Ford Racing NSCS Notes & Quotes:
Federated Auto Parts 400 (Richmond International Raceway)
Friday September 5, 2014
Greg Biffle, driver of the No. 16 3M Ford Fusion, has his season on the line this weekend at Richmond International Speedway. Firmly on the bubble to make the Chase, Biffle spoke about the weekend ahead and the implications of a successful or unsuccessful night with media members Friday afternoon.
GREG BIFFLE, No. 16 3M Ford Fusion – WHAT IS YOUR OUTLOOK WITH THIS LAST RACE TO GO BEFORE WE SET THE CHASE GRID? “It has been a tough season for us the whole way these last five weeks have really turned our season around and put us in position to be in the Chase. I like the Tony Stewart line about six weeks ago we didn’t deserve to be in the Chase but I think we’ve proved the last five weeks how far we have come. I would love to win this race but I would rather win at Chicago or Loudon or Dover and already be in the Chase and accumulate win towards the championship. We have to get in the Chase first and that won’t be easy. There are a lot of fast cars we are going to have to beat. It is pretty simple mathematics for us. We’ve got a good car, probably the best car I have had in the last two or three years here which is a great confidence builder for us. We need to have a good solid night. I think we are capable of that. If we can win here certainly we are going to try to win but more importantly we need to get in the Chase. I think it will be up to the other guys to have to beat us and that will be by winning the race. We have to be 23rd or better or 22nd if about half a dozen or so of those cars don’t win. We know what we have to do and we have a good car so far and we will keep our head up, pay attention and have a good night.”
HOW DOES THE NEW QUALIFYING FORMAT AND CHASE FORMAT CHANGED THINGS FOR YOUR TEAM IN 2014? “I will be honest with you, probably the aero rules and ride height rules changed our organization way more than we fathomed it ever would. As far as qualifying and the Chase format it hasn’t changed the way we race or what we have done a lot. The qualifying has been interesting and quite exciting and I like the new qualifying format. In fact, I like the new Chase format for that matter but it hasn’t really changed a lot for us. This is one of the toughest years we have had in a long time as far as competition goes and we are happy the last five weeks to get it turned around. We know we are 10th in points on the regular points, I don’t know if that matter anymore but we are 10th in points and on that bubble under the old format. We are right there but we feel like we are definitely getting better.”
HOW DIFFERENT ARE THE TIRES AND YOUR SETUP TO ACCOUNT FOR THE DIFFERENT TIRES? “We haven’t seen a whole lot of difference in the tire drive. It seems to be consistent and have pretty good grip taking off. When it was hot and slick in the middle of the day it wasn’t very good but as it cools off and we are racing here at night so I think it will be a good tire. We haven’t seen a whole lot of changes in our setup and what not with this tire. It seems to be a little more free but other than that it seems to be pretty good.”
HOW WORRIED ARE YOU THAT YOU HAVE A GOOD CAR AND A GOOD NIGHT GOING BUT SOME CIRCUMSTANCE LEADS TO A NEW WINNER AND SOMETHING TAKES YOU OUT OF IT? “Yeah, then we don’t make it. We are out if someone new wins and we will have to try for next year.”
GREG BIFFLE CONTINUED — DO YOU THINK THE NEW CHASE FORMAT IMPACTS THIS RACE IN ANY WAY? “I wouldn’t say so. It is going to get dicey at the end of it and maybe after tomorrow night we will see but we know it is going to get dicey because as Mark just mentioned, if there is a new winner then that is going to impact it. All those guys, the 1, the 42, the 15 and 27 will all be trying and that is their last lunge for life to get in. Whether it is staying out and taking two tires or whatever, getting up there and blocking or running a guy out of the groove, they will do whatever they can to win to get into the Chase. We hope it is uneventful and one of the guys that have won already wins it but I know that it is going to be dicey up front with those guys trying to get their win. The thing about it is we don’t need – I don’t know, it is a tough scenario for us to play. In one aspect we don’t need to win to get in but in the other aspect we do need to win to get in if one of those guys wins. We are certainly going to try to win but we’ve tried to win the first 25 races and haven’t been successful yet and neither have they. I think everybody tries to win every race they show up at, no matter what the circumstance is.”
TALKING ABOUT WHAT GUYS WILL DO TO WIN, IS THAT CONSIDERED OKAY? DOES THE CODE CHANGE FOR GUYS NEEDING A WIN AND HOW YOU EXPECT THEM TO RACE AND HOW YOU EXPECT YOURSELF TO RACE? “Yeah, I don’t know. You still have to answer to your sponsor and your team and all the fans and everything else if you just start playing demolition derby I guess which is what you are referring to – if you start knocking cars out of the way from sixth up to the lead. I wouldn’t say that is acceptable but people are going to race hard for the win. We’ve seen the 18 take out the 88, probably not on purpose but we have seen a lot of stuff happen. Those guys are going to be racing hard. You’ll try to do the bump and run or try to move a guy out of the way but you still have to keep it within reason.”
DO YOU THINK COMING HERE TO TEST A FEW WEEKS AGO HAS GIVEN YOU AN ADVANTAGE? “That was a Goodyear tire test. It is really tough to get the same track conditions as when there are 43 cars here because the track rubbers up so fast. When we started out at 9-o-clock this morning until 11:30 the track changed so much. It changed more than it did in the day we were here doing the tire test. It definitely probably helped us be a little more prepared and in the right direction coming here but I don’t think it will be a determining factor.”
DO YOU HAVE ANY THOUGHTS ON ESTABLISHING SOME TYPE OF FUND TO AID DRIVERS THAT ARE IN NEED OF MEDICAL OR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE? “I certainly think that any retired athlete, there needs to be some sort of benefits package or a fund or something to that affect for guys that ended up on the less fortunate side of things. I am in favor of it. We see a lot of players in all sports that end up on hard times at some point. I think I would be in favor of something to that degree.”
HOW WOULD YOU GO ABOUT FUNDING IT? “Man, I am not a financial guy whatsoever. I could tell you how to drive a car but that is probably about it.”
