Greg Biffle didn’t just dodge a bullet at Talladega. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points leader fired the gun.
Fifth-place wasn’t a win but it offers further proof that the standings leader since after race No. 3 in Las Vegas won’t relinquish his advantage easily. Not even to Roush Fenway Racing teammate and Daytona 500 winner Matt Kenseth, who jumped from fourth to second in the standings to trail by seven points as the series moves to Darlington.
Biffle and Talladega haven’t always been the best of friends. Biffle needed 13 trips to the 2.66-mile track to gather his first top-10. He crashed out of four of five races in 2006-08.
Things have changed – and how. Beginning with 2007, when he finished seventh and fourth, Biffle has finished seven consecutive races on the lead lap.
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Not only did Greg Biffle win his first race since 2010, crew chief Matt Puccia won his first race…period.
Just about every time Biffle opens his mouth to talk about his white-hot start, he credits Puccia. The praise makes sense. Their careers have taken similar paths.
Like Biffle, Puccia has worked his way up. Biffle started his NASCAR national series career in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, then graduated to the NASCAR Nationwide Series – winning a championship in each.
Puccia’s first job at Roush Fenway Racing was in 2006 as crew chief for the No. 50 team. In 2008, he led the No. 99 truck team with Erik Darnell to a victory at Michigan and a final points position of fourth. In 2009 he moved to the NASCAR Nationwide Series as crew chief for a partial schedule with Paul Menard before the team raced full time in 2010. Mid-season last year, he was promoted to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Biffle.
Clicking off position-after-position at the end of Monday’s Chicagoland race, Harvick reiterated his standing as the series’ top closer.
It also padded what is the second points lead of his Chase career. Harvick now leads the points standings by seven points over Tony Stewart. Only once has Harvick ever led the points during the Chase – after the first Chase race in 2006.
This is the second time Harvick has led the points this season. The first was after the July Daytona race.
RACE RECAP | MICHIGAN
10 Matt Kenseth
9 Tony Stewart
8 Clint Bowyer
7 Kasey Kahne
6 Jeff Gordon 22,000 career laps led
5 Ryan Newman
4 Mark Martin
3 Brad Keselowski continues to run strong, 3rd straight top 3 finish
2 Jimmie Johnson moves to second in points
VICTORY LANE
1 Kyle Busch wins his 4th race this season and first ever Cup Series victory at Michigan. Kyle also clinches his spot in the Chase
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