Greg Biffle signed a three-year extension with Roush Racing this week. Credit: Autostock

Biffle: Nextel Cup Series running out of drivers

Before re-upping with Roush, Biffle subject of many rumors

CONCORD, N.C. -- Greg Biffle's recent swing through the Nextel Cup rumor mill sparked the realization that there is a shortage of driving talent available to prospective team owners.

"There's a shortage of drivers right now, I feel there is," Biffle said Thursday. "Who's going to drive the No. 2 car? Who's going to drive the No. 6 car?"

	Credit: Autostock
	Inside the Numbers Greg Biffle's Nextel Cup stats heading into the Coca-Cola 600 Category Stat Starts 89 Wins 6 Top-5s 11 Top-10s 21 Poles 1 Laps Led 1,243 Avg. Start 16.2 Avg. Finish 19.2 Earnings $9,025,478

Not Biffle. Recent speculation suggested Biffle was the prime candidate to replace Rusty Wallace in the Miller Lite Dodge at Penske Racing, but Biffle's fresh-from-the-printer three-year contract extension with Roush Racing squashes that theory.

So who will it be? Biffle seemed almost bewildered that two of NASCAR's most coveted seats are still to be filled.

"We don't have anybody to drive the 6 - the 6! -- and that's internal (at Roush Racing), let alone some other guys that want to make a change because they're not doing very well," Biffle said.

"We're short six drivers all the sudden in the (Nextel Cup) Series. There's a high demand right now for somebody that can win races or run competitively, someone that can just get in and go."

Biffle's Nextel Cup Series future came down to one simple decision: trophies or greenbacks.

"I was trying to beat them up for a big raise," Biffle said with a chuckle. "But they said 'You can either driver racecars that win races or go someplace else and get a big raise',' your choice."

Biffle chose the hardware. Good thing, too, he says. It had become a distraction.

"I was starting to get a lot of inquiries and people calling and other people talking about it," Biffle said. "I wanted to secure the team and tell them that, 'Hey, I'm here to stay.' They're wondering where I'm going. They're hearing other team guys talk.

"Until then it wasn't that big a deal to me. So I wanted to sit down with Jack and get this thing done. That's really what it took, us sitting down for 20 minutes and talking about what we needed to do."

Biffle wouldn't elaborate on which teams were courting him. But he did mention, in passing, several organizations that are currently in the market for a wheelman.

"I had plenty of opportunities and I'm thankful for that," Biffle said. "There are other people that want me to drive their cars. I'm friends with a lot of the team owners. I like to mingle with them and talk with them. Ray's (Evernham) got a great organization. Joe Gibbs, Richard Childress - all of them - Roger Penske.

"Every single one of those guys -- DEI -- have great organizations in our sport. I had some opportunities, but this is where my heart was at and we were able to work out a deal and I think I'm gonna be happy."