Biffle Wins Controversial, Shortened Race
Jonathan Monfiletto
Issue date: 10/4/07 Section: Sports
Greg Biffle became the first non-Chase driver to capture a win in the Chase for the Nextel Cup, taking the shortened Lifelock 400 at Kansas Speedway on Sunday.
The race was originally scheduled for 267 laps but was shortened to 210 due to darkness after two rain delays, totaling three hours, caused the race to end much later than usual. When a caution came out on lap 207, NASCAR officials decided to end the race under caution rather than setting up a green-white-checkered finish, which gave Biffle the win.
However, Biffle's win came with a bit of controversy, as he ran out of fuel coming to the checkered flag and wasn't actually the first car to cross the finishline. He came in third behind Clint Bowyer and Jimmie Johnson, and those two drivers said in their TV interviews that they felt they rightfully finished first and second.
Nevertheless, NASCAR officials said that Biffle was in fact the winner of race, basing their decision on the fact that the field is frozen when a caution comes out and drivers are not allowed to gain positions on the track. It is his first win since last year's season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
With a third-place finish, Johnson takes over the points lead with a six-point lead over teammate Jeff Gordon, who finished fifth. Clint Bowyer used his second-place finish to climb to third, just nine points out of the lead. After that, drivers find themselves many points out of the lead in the Chase for the Cup since seven drivers encountered troubles this week.
Tony Stewart is fourth in points, but after a crash that relegated him to 39th, he is 117 points behind Johnson. Kevin Harvick grabbed sixth as the only other Chase contender in the top ten, and he sits fifth in points, 126 behind. Kyle suffered an early crash but came back to the race to finish 41st, and he is sixth in points, 136 behind.
Carl Edwards was involved in Stewart's crash and finished 37th to slide to seventh in points, 142 behind. Martin Truex Jr. was caught up in a separate crash and finished 38th, falling to eighth in points, 158 behind. Kurt Busch was the last Chase driver who didn't have trouble, finishing 11th and moving up to ninth in points, 177 behind.
The race was originally scheduled for 267 laps but was shortened to 210 due to darkness after two rain delays, totaling three hours, caused the race to end much later than usual. When a caution came out on lap 207, NASCAR officials decided to end the race under caution rather than setting up a green-white-checkered finish, which gave Biffle the win.
However, Biffle's win came with a bit of controversy, as he ran out of fuel coming to the checkered flag and wasn't actually the first car to cross the finishline. He came in third behind Clint Bowyer and Jimmie Johnson, and those two drivers said in their TV interviews that they felt they rightfully finished first and second.
Nevertheless, NASCAR officials said that Biffle was in fact the winner of race, basing their decision on the fact that the field is frozen when a caution comes out and drivers are not allowed to gain positions on the track. It is his first win since last year's season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
With a third-place finish, Johnson takes over the points lead with a six-point lead over teammate Jeff Gordon, who finished fifth. Clint Bowyer used his second-place finish to climb to third, just nine points out of the lead. After that, drivers find themselves many points out of the lead in the Chase for the Cup since seven drivers encountered troubles this week.
Tony Stewart is fourth in points, but after a crash that relegated him to 39th, he is 117 points behind Johnson. Kevin Harvick grabbed sixth as the only other Chase contender in the top ten, and he sits fifth in points, 126 behind. Kyle suffered an early crash but came back to the race to finish 41st, and he is sixth in points, 136 behind.
Carl Edwards was involved in Stewart's crash and finished 37th to slide to seventh in points, 142 behind. Martin Truex Jr. was caught up in a separate crash and finished 38th, falling to eighth in points, 158 behind. Kurt Busch was the last Chase driver who didn't have trouble, finishing 11th and moving up to ninth in points, 177 behind.
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