By Larry Woody
He's not glitzy, glamorous or gaudy.
He tends to be over-looked, underestimated, and,at times, unappreciated.
Greg Biffle is NASCAR's version of the Unknown Soldier. The 35-year-old driver arguably receives less attention per accomplishment than any other racer.
"That stuff never bothers me," says Biffle, a native of Vancouver, Wa., who migrated to the South about a decade ago to pursue his stock car racing dream. "Attention, or lack of it, is no big deal to me. My satisfaction comes from knowing that I've done a good job for my race team and for the guys I work with. I don't need to see my name up in lights."
Yet see them he may. During the first half of this year's NASCAR Nextel Cup season Biffle out-raced every other driver in terms of wins, with five, and established himself as a serious championship contender.
"We're having a great season," Biffle said at the midway point. "It's time like these when it's fun to drive a race car."
If Biffle can win the Nextel Cup championship he will have pulled a NASCAR hat trick, winning titles in all three of the sport's top series. He won the 2000 Craftsman Truck Series championship and the 2002 Busch Series title. Now he is hot on the trail of the Nextel Cup crown. No driver has ever won all three.
"That was my plan from the start," says Biffle. "I wanted to win a truck title, a Busch title and a Cup title. I've got two of them and I'm working hard on the third. When I do, it'll be pretty special."
"Greg is a tremendous talent," says team owner Jack Roush who gave Biffle his big career break and was repaid when Biffle gave Roush his first championship in the form of the 2000 truck title. "He's very bright and he knows his way around a race track. Am I surprised at how successful he's been? No, not a bit. I saw the potential in Greg when I signed him."
Chase for the Championship
NASCAR's new method of deciding its premier-division champion has created exactly the surge of late-season enthusiasm and excitement that the sport's officials had anticipated.
Last season the inaugural Chase for the Championship was put in place: a final 10-race battle to determine who got to wear the crown. The Chase field is determined by the season's first 26 races. After the 26th race, all drivers in the top 10 in the standings, plus any others within 400 points of the leader, is in. Previous points totals are erased and re-set with five-point intervals between the eligible drivers - virtually guaranteeing a tense fight to the finish.
"The fans really liked it," said driver Kurt Busch, who captured last year's championship. "It definitely produced a lot of excitement and got a lot of attention for our sport."
Greg Biffle, a strong contender this year, said the Chase adds a sense of urgency to the season.
"Being part of that 10-race shootout is the goal of every driver and every team at the start of the season," he said. "The field isn't set until the 26th race in September, but it's on everybody's mind when we roll into Daytona to start the season in February. Getting into the Chase is your first goal - then when you're in, you pull out all the stops and go for the championship."
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Why does Biffle tend to be overshadowed as fans and media are drawn to the glamour of Jeff Gordon, the swagger of Tony Stewart, the charisma of Dale Earnhardt, Jr.?
"Every sport has its major celebrities and NASCAR is no different," says veteran racing promoter Joe Mattioli who has followed the rise of some of racing's top stars. "Looks, personality, charm, controversy … a lot of things go into making a celebrity. In sports, performance is part but not all of the equation. In racing, for example, we see drivers who aren't winning, yet remain highly popular with the fans."
And, conversely, there are drivers who are successful yet tend to get overlooked.
Part of Biffle's problem - if indeed it is a problem - is that he is a relatively late bloomer. At a time when 18- and 19-year-olds are being groomed for NASCAR's big leagues, Biffle didn't get a full-time Nextel Cup ride until he was 33.
He raced for years in lower, obscure divisions in the Vancouver area, not exactly basking in the spotlight or enjoying widespread exposure.
"I had to make my own way and it wasn't easy," Biffle says. "It took time, and racing is a sport that doesn't always reward patience."
Biffle eventually worked his way onto a big-time NASCAR team but even then, at Roush Racing, he was lost in the glitter of superstars. One teammate, veteran Mark Martin, is one of NASCAR's all-time greats. Two others, Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch, won the Nextel Cup championships in 2003 and 2004. Those are tough acts to follow.
"Yeah, they are," Biffle admits, "but I like it. First of all it's an indication of the quality of Jack's operation that he has been able to win back-to-back Cup championships. He provides his people with resources second to none, and that's great for a driver's confidence. Secondly, being with a championship operation like this presents a big challenge to live up to, and I've always thrived on a challenge."
Biffle's Ford is sponsored by the National Guard and he considers it an honor to carry the color at a time when so many Guardsmen are engaged on foreign battlefields.
"I met a soldier at a race awhile back who had lost a leg," he says. "He came up to me and asked for my autograph. I felt like asking for his. It was very emotional for me. I'm told that guys put No. 16 (Biffle's car number) on their fighter jets and helicopters and tanks … it feels good to know that I've got that kind of following and support from our soldiers, because I most definitely support them."
Most of the soldiers receive little personal recognition for their services and sacrifices. That makes them a kindred spirit with Biffle who, like them, is accustomed to rolling up his sleeves, getting the job done, and winning without a lot of fanfare.
