Subway 500 * Martinsville Speedway * Sunday, October 19, 2003
Greg Biffle
Team: Roush Racing
Car: No. 16
Sponsor: Grainger
Owner: Jack Roush
Driver: Greg Biffle
Crew Chief: Doug Richert
Chassis: JR-003: This is the same car Biffle and the Grainger Team
previously used in The Winston Open (fifth-place finish), the first
Pocono (20th), the second Pocono (27th) and the second New Hampshire
race (43rd). Biffle was running in the top-10 in the New Hampshire
event before suffering mechanical problems that eliminated him from the
event.
Greg Biffle on racing at Martinsville:
"Martinsville is a very technical track and it's demanding both
physically and mentally on the driver. It's tough to get a rhythm
going there because it's a short track and you're always surrounded
by other competitors. There's a fine line for when you hit the brakes
and then get back into the throttle, and if you miss your marks you've
messed up the entire lap. Martinsville requires you to be totally
focused and up on the wheel for 500 laps, and that's a pretty tall
order."
Crew Chief Doug Richert on racing at Martinsville:
"Martinsville is tough setup wise, because you have to get the car to
turn in the center of the corner but at the same time not lose forward
bite. Track position is everything because it's extremely hard to
pass, so it's imperative that you qualify well and keep yourself
towards the front with solid pit strategy."
ROUSH RACING FAST FACTS:
Mark Martin posted three straight poles at Martinsville
beginning in the fall of 1990 and sweeping 1991.
Martin has scored four top-10 finishes, including one victory,
in his last seven races at Martinsville.
Martin's first ever Winston Cup top-five finish came at
Martinsville on Sept. 27, 1981 in the Old Dominion 500.
Martin has won twice at Martinsville, during the spring of 1992
and the spring of 2000.
Martin has finished in the top-10 in five of the last eight
races at Martinsville and seven of the last 12.
Matt Kenseth now has 23 top-10 finishes in 31 starts, a
league-leading statistic. He also has 10 top-five finishes.
Kenseth's 2003 Winston Cup point lead is now 267 points over
second place Kevin Harvick with just five races to go.
If Kenseth wins the Subway 500 event, his Winston-leader bonus
payout would be a record $320,000.
Kurt Busch sits 10th in the 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series point
standings after 31 events, 457 points out of the fifth place and 809
points out of first.
Busch is the defending champion of this event, winning the 2002
Old Dominion 500 after starting 36th.
Busch's crew chief Jimmy Fennig is tied for winningest active
crew chief in the Winston Cup Series with 24 wins.
Jeff Burton has one victory at Martinsville (Fall 1997).
In 18 races at Martinsville, Burton has eight top-five and 10
top-10 finishes.
Jon Wood and Carl Edwards will compete in Saturday's Craftsman
Truck Series race at Martinsville. Combined the two drivers have four
wins, two poles, 20 top-five and 30 top-10 finishes.
