Biffle Coasts to 20th Place Finish in 3M Ford at MIS; Currently 10th in Point Standings

Brooklyn, Mich. (August 16, 2009) – After struggling for over half the race to get the handling manageable on the 3M Ford Fusion, it appeared that Greg Biffle was headed for a solid top-10 finish in Michigan on Sunday. He had made his way up to ninth when he pitted under caution for the final time on lap 149. Crew chief Greg Erwin informed him that he would need to conserve a lot of fuel to make it to the end of the race. Biffle made his way up to 10th but then dropped back a little to save fuel. He was running in the top 15 on the final lap when he ran out of gas in turns three and four. Biffle coasted to a 20th-place finish and remains 10th in the point standings.

After a 17th-place qualifying effort and mid-pack times in the practice sessions on Saturday, Biffle and the team were a little discouraged heading into Sunday’s race.  They had set high expectations for this race in Michigan as it is a track where Biffle has had quite a bit of success.  They were, however, determined to continue to work on the car throughout the race and make the best of it.

It was clear that they had their work cut out for them as Biffle dropped back to 25th within five laps and was in that position when the first caution flag came out for rain on lap six.  The red flag came out two laps later and the field was directed to pit road for 20 minutes as the speedway crew dried the racing surface.  When yellow-flag conditions resumed, a few teams pitted but Biffle opted to stay out.

When the field restarted on lap 11, Biffle was 14th on the board but quickly reported that the 3M Ford had no grip.  He fell back a little and was running 20th when a round of green-flag stops began on lap 38.  Biffle pitted for four tires, fuel, and wedge, air pressure and spring rubber adjustments on lap 40.  He was running in the 16th position when the green-flag stops were complete on lap 49 but said the car was still short on grip.

The crew continued to work on the car over the next 100 laps with several adjustments.  Biffle was able to move into the top 10 on lap 144 after staying out during a caution for rain.  He had reported that the car’s handling was improving and maintained the ninth position until a third caution for rain came out on lap 145.  This time Biffle pitted for four tires and fuel only but returned to the track in the 21st position as several drivers stayed out or took two tires.

Biffle began a steady climb through the field after the restart on lap 152 and was running 14th when David Stremme spun on lap 157 and brought out what would be the final caution of the day.  Erwin and Biffle opted not to pit in order to maintain track position knowing that if the race went green from that point, Biffle would have to conserve fuel.

Unfortunately, that is exactly what happened.  It seemed that Biffle had a top-10 car at that point in the race but he held steady just inside the top 15 in order to save enough fuel to make it to the end.  He was racing with his teammate Matt Kenseth, who would go on to finish 14th, on the final lap when Biffle ran out of fuel in turns three and four.  He was able to coast across the finish line for a 20th – place finish.

“We were just a little off all day,” said Biffle.  Then when we got the car to where I could race with it, we had to conserve fuel. Then we still ran out on the last lap which is very disappointing.  I think the 3M Scotch Tough Ford was fast enough for a top-10 finish but it just didn’t work out that way today.”

Greg Biffle and the 3M team remain 10th in the Sprint Cup point standings following their 20th-place finish at Michigan.  They are 679 points behind leader Tony Stewart but only 24 points behind Ryan Newman in ninth.  They hold a 42-point advantage on Brian Vickers in the 13th position. The 3M team will return to the track on Saturday, August 22nd at Bristol.