Roush Fenway Racing driver describes group’s genesis, approach
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Roush Fenway Racing‘s Greg Biffle did not attend Saturday’s driver meeting with NASCAR at Dover Downs Hotel and Casino, but he was aware of it. He also said Monday that he was among the first drivers to start talking about a council last September.
“It actually started with Denny (Hamlin), myself and Brad (Keselowski) … in Chicago, after the Chase was set,” Biffle said on “NASCAR Race Hub” on FOX Sports 1. “We started these discussions, and it’s kind of continued from there and built and it’s a good thing.”
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver with titles in the XFINITY and Camping World Truck divisions described the make-up of the group and some of the subjects discussed.
“It’s a great discussion to continue to help improve racing and safety within the sport,” Biffle said. “We drive the cars and so we know what taking power out does, adding or subtracting downforce a lot of times. You get the driver input, NASCAR’s input and the team owners’ input. They’ve got to pay the bills to continue to change the cars around.
“It was a past champion, top Ford, top Chevy, top Toyota drivers. That’s kind of how the council’s made up. Then we discuss the issues, and they go on and meet with NASCAR so we can all stay on the same page and not be surprised by anything.
“And we all have the same agenda. We want great racing, close side-by-side racing, competitive and safe for the drivers.”
In the past, a pair of future NASCAR Hall of Famers would talk with the sanctioning body about issues affecting the garage. Now, his fellow drivers felt the need to work together.
“…before, let’s face it, it was Rusty Wallace would walk in there or Dale Earnhardt would walk in there and (say), ‘This is what we need.’ And those guys really knew.
“We as a collective group kind of know I think what direction we need to go and what we want to see. It’s easier for us to go in there with a little bit more focused group on what we need and what we think and try and work with NASCAR on the outcome.”
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Horsepower and aero adjustments were two of the topics on Saturday’s agenda, according to Biffle.
“We’re race car drivers, right, so we want to go as fast as we can,” Biffle said. “We want the most power, and I think that one of the topics is the power that has been taken away. It’s made it a little bit more difficult to pass and so power is one thing, that we would like to be able to have that horsepower when we step on the gas pedal. I don’t think you could argue with any race car driver as far as that.
“And then the downforce issue and trying to make the cars a little bit less aero-sensitive from the cars behind and be able to pass. That’s the key, right?”
Biffle said the council sets the time to talk with NASCAR, and he found out on Saturday that the group was meeting so he didn’t think it was unusual that six-time champion Jimmie Johnson wasn’t aware that the meeting had taken place until after he earned his record 10th victory at Dover.
“Jimmie went out for a bicycle ride,” Biffle said. “Doesn’t surprise me he didn’t hear about the meeting or catch wind that they were actually meeting on that Saturday.”