New Life For Biffle

New Life For Biffle

By Brit Fryer
Contributing Writer

It looks the “The Biff” is doing just fine.

Greg Biffle took part in the Nextel Cup Series’ preseason test session this week at Daytona International Speedway — just one month after the Roush driver injured his shoulder during a tire test at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

“I was a little nervous coming down here about how it was going to be inside the car,” Biffle said. “Not driving the car but reaching everything … reaching over and getting the helmet hook and trying to hook up the things behind your head that are hard to get to and getting to the seatbelts that are behind you. It seems to be the reach is the biggest thing that hurts your shoulder is the range of motion.

“Actually, I’ve been fairly well, doing really well. I’m pretty happy about that.”

The 2006 season was disappointing for Biffle. He missed the Chase a year after finishing second in points.

But Biffle has new life, a new crew chief (Pat Tryson) and a new sponsor (Ameriquest).

“I hate to talk about our crash in Las Vegas, but that was a big event. It was a really big crash, and it was our first test together,” Biffle said of Tryson. “It was our first time together as a team. It was our first time together as a group.

“We are definitely coming back from that incident, but we’re really working well together. I like Pat and the way that he executes things.”

TESTING MAKES PERFECT: Preseason testing cranked up Monday at Daytona, with half the Nextel Cup Series hitting the 2.5-mile superspeedway. Jeff Green posted the fastest lap through the first three days. On Wednesday afternoon, his No. 66 Haas CNC Racing Chevrolet was clocked at 186.722 miles per hour. Second fastest was Dale Earnhardt Jr., whose No. 8 DEI Chevrolet turned a lap at 186.606 mph on Day Two’s second session.

The surprise of testing was Tony Raines. He has been guaranteed a full schedule with Hall of Fame Racing, and he’s making the most of the opportunity early on. Raines was at the top of the charts all week.

“The Daytona 500 is obviously the biggest race of the year,” Raines said. “I was down here last year every day in the trailer and at the track with the team and the crew. I’m looking forward to actually being able to drive. It’s a big race, and I’m pumped up about getting to it.”

Last season, two-time Cup champion Terry Labonte ran the first five races for the first-year team, while Raines — the eventual full-time driver — stayed on the sidelines.

Testing continues next week.

GOOD-BYE, BOBBY: Veteran driver Bobby Hamilton died Sunday night after a year-long battle with neck cancer. He was 49.

“A lot of people didn’t know him real good, but he kind of came up when I did, and he didn’t have nothing,” said Sterling Marlin, a fellow driver and Tennessee native. “He was driving a wrecker in 1990. He was a nice guy ... a
good driver who never had the best equipment.”

Hamilton was a winner in all three of NASCAR’s top series, claiming four Nextel Cup victories in a career that spanned 371 starts. Hamilton won a single Busch Series race and was a 10-time winner in Craftsman Truck, taking
the championship in 2004 in a truck he owned.

PERSONNEL CHANGES: Ricky Rudd returned to Nextel Cup and Robert Yates Racing. He’ll drive a Ford alongside teammate David Gilliland. … Roush Racing hired veteran crew chief Larry Carter to work with Jamie McMurray on the No. 26 Ford. … Derrick Finley has been named crew chief for the No. 36 Bill Davis Racing Toyota driven by Jeremy Mayfield. … Mike Bliss is back to drive for BAM Racing.