There’s been a lot of talk about Greg Biffle leaving Roush Racing. If you don’t believe me check out this article from a very reliable source www.jayski.com.
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Biffle leaving Roush? While all eyes have been on #16-Greg Biffle’s teammate, #99-Carl Edwards, to be the biggest domino to fall, could Biffle actually be the one to set everything in motion? As recently as April, the 44-year-old stated his intention was to stay at Roush Fenway Racing and that a new deal was imminent. “We’ve been working pretty diligently on that,” he told Frontstretch back then. “It has been a pretty good negotiation so far. There are a lot of new people on both sides of the table, so everyone is kind of getting a feel for the program and learning it. We feel pretty good that we’ll have something to announce before we get to summer.” But as May rolled around, warm weather looming Biffle suddenly sounded colder, less confident in his status for the future. “I think there’s plenty of opportunities in the industry to be in competitive cars,” he said in an interview on SiriusXM Radio earlier this month. “I enjoy being at Roush Fenway. I love 3M. We have a great relationship and the program works really, really well for 3M … Plain and simple, I’ve got options. I know I’m going to be racing. I know I’m going to be driving a car. So I’m not worried.”
Supposedly things have deteriorated from there. Despite saying two weeks ago in Kansas Biffle was “absolutely, 100%” not looking outside his current organization, I’ve learned that’s not the case. Sources claim the driver’s plans lie elsewhere for 2015, that he is actively seeking other employment and that the feeling is mutual. One link in particular, direct to the Roush organization who wished to remain anonymous said he’s been told the future for Biffle involves “anything but” RFR, the only NASCAR team he’s really driven for. If the driver, a Roush Cup full-timer since 2003, does not return next year, speculation has been rampant that he will take sponsor 3M with him. A red flag went up about that possibility on Saturday, when RFR announced that they planned to return their #6 to the track next year. Owner Jack Roush said that he plans for the new team, driven by Trevor Bayne, to be a fourth car, but it’s also possible he’s prepping to lose financial backing for 2015.(Frontstretch)(5-27-2014)
***Carl Edwards is keeping fairly quiet about his future plans…though I could do a similar article on him in the near future as long as nothing gets leaked….Anyway, this one is about Greg.
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My question is, where will Greg go? He wants to win a championship, which is obvious. He’s had the opportunity to become a champion of all three major NASCAR Touring Series…something nobody has ever done yet. If Biffle doesn’t think he can win one at Roush…and trust me, he’s tried very hard to over the years. Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch could do it for the organization…so how hard can it be? Apparently harder than Greg thought.
What team will he end up racing for next year? Nobody knows but Greg. Whoever takes him will most likely not have to worry about acquiring sponsorship as dedicated partner 3M would appear to want to continue to do business with Greg. Here are some of my ideas as to where he could end up.
1. Hendrick Motorsports: Greg Biffle replaces Kasey Kahne in the #5 Farmers Chevrolet.
Who wouldn’t want the chance to race for the best team in Nascar. Biffle would be joining a team with a total of 12 Sprint/Nextel/Winston Cup Championship wins. He would get to work with the likes of Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. In return they would have another smart and talented driver to add to their lineup. Greg Biffle has been running at the end of every race he’s been in since 2011. That’s a definite selling point. As for Kasey Kahne, he hasn’t really lived up to the expectations demanded of him. He has wrecked out of many races, even the ones he has been dominant in. Kahne’s days at Hendrick Motorsports may be numbered due to lack of performance.
2. Joe Gibbs Racing In a fourth Toyota (#19, #28, or #81 perhaps?).
Joe Gibbs wants another championship. Plain and simple. Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth have been friends for years, and teammates up until last season (2013). They worked well together, and Greg may want to get back to that. He’s already worked with Kurt Busch in previous years as teammates. He’ll be able to work with Kyle too.
3. Team Penske in a third or fourth Ford depending on what they decide to do with Ryan Blaney (#12, #19, #29 perhaps?)
These guys are fast every week, in qualifying and the race. Greg’s easygoing personality could do the team some good as a whole when Brad K. or J. Log go into a hissy fit. This is also a good option if Biffle wants to stay aligned with Ford and be competitive at the same time.
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These seem like the most likely options, but you never know what else could happen. Perhaps Richard Childress Racing would be willing to part with Paul Menard and have Biffle drive their #27 Chevy. Perhaps Tony Stewart gets fed up with Danica Patrick and slots Greg in his #10 Chevrolet.
It’s possible that Richard Petty Motorsports could be interested in adding Biffle to their current stable of drivers, whether it is replacing Marcos Ambrose (#9 Ford) or Aric Almerola (#43 Ford) or adding a new car (#45 perhaps?).
Anything can happen, but in reality, those three are the best alternatives Biffle has besides Roush to go out there and win a championship.