3M Team Grabs Top-10 Finish in Chase Opener; Moves Up to Ninth in the Point Standings

LOUDON, N.H. (September 20, 2009) – Greg Biffle and the 3M team once again persevered as they turned a 22nd-place qualifying effort into a ninth-place finish this Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.  After struggling with a loose racecar the first half of the race, Biffle made his way into the top 10 with seven laps remaining.  Then on lap 298, he passed Brian Vickers for ninth and was able to hold him off until the checkered flag dropped.  The ninth-place finish moves Biffle up to ninth in the point standings.

Biffle and the 3M team seemed optimistic following the first practice session of the weekend on Friday.  During time trials later that day, Biffle turned in what would be the 22nd-fastest lap of the day for a starting position on the outside of row 11.  Following two solid practices on Saturday, the team was ready for Sunday’s main event.
Shortly after the drop of the green flag, Biffle reported that the car was really loose off of the corners and dropped back to 25th.  A caution on lap 66 allowed Biffle to pit for four tires, fuel and track bar, air pressure and shock adjustments.  The 3M Pit Bulls picked up two positions in the pits and sent Biffle out 20th for the restart on lap 74.  The loose condition of the car did not seem to improve, however, and Biffle pitted for another round of adjustments during a caution on lap 87.

The track bar and air pressure adjustments made during that stop seemed to help and Biffle was running 16th when the next caution came out for debris on lap 141.  He informed the team that the car was again loose everywhere on the track and crew chief Greg Erwin opted for a track bar adjustment and four fresh tires.  The 3M Pit Bulls picked up five positions in the pits this time and sent Biffle out 11th for the restart on lap 146.
 
Over the course of the next 100 laps, Biffle made two more pit stops, one for left-side tires on lap 162 and one for right-side tires on lap 194.  The wedge adjustment made during the second of the two stops seemed to help the handling a great deal and Biffle made his way into the top 10 for the first time of the day on lap 197.  A round of green-flag pit stops began on lap 247 and Erwin directed Biffle to pit road on lap 264 for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment.  The No. 16 3M/Scotch Ford Fusion was 15th on the board when a caution for debris came out on lap 275.

Biffle made what would be his final pit stop of the day on lap 277 for four tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment.  He restarted 16th on lap 282 and had just passed Clint Bowyer for 10th when a caution came out on lap 294.  One lap after the restart on lap 297, Biffle overtook Vickers for ninth and maintained the position until the finish.
“I really thought I could run up front with those guys,” said Biffle.  “All I needed to do was get track position and I could have been there.  That was it – track position all day.  I fought to get up there.  I knew that once I got up there I could run with them, but I could just never get there.”
 
Greg Biffle and the 3M team moved up to ninth in the point standings with their ninth-place finish in New Hampshire.  They are currently 92 points behind leader Mark Martin but only two points behind Brian Vickers in eighth.  The 3M team will return to the track on Sunday, September 27th at Dover International Speedway.