Conversation: Greg Biffle

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- While some drivers are guarded with what they say to the media, Greg Biffle isn't afraid to say what is on his mind.

That might get him in trouble with some who misinterpret what he says, but Biffle doesn't hold back.

	Biffle will be back with the No. 16 next year. Credit: Autostock

He's been in hot water this season with his team owner, his manufacturer and with NASCAR. But that hasn't slowed Biffle down. The rookie sat down with NASCAR.com's Lee Montgomery in a no-holds barred interview that is quintessential Biffle.

Q: First of all, we'd love to know your plans, your for-sure plans next year? What's been decided? What's going on with you?

Greg Biffle: Well, right now the for-sure plans are to run for a championship in the 16 car next year. Preliminary plans are to run quite a few Busch races. We haven't announced that yet, but we're trying to get that finalized. Hopefully in the next little bit, we'll be able to make an announcement of how many races we're going to run and who the sponsor is going to be. We're really excited about both programs for next year.

Q: So that kind of puts to rest all these rumors about you going this car, that car.

Greg Biffle: Yeah, it does. I mean, I've got another year left on my contract. Everybody kind of jumps the gun a little bit. Part of our industry is done years ahead of time. We're trying to negotiate an extension with Roush on the contract, but we haven't done so. (I have a) contract through next year, same old deal. Nothing's changed.

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Everybody's speculating that we're going to go other places. I mean, I'm under contract. It's that simple. I've been saying that forever.

I think they see me talking to Ray Evernham or talking to Jimmy Elledge on the 41 -- we're good friends -- and they try and speculate or try and get something stirred up about where I'm going to go. And then DEI or Childress make it public that they want me to come drive their car -- maybe not public, but make comment. I don't know that for sure. But anyway, things get stirred. That's the way it is.

Q: Jack (Roush) said a few minutes ago that he's kind of given you room to look around. Did you like anything you saw out there?

Greg Biffle: As far as other teams?

Q: He actually mentioned Chevrolet specifically.

Greg Biffle: It's a cycle. It's a constant cycle on who's going to have a better car. I like the Ford car. I like Ford trucks, cars, I like Ford period. I'm a Ford guy. Just because we are at a little bit of a disadvantage right now on our aero package -- Chevy's got a little bit of upper hand on us -- doesn't mean that I'm going to just jump ship and go over to Chevy.

Mainly, what I'm kicking and screaming about is, "Give us some help over here. Give us a nose like they have." That type of thing. That's more what I'm focusing on.

It's a cycle. We're getting a new front and rear bumper cover and possibly new cylinder heads for next year, I don't know. I hear about all this stuff. Maybe we're going to be the better car for three-quarters of the year, and Chevy's going to be beating on that door. You never know how it's going to shake out.

Somebody always is going to have a tiny bit of an advantage. We're never going to be equal, all three of us, so somebody is always going to be on top. That's what I'm interested in.

Q: Have you been satisfied with everything that Jack and Ford have been able to give your team this year. Earlier in the year, you talked about (how) you and Randy were kind of thrown in the pile. Has that changed? Are you now satisfied with everything you're getting?

Greg Biffle: No. Yeah, I'm satisfied now. But a little too late to win rookie-of-the-year. Some people are under the extreme myth that we were doing great in the rookie race and that we were ahead by six points or something. I knew that these good runs were right around the corner for these teams, whether it be the 42 or us or whatever. We're not going to struggle all year long like this. You're going to have some struggles, but you're going to get some momentum.

GREG BIFFLE  •  Driver Page  •  2003 Stats  •  Biffle's future with Roush 'not set in stone'

I can see, from my position, that we were making no headway, making no progress. Everybody else has got the blinders on, going, "Boy, it looks like you're doing fine to me." Well, they're not looking at it from where I'm standing.

At some point, they decided, "Oh, boy, maybe we need to take a look at this a little harder." We're just now maybe getting closer to figuring out what we need for cars aerodynamically and all that. It's been frustrating for me, but we didn't have a fair shake at the race this year.

Q: Is the crew chief change one of those things you've talked about switching? Were you, I won't say behind that, but were you in favor of that, and how's that been?

Greg Biffle: I wouldn't say I was behind it. I was willing to do whatever it took to get the team turned around and going in the right direction. We were not going in the right direction, and there was no light at the end of the tunnel. We were in a downward spiral, and it was going to continue unless we made a change.

Whatever the change was, whether they just brought in a team manager or something to give us help -- I don't necessarily know if the crew chief change was necessary or what, but we needed some direction. Doug brought some direction to the team, but still, we're fighting the same struggles, knowing what kind of balance that we need. The whole Roush camp is.

The point leader, four of the last five weeks, has taken a provisional. Is it because he's a bad driver? No. Is it because they've got a sh-- team? No. Is it because they don't have very good guys working for them? No. Those are championship guys, Matt is a championship driver. Matt is one of the best drivers I've seen.

There's something wrong. Matt says, "Oh, it's because I can't qualify." BS. Matt can qualify just fine. There's something to it, and it's the cars. Whether it's the aero or whether it's ... we don't know. If we knew we'd fix it.

It's not Robbie Reiser, it's not Matt, it's the car. There's only two elements, the driver and the car. It's tough to get that balance and whatever it takes to go.

Q: Speaking of Matt, have you noticed his attitude changing? Obviously, it's getting down to championship time for those guys. Have you seen any kind of difference in him at all?

Greg Biffle: No, not at all. Matt's been the same way since the first I saw him race up in Kaukaun, Wis., until today. Matt's the same. And I feel I have been to, from the day I've been racing Late Models until today.

There's no reason to change. You've got to remember where you came from. A lot of other people in our sport do. I feel the same as when I did then, and I think Matt does, too.

Q: You seem to be a pretty outspoken kind of guy. There are a lot of drivers who start out that way, and then for whatever reason, aren't now. Do you feel any pressure to stay that way?

Greg Biffle: A lot of times, what you think you're saying isn't the way it comes out in print. Or it's not the way it's interpreted, and that gets frustrating, really frustrating.

In fact, a great example is I did an XM Satellite Radio interview, and I talked about Matt's run for the championship and how I feel, my personal opinion -- nobody else's -- that Ford's at a disadvantage, aero-wise, body-wise. We're a little bit behind. I called attention to the fact that Ford is about read to win the championship.

	Biffle has six top-10s in 2003. Credit: Autostock

When I truck-raced, NASCAR truck people purely went off the results. You had me, Kurt Busch and Mike Wallace in good (equipment), ASE equipment and Roush equipment. We had really, really top-quality equipment and teams and were beating the other guys, but we were at a severe disadvantage, aero-wise, body and everything else. The director of the series came to me, not halfway through the next year and said, "Wow, I wish I would've listened to you guys" how far Ford was behind.

But we were winning every week, or we were running in the top five or we're leading the points, top three or four, so how are they going to give Ford something? That'd be nuts. We'd have to put a gun to our heads.

That being said, I was purely bringing awareness to Ford's about to win the championship, Matt has not anything done spectacular. That's what I got criticized for. Ryan Newman has won a ton of races and is kicking everybody's butt every week. Matt is a very good driver, very consistent, very good pit crew. Those guys execute well, they're better than any team out there on pit road today at that.

That's what's won them the championship, not because they've got a superior car. That was the point I was trying to make, and everybody's saying, "Oh, we need to do something about the points system." Why are they talking about that? They're talking about that because Matt's leading the points. All I'm trying to put all the focus back on is our cars. (They're) a little bit behind right now. Some people took that as I didn't think Matt deserved to win the championship, which is ridiculous.

I was frustrated by that, but maybe it was the way I worded it. The example I was trying to make is those guys have done a superior job with what they have. I don't want to put down on Ford, but we don't have all the candy the others do right now.

Q: There's a perception out there that Ford is upset with you for driving a Chevy in the Busch Series. One, is that accurate? And are they still that way?

Greg Biffle: Yeah, it is. Other manufacturers don't like their drivers drive different cars. But how many Fords do they have in the Busch Series?

Q: Not many.

Greg Biffle: I can't help you. If somebody can explain to me why there's only three Fords that run competitively in the Busch Series, then maybe I'll have a better understanding. I would love to drive a Ford in the Busch Series, but there isn't any to drive. There aren't even any Ford teams. What am I supposed to do if I want to get some extra experience and drive a car? That's kind of my argument.

Would it be fair to say that they're not putting the effort into pursuing teams and giving technical support and financial support to those teams to run more teams than three? I don't know. I don't know what those answers are. Go ask them.

Q: Jack also said that you're in a hurry with your career, maybe because you got off to a late start or whatever. Is that accurate? Do you feel pressure to get things going, to get in championship contention?

Greg Biffle: I don't know if I'd say I'm in a hurry. Was Ryan Newman in a hurry? Jimmie Johnson in a hurry? Brian Vickers in a hurry? Kevin Harvick in a hurry?

Q: They all want to win. You want to win.

Greg Biffle: I'm in the same hurry that they're in. OK? That's all I can say. I'm in the same hurry that they're in. Jimmie Johnson won three races his first year and finished (fifth) in the points. Ryan Newman did the same. Brian Vickers qualified second (in Phoenix). They're good race cars. It's not that Brian Vickers is a better race drivers than 41 of us. It's because of the car he's driving.

That's the hurry I'm in. I want to be outside front row, not 24th. I don't think that's too much to ask.

Q: If that's in a hurry, big deal, right?

Greg Biffle: I guess I'm in a hurry. I don't know. Yeah, I'm not going to be around forever. It's time to go.

Q: Do you try to temper your enthusiasm at all or play the political game? I'm guessing you're not a big fan of politics in this sport.

Greg Biffle: No, I'm not. I mean, I've had a few scuffles with NASCAR as of late. Martinsville, not getting my lap back -- was on the lead lap, slowed down to avoid an accident, which I interpreted that's what they're asking us to do without saying it. They want to improve safety, they want us to slow down, not race back to the caution. When you see an accident, slow down. That's what they're saying to us to do.

In the same breath, they said the tie goes to the runner. If it's a judgment call, they're going to give it in part to the guy getting the lap back. The question was, "What if the leader and I are side-by-side, and the caution comes out? Who's in front of who?" They said, "Well, in most cases, we're going to go ahead and give you your lap back -- not be the lucky guy -- but just catch up to the back of the field."

I was a little upset about that. The car involved in the wreck ended up getting going and passing me, and then he's the guy who got his lap back. I was front of the leader when the wreck happened. I was not very happy about that, and I voiced my opinion in the meeting.

(Mike) Helton and I got into a little argument about it because I felt they're sending a different message by what they did. They're sending a different message. They're saying, "If you see a wreck, don't slow down. You've got to keep going until you see the caution flag." There's got to be a little leeway there and go, "OK, that guy was doing the right thing by slowing down." I was a little frustrated about that.

Q: Last question. In some pro sports, rookies, later in the year, they're not used to the long season, they're starting to get tired, starting to get worn down. How are you physically, mentally? You seem fine to me.

Greg Biffle: We're winning Busch races, we're top of the board in practice (at Phoenix). I'm ready to go. At the same time, I'm ready for the season to be over. I'm ready for a break, I'm ready for a fresh start. I'm ready for '04 and getting our cars the best we can to start the season out and have a run at the title.

But at the same time, I'm ready to go every weekend.