As Chase nears, 10th-place Biffle deflecting pressure

Sitting 10th in the points with four races left would be enough to stress anyone. Being 10th in points, only 83 in front of 13th-place Clint Bowyer with four races left will add gray to the hair of the strongest of drivers.

But Greg Biffle is calm, cool and collected as he looks to secure a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, beginning with this week's 3M Performance 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

3M Performance 400
Race Lineup

Pos. Driver Speed Time

1. B. Vickers 188.536 38.189
2. J. Johnson 187.028 38.497
3. E. Sadler 186.577 38.590
4. Dale Jr. 186.321 38.643
5. J. Gordon 186.032 38.703
6. P. Carpentier 185.979 38.714
7. D. Reutimann 185.907 38.729
8. R. Smith 185.874 38.736
9. G. Biffle 185.821 38.747
10. S. Riggs 185.821 38.747

• Lineup | Videos | Photos"I wouldn't say desperation, but we know where we are in the points," Biffle said. "We know that we need to finish 10th or better in these next four events."

That shouldn't be a problem at Michigan, where Roush Fenway Racing has dominated in what could be called the team's home track. In 139 races, Roush Fenway has compiled 10 wins, 39 top-fives and 74 top-10s. Biffle specifically has run very well at the 2-mile oval with two wins, four top-fives and six top-10s.

Unfortunately for Biffle, the past three races have seen a decline in those strong results. Finishes of 38th and 19th in the '07 races followed by a 20th in this year's spring race have Biffle struggling at a track at which he's unaccustomed.

Biffle, though, looks at the big picture, not just at where he crossed the finish line.

"The last time we were here we were running third and fourth and got the air hose caught on the splitter," Biffle said. "So the results on the piece of paper show we finished 21st or 20th and that's certainly not where we ran all day.

"We feel good about this weekend and getting a good, solid run. We feel like this is a good opportunity for us."

Things got off to a great start for the No. 16 team during Friday's practice, when Biffle posted a lap of 184.981 mph, tied with Jeff Gordon for 10th in the session behind Brian Vickers' fast lap of 187.373 (speeds).

It was more of the same in qualifying. Biffle will roll off ninth Sunday, after a lap of 185.821.

With no wins on the season, Biffle -- if he makes the Chase -- will be down at least 80 points to leader Kyle Busch when the 10-race playoff begins at New Hampshire. Biffle isn't concerned about bonus points though; he knows his focus has to be on points racing in the final four events at Michigan, Bristol, Fontana and Richmond to ensure a spot in the top 12.

"We've been saying for the last six races, we know if we [finish] 10th or better we're technically gonna lock ourselves in because we feel like those are good enough finishes.

"Certainly we want to win, get in the top five, that's the focus we have. But we feel the urgency to be in the top 10, for sure."

Newman makes it official, will drive for Stewart-Haas

Tony Stewart plans to build his new NASCAR team into one that can win races and championships sooner than later.

The two-time Sprint Cup champion figures signing Ryan Newman as his teammate at Stewart-Haas Racing is a big step in that direction, though both drivers have a little unfinished business to take care of first.

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The thing that impressed me the most about Ryan was that he asked all the right questions. The questions he asked me about were how are we going to win races, how are we going to win championships, how are we going to get the right people in place to do the right jobs.
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TONY STEWARTStewart is trying to nail down a spot in the Chase for the championship -- and maybe another title -- in his final season with Joe Gibbs Racing, while Newman hopes to leave longtime employer Penske Racing at the end of this season with another win or two to add to his season-opening victory in the Daytona 500.

Stewart made the much-anticipated signing of Newman official at Michigan International Speedway on Friday, and the soon-to-be teammates sat side-by-side, smiling and talking about the future.

"This is an exciting day," Stewart said. "I mean, it's very important to Stewart-Haas Racing, obviously."

Stewart, leaving the Gibbs team after 10 successful seasons to become part owner of what has been the midpack Haas CNC Racing, added, "The flood of personnel that have come over and wanted to join the team since we made that announcement has been huge. With the addition of Ryan coming on board now, I think it's even going to make that list even grow larger."

The new owner-driver knows he's facing a lot of work to make a contender out of his new team, which currently has Scott Riggs 37th in the car-owner points and Tony Raines 43rd.

But Joe Custer, general manager of what is still Haas CNC Racing at this point, said things are changing quickly.

"It's overwhelming in ways," Custer said. "You know, to have Tony come on board, obviously, and now Ryan, it's just unbelievable. ... Tony's led the charge. The program's growing. It's exciting to be part of it."

Newman said he had at least three other serious offers for a new ride in 2009, but went with Stewart-Haas mostly because of its new co-owner.

"It's just a great opportunity," Newman said. "I think a lot of Tony from a personal standpoint as well as a driving standpoint, and I've seen his success from an ownership standpoint with the USAC cars and the World of Outlaws cars. I've seen him get the job done in other venues, and I look forward to the opportunity."

Skinner replaces McDowell in No. 00 for three races

Craftsman Truck Series regular Mike Skinner will pilot Michael Waltrip Racing's No. 00 car in the next three Sprint Cup events, while regular driver Michael McDowell sits out so the organization can reexamine its program.

McDowell, a Sprint Cup rookie, stands 36th in owner points, eight points behind A.J. Allmendinger for the final guaranteed starting spot this week at Michigan International Speedway. Skinner will also attempt the forthcoming events at Bristol and Fontana, while McDowell is slated to return to the car for the Sept. 6 race at Richmond.

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We're struggling right now, and we're outside the top 35, and our program as a whole is struggling right now. It gives us a chance to put Skinner in, and evaluate where I'm at, where our whole team's at.
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MICHAEL MCDOWELL"We're struggling right now, and we're outside the top 35, and our program as a whole is struggling right now," McDowell said Tuesday. "It gives us a chance to put Skinner in, and evaluate where I'm at, where our whole team's at, and hopefully get better, which ultimately is the goal of this whole process. I'm definitely getting back in, that's not a question. It's just a matter of getting our program better."

McDowell finished 25th in last Sunday's event at Watkins Glen International after being involved in a large crash near the end of the race. In 17 starts since replacing the retired Dale Jarrett, McDowell has made every race and has a top finish of 21st on the road course at Sonoma, Calif. He said the switch to Skinner had been discussed even before the crash at Watkins Glen, which began when McDowell collided with David Gilliland. Seven other cars were also impacted.

"The whole melee at Watkins Glen was obviously unfortunate, but it wasn't what made us come to the decision that we need to do something different," McDowell said. "It's something we've been working on, and it really had nothing to do with [the fact] that Watkins Glen was a bit of a disaster. It was an opportunity for us to evaluate the program."

Waltrip's approach is similar to one taken earlier this season by Team Red Bull, which put Skinner in its No. 84 car for five races in place of Allmendinger, a second-year NASCAR driver who had failed to qualify for the first three events of the year. Allmendinger showed marked improvement when he returned to the car, and has recorded top-20s in his last four starts. He is in the top 35 in owner points this week for the first time.

"I thought [Skinner] did a really nice job of working with Red Bull and A.J. Allmendinger earlier this year, and our No. 00 team could use the same experienced insight," Waltrip said in a statement released by the team. "We feel the same way about Michael McDowell as we did when we signed him. But this is the toughest, most competitive form of racing in the world, and I know Michael and MWR can benefit from Skinner's input."

But unlike Allmendinger, McDowell has made every race since he first stepped into the No. 00 car at Martinsville Speedway in March. He's spent most of the season inside the top 35, falling out for the first time two weeks ago after a 34th-place finish at Indianapolis. He made the next race at Pocono on speed, and was in the starting field at Watkins Glen after qualifying was canceled by rain.

"It's not ideal. It's not something I wanted to do," McDowell said. "But I'm going to do everything I can to get back in the racecar and to help the program."