Greg Biffle showed the way in both of Saturday's practices at Daytona ahead of Sunday's 500 qualifying...

Mike Hembree | Posted February 18, 2012 Daytona Beach, FL

Greg Biffle could be the favorite to win the pole for the Daytona 500. (Photo: Getty Images)

The Biff is back.

After a winless season last year, Greg Biffle appears ready to ride this season. He led Saturday’s first practice session for next week’s Daytona 500 and backed up that performance with another No. 1 run Saturday afternoon.

Biffle ran 193.241 in the second session. Following him, in order, were Trevor Bayne, Martin Truex Jr., Tony Stewart and Mark Martin.

Bayne won the Daytona 500 last season but does not have an automatic starting spot in this year’s race. He doesn’t appear to be in jeopardy of missing the race, however, after posting the second fastest speed – 193.154 mph – Saturday afternoon.

Bayne was the only “go-or-go-home” driver to appear in the top 25 in the afternoon practice.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., looking to end a long winless streak, was 12th in the afternoon practice, and Danica Patrick, readying for her first Sprint Cup start, was 25th.

Mike Hembree is NASCAR Editor for SPEED.com and has been covering motorsports for 30 years. He is a six-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year Award.

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Mike Hembree

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