Biffle's push comes up big
Sunday, Feb. 14, 2010
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Greg Biffle could smell victory. And he could almost see it.
Biffle took the lead from Clint Bowyer in Sunday’s Daytona 500 on what was supposed to be the next-to-last lap.
But a wreck erupted in Turn 3, bringing out a caution before Biffle could take the white flag, which signals the last lap. That meant the race would be extended two more laps in an attempt to get a finish under green.
On the restart on Lap 203, Kevin Harvick gave Biffle a push and then dove to the inside to take the lead. Another wreck brought out still another caution. And thanks to a recent NASCAR rule change, it meant another attempt at a green-white-checkered finish.
This time, Biffle was in position to give his friend Jamie McMurray a push toward the win while claiming third place for his team.
“I was just hoping we could get to the white flag. I was half a corner from winning the Daytona 500,” Biffle said.
“There at the end, the restarts, I guess I couldn’t get anybody to push me. It seemed like maybe they were spinning their tires on the restart or what.”
The finish was a welcome start to the season for Biffle, winless in 2009.
“Third-place isn’t all that bad, but I’m just so happy for Jamie,” he said.
“I pushed him to the win down the backstretch and I feel pretty good about that.”
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