CONCORD, North Carolina – After Greg Biffle tied a season-best qualifying run of fourth at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, many expected the Roush Fenway Racing driver to be a contender in the Bank of America 500.
That couldn’t have been any farther from the truth.
True, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series qualifying was held in darkness Thursday night in Concord and the race was postponed from Saturday night to Sunday afternoon for inclement weather, but any significant changes made to Biffle’s No. 16 Roush Performance Ford Fusion were all for naught.
From the moment the green flag dropped, Biffle dropped like a rocket, complaining of a loose condition with his Roush Fenway Racing-prepared machine.
Not even a Lap 25 mandatory yellow could save the day for the seasoned Cup veteran. A speeding penalty didn’t help matters either.
Instead, the Vancouver, Washington native found himself in a deep hole he was unable to climb out of.
Even as the 500-mile race pressed on, Biffle struggled and even had to pit during the race for an apparent loose wheel, which ultimately halted any chance of recording his fifth top-10 run of the season.
The 14-year Cup veteran found himself 20 positions lower than where he started in 24th, his worst finish at Charlotte since 2013.
But what may even may be more discouraging is Biffle qualified in the same position in May and finished a season-best second to former RFR teammate Carl Edwards.
Yes, fuel mileage came into play, but 45-year-old had looked solid and fast in the week leading up to NASCAR’s longest race, earning his first of just three top-five finishes this season.
Still, many inside the industry had been told that the Roush Fenway Racing brigade had circled the 1.5-mile fall event as a prime opportunity to show their program was making major strides.
On Sunday, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. led the team parade with a 13th place finish, but teammate Trevor Bayne’s 22nd place run and Biffle’s performance still leaves a sense of nervousness that the team’s ability to emerge from their long-term stumble may not be anywhere near over.
The longtime Roush Fenway Racing fans hope not.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
