Roush, Biffle try to make up for lost time at Michigan

BROOKLYN, Mich. -- Jack Roush and Greg Biffle are so caught up in playing catch-up on the track these days that they have neither the time nor the energy to peer very far into their joint future.

So any thoughts of throwing Biffle's name deeper into the rumor mill as far as where he might end up driving down the road might as well be put on hold. Biffle, who drives the No. 16 Ford owned by Roush Fenway Racing, already has agreed with Roush to put any serious talks about a long-term contract extension in the same state of limbo.

BP's influence

Greg Biffle probably wouldn't be driving the No. 16 Ford if not for Benny Parsons, who lobbied Jack Roush to sign the driver.

NASCAR on TNT will honor Parsons, the 1973 Cup champ and long-time analyst, Sunday during its pre-race coverage. Parsons died in January.

• TNT to pay tribute to Parsons
• Weber: Remembering BP
• NASCAR on TNT

Their dual focus right now is on getting Biffle's team more competitive. Heading into Sunday's Citizens Bank 400 at Michigan International Speedway, Biffle, who insisted he still hopes to contend for a championship this season, was 19th in points in the driver standings after 14 races.

Only the top 12 in points after the first 26 races get to participate in the Chase for the Nextel Cup.

"There is not an imminent need for a conversation with Greg about a contract," Roush said. "We have a contract that is in place for 2008, and I think he's very comfortable with that and I am as well. The feeding frenzy that goes on in the media regarding contracts for the future is something that we don't want to be a distraction right now -- neither he, nor I -- as we put our performance side of our program in line so we can hopefully compete for a championship this year. What happens in 2009 isn't nearly as important to us as the testing that we just did up in Wisconsin and the other testing we have in front of us.

"Every day that you spend, every minute that you spend with lawyers and managers dealing with contracts for the future gets in the way of what you might do in the short term for improving the program. So we made a mutual agreement to put that aside for now. His involvement with the team in 2008 is not a question, and what happens in 2009 we can put aside and deal with later."

Biffle said that he knows some folks won't believe him when he says he has no intention of going anywhere in 2008 -- because in this day and age, all kind of employees in the racing business seem to be willing and able to break contracts whenever they see another opportunity they perceive as better present itself. But Biffle insisted that his intention is to stay with Roush Fenway Racing at least through 2008, and hopefully well beyond.

He also said that his team must show improvement on the track before he would be willing to sign a contract extension anyway. (Continued)