Greg Biffle, tied with Jeff Gordon with three Nextel Cup victories and 41 points behind Jimmie Johnson in the standings, said winning this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 would be like capturing the championship.
Both are marathons.
“We’re curious,” Biffle said Tuesday about the 12th and longest race in the 36-race season in a conference call. “It’s definitely (about) endurance. The transmission has to hold up, the engine, everything, including pit stops. You’ve got to make the right decisions and stay in the lead lap. There are just a lot of things that come into play in that length of race.”
Biffle, 35, is vying to become the first driver to win championships in NASCAR’s top three series. He is the only driver to win titles in the Busch Series (2002) and Craftsman Truck Series (2000).
“I’m really excited about trying to win the Nextel Cup title this year, to have all three,” he said. “I said I’m retiring the day that I get my third title, whatever it is. I don’t think I’m quite ready to retire yet, so I might have to revise my plan.”
Otherwise, the native of Vancouver, Wash., wants to keep his long-term plan intact. No team brings as much momentum into Sunday’s race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway than Biffle and his Roush Racing crew. The team’s four point- race victories in the past 12 events dating to last year are a series high.
“I think that we are the toughest team right now, but that doesn’t do any good until it comes to the last 10,” Biffle said.
Hello, Newman
Ryan Newman’s career average starting position at Lowe’s Motor Speedway is 2.25, the best ever. In eight previous races at the 1.5-mile tri-oval, Newman has earned four poles and never started worse than fourth.
He has qualified on the front row in the past four races, including three at the top spot.
However, his best finish is second in 2003. He has two other top-10 results.
“This is another one of those tracks that just seems to haunt the Alltel team,” Newman said in a release. “We qualify so well but just can’t seem to get the win. … Finishing second there a couple of years ago was great, but painful of course, too. We’ve been so close. … We just need to seal the deal.”
Honored
Like Biffle, who drives the No. 16 National Guard Ford, Joe Nemechek said he’s honored to drive the No. 01 U.S. Army Chevrolet on Memorial Day weekend.
“I have learned so much about our military since I took over this ride,” Nemechek said in a release. “It’s both an awesome feeling and an awesome responsibility to drive the U.S. Army car and represent our troops here and abroad.”
IROC legends
The late Dale Earnhardt and current Nextel Cup drivers Bobby Labonte and Mark Martin have a combined five Coca-Cola 600 victories. Not surprisingly, the trio is among 12 finalists for the Crown Royal International Race of Champions Legends of Victory Lane.
Other nominees for the four-member, all-time IROC lineup are Mario Andretti, Mark Donohue, Hurley Haywood, Tom Kendall, Steve Kinser, Scott Pruett, Al Unser Jr., Bobby Unser and Cale Yarborough.
Fans can cast their votes at www.crownroyalracing.com. The team will be announced at the IROC finale Oct. 29 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Mike Chambers can be reached at 303-820-5453 or mchambers@denverpost.com.
