BIFFLE RETURNS TO VICTORY LANE IN A BIG WAY AT TEXAS

FORTH WORTH, T.X. (April 14, 2012) – Greg Biffle took home the checkered flag Saturday night under the lights at Texas Motor Speedway in his 3M / Filtrete Ford Fusion, breaking his winless streak that stemmed back to 2010. Despite, what felt like tornado like winds, Biffle charged to the front from his third-place starting position. By the time the race ended, Biffle had led for 90 laps and extended his lead in the Sprint Cup point standings to 19 over second place. The win was the first Sprint Cup win for Biffle’s crew chief Matt Puccia.

 

He started marching to the front from his third-place starting position on the first lap. By lap 32 he took over the lead and reported back to his team that he wanted a wedge adjustment on the first pit stop. Biffle pitted under green on lap 46 for four tires, fuel and his requested left-rear wedge adjustment. He came in as the leader and cycled back out to continue leading the field.

 

The first caution of the day came out on lap 67 for debris on the track. The No. 16 3M / Filtrete Ford was getting a little free in and off the corners, so this time Biffle requested a track bar adjustment. The 3M Pit Bulls put on four tires, filled the 3M Ford with fuel and dropped the track bar a round and a half. The final caution of the day came out a few short laps later when the No. 21 of Trevor Bayne brushed the wall. Biffle came down pit road second, took four tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment, and restarted in the lead on lap 100.

 

The remaining 224 laps were all run under green flag conditions. Biffle had a fast 3M / Filtrete Ford and only requested minor adjustments over the remaining routine pit stops. The team’s final stop was on lap 283 for four tires, fuel and a left-rear wedge adjustment. Biffle came in second and cycled back out to second, but had his eyes set on the No. 48 of Jimmie Johnson who had the lead. By lap 304, Biffle caught and passed Johnson to take over the lead. Biffle drove away from the field and took home the checkered flag at Texas Motor Speedway.    

 

“Man, that is a whole lot of stuff that just happened,” said Biffle. “I tell you what, I could say it is about time but hard work pays off still today. That is what this is about. The team and Matt Puccia putting together the group of guys he has and the engine shop with how hard they have worked with the fuel injection and engines and all that. I am thankful to get the opportunity to drive these cars as fast as they are. We knew it was a matter of time and we were going to win one of these things. We have been running so good. We’ve had good pit stops and good cars. At Vegas we were off a little bit and that ate at us a little because that is a good track for us. We came here and really focused on our car to get it driving good. I tell you what, catching the 48 car at the end, I had to dig deep and it was all I had to be able to get to him. It seemed like when I got to him that it was almost too easy. I don’t know if he used up his tires or what. He had a little trouble in traffic and that is why I could close in on him. Overall it was a really good night for us.”

 

Next up, the Sprint Cup Series will head to Kansas Speedway for the STP 400. Coverage for the STP 400 begins at 12:30pm ET on Sunday, April 22^nd on FOX.

 

STP 400

1.5-mile Kansas Speedway

Kansas City, KS

Sunday, April 22, 2012