Watkins Glen, N.Y.(August 12, 2012) – The NASCAR circuit made its final trip to a road course for the 2012 season with a stop at the 2.45-mile Watkins Glen International. Coming off a strong run a Sonoma, Biffle and the 3M Pit Bulls were ready for another road course. Rain on Friday delayed track time, but an additional practice Saturday morning got the 3M Ford race ready. Biffle qualified 15th and through hard driving and a two-stop race strategy, it looked as if he was on his way to a top-five finish. The race stayed green in the closing laps, despite the No. 47 leaking oil on the track. Biffle was running fourth, but hitting the oil dropped him back to cross the finish line sixth.
In the opening laps of the race, Biffle reported back to crew chief Matt Puccia that his 3M Ford was a little free. Some competitors opted to pit early on to make the 90-lap event a three pit-stop race, while others like the No. 16 team were on a two-stop pit strategy. Multiple people had made their first pit stops by the time the first caution came out on lap 25. Biffle was up to 10th and came down pit road for four tires, fuel and a rear air pressure adjustment. Three laps after, the field was back to green Biffle expressed how loose he was on the track.
Biffle made a scheduled green flag pit stop on lap 57, while running 11th, for four tires, fuel and the previous air pressure adjustment put back the way they started. A few short laps later, the second caution of the day came out when the No. 11 and No. 56 had difficulty on the road course. A slight drizzle blew in as well, but not enough to slow down the race. Biffle restarted sixth on lap 62, but on lap 64, the caution was back out when the No. 49 blew an engine.
Having made two pit stops, Puccia told Biffle to save fuel. A more steady drizzle picked up and the cars staggered themselves under caution to keep the track surface dry. It worked and they went back to racing with Biffle sitting fifth. In the closing laps, Biffle worked his way up to fourth and had his eyes set on the front, but there was oil on the track and Biffle hit the slick spot. Luckily, Biffle was able to keep the 3M Ford pointed in the right direction and only lost one spot to cross the finish line sixth, while Marcos Ambrose won the road course race at The Glen for the second year in a row. The sixth-place finish moved Biffle to second in the point standings, just one point out of the lead.
“It was a pretty good day,” said Biffle. “It’s unfortunate that I got in that oil. I had a fourth-place finish locked up because I almost wrecked and lost those spots. There for a while we were gaining on the No. 9 a little bit, but we were just off a little bit today.”
RoushFenwayRacing.com
