Have the championship hopes of Ryan Newman, Greg Biffle and Jeremy Mayfield been dashed?
The outlook is bleak for the trio of drivers who made the Chase for the Nextel Cup last season. Ranked 32nd, Mayfield admittedly is more worried about keeping his car in the top 35 and guaranteeing a starting spot in every race. At Talladega Superspeedway last week, he described his Chase chances as “slim.” “If we can finish in the top 20 or top 15, then I’m happy with that,” he said. Biffle (23rd) and Newman (26th) still can aim a little higher. Both have shown tendencies as second-half closers, and Biffle has run well in every race this season before mechanical gremlins and misfortune struck (his Ford’s motor expired early at Talladega). “It is frustrating,” Biffle said. “All you can do is just take as many precautions as you can. Minimize the mileage you put on your engine in practice if you can. All the things that you think about — not making mistakes, weighing in on the cautious side — I’ve done all those things.” The Vancouver, Wash., native said it’s easy to keep a positive att
