FORD RACING NOTES AND QUOTES
Fed Ex 400 (Friday Advance)
May 13, 2011
Dover International Speedway
Greg Biffle, driver of the No. 16 3M Ford Fusion, currently ranked 12th in the point standings and winner of the 2008 fall race at Dover met with media members in advance of Sunday’s Fex Ex 400 benefiting Autism Speaks.
TALK ABOUT THIS WEEKEND COMING UP. “I am sure excited to be able to come to the media center finally. It has been awhile and the first time this season. We just are happy about coming to Dover. We run good here and it is a great track for us. We have worked hard all season to make our way back up to the top-10 in points. That is where we really want to be and we are focused on continuing to move up and run well and get good finishes.”
IF THERE IS A TRACK FOR YOU TO BUILD MOMENTUM ON IT WOULD BE DOVER. CAN YOU TALK ABOUT WHAT KIND OF EQUIPMENT YOU HAVE THIS WEEKEND AND WHAT YOUR EXPECTATIONS ARE? “This has been a great track for us and we run really good here. Our car is running pretty good so far. We are real happy with where we are at. We didn’t make a qualifying run that first session and we will do that in the next session. I love the race track and I feel really good about how we are going to run on Sunday.”
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR SEASON THUS FAR? “After Las Vegas you could have said frustrated. That was probably the worst three races I have ever had, especially finishing five laps down at Las Vegas with one of the fastest cars. I was certainly frustrated at that point. From that point on we have been pretty dang good. We finished 15th at Richmond but we ran much better than that, probably the best we have been in three years at Richmond. Martinsville wasn’t bad and I focus on those two tracks because they have been tough places for us. Other than that, we have had great runs. We don’t have the finishes to show for how good of a car we have had, but at the same time we have been moving up in the points steadily. Like I said earlier, we started the season last year with six top-10’s in a row but we didn’t have very fast race cars. We were just in the right place at the right time and had great pit stops and we were out-averaging people. This year we have had really fast cars capable of winning and have had stuff happen and just haven’t capitalized yet. One season to the next, that is where we are at. We are steadily climbing the ladder. Remember, after Vegas we were two spots away from having to qualify with the go-or-go-homer’s, 33rd in points three races in. Now we are 12th and in the media center and we haven’t won a race yet, so it has been a pretty good run for us.”
IS YOUR MINDSET TO KEEP DOING WHAT YOU ARE DOING THAT GOT YOU INTO THE TOP-12 OR ARE YOU REALLY TRYING TO GET THOSE WINS? “Certainly we want to win. Let’s face it, if I get a win now, it will probably propel me to the top-10. Whether we hold that spot all the way to the cut-off or not or move up more we would have to wait and see. Winning right now is very important to us and it always is. It is a double-edged sword. If we win, we get the most points. We know if we win then a lot of good things happen and it gives you an outside chance at one of the two spots for the Chase. Winning gets you bonus points if you are in the Chase. Let’s face it, winning is very important and we have a great opportunity here, Kansas, Charlotte, Michigan, Pocono. We have some great tracks coming up for us.”
HOW MUCH DO YOU USE THE ALL-STAR RACE AS A TEST FOR THE 600? “I think we all do that just about the same. I think we all use it as a test and to see what the car is capable of doing and what we can get away with. You are kind of stepping out of the box a little bit on the set-up to be more aggressive because you don’t have a big long race to run. I think we all kind of do that. We are planning on that I imagine, seeing what we can do to learn something for the 600.”
WILL IT BE MORE IMPORTANT FOR YOU BECAUSE OF WHERE YOU ARE IN THE POINTS? “I think so. No matter what, being in the All-Star race is very important but it can certainly help us in that 600.”
WHEN YOU SEE HARVICK AND BUSCH AND THOSE GUYS GO AT IT DO YOU THINK THAT YOU BETTER STAY AWAY FROM THOSE GUYS OR DO YOU THINK MAYBE YOU SHOULD BE UP IN THAT AND GETTING THOSE HEADLINES? DO YOU WANT TO BE A PART OF THAT STUFF? “I want to be a part of it because I want to sell the hats and the t-shirts. I don’t want to be a part of it though because I don’t want to lose the points and be backwards in the fence or have the radiator busted out of the car and finish 35th. It is fun for the sport though. Trust me, I have been there enough and the season is not over yet. We will just have to wait and see. It is creating excitement though.”
