Greg Biffle's First NASCAR Winston Cup Series Race - 2002 NAPA Auto Parts 500

Описание: In light of the tragedy of Greg Biffle's untimely death, I wanted to share a significant moment of his career - his first NASCAR Winston Cup start. Biffle was planning to run 7 races in preparation of his rookie campaign for 2003. He DNQ'd the Daytona 500, so his next attempt was at California. Luckily for him, Biffle qualified in the 29th position.

FOX didn't really talk about him much, so I am showing footage of where Biffle was on camera so you can see what his car looked like. It was a bright yellow #16 Ford sponsored by RoushRacing.com and Volvo Trucks (you might have seen the scheme in EA Sports' NASCAR Thunder 2003).

Biffle was penalized for equipment outside his pit box when the catch can fell out of his car on the first round of pit stops. He went a lap down pretty early in the race. It appeared he short pitted at least once, and through cycles of stops, made his way into the top 20. He showed himself in the last half of the race restarting up front with the leaders. Biffle was pretty competitive. He actually passed eventual winner Jimmie Johnson with 13 laps to go to be on the tail end of the lead lap. However, once Jimmie caught him, he did the respectful thing and let the leaders fight it out for the win. He finished 13th one lap down, pretty respectable considering how his day started.

Biffle DNQ'd his other attempts with the #16, but he ended up substituting for an injured Bobby Hamilton in the #55 car later in the season, and took over the #44 Georgia Pacific Dodge for the final two races of 2002. As we know, Biffle went on to have a great Cup career. I am really going to miss Biffle, but at least I got to see him at his prime in NASCAR.

Video is for awareness purposes only. All credit to NASCAR and FOX.