Roush Team Targets Michigan Speedway

What with Tony Stewart going it on his own just fine, thank you; Kyle Busch smashing trophies in victory lane; Dale Earnhardt Jr. struggling to live up to his hype; 50-year old Mark Martin winning races; and Hendrick Motorsports being, well ... Hendrick Motorsports, the once dominant Roush Fenway Ford team finds itself on NASCAR's attention periphery here at the midseason point.

Three of Roush's five drivers are currently ranked among the championship top-12, but only one -- Matt Kenseth -- has reached victory lane.

Roush drivers have led laps and led them late -- Carl Edwards at Talladega, Greg Biffle at Dover, for example -- but inevitably another story seems to come along and swipe the checkered flag and the spotlight.

Of course, that could all change this Sunday at Michigan International Speedway, where Roush Fenway Racing owns 11 victories -- eight in the past 10 years.

"I think we're a little under the radar obviously," said Greg Biffle, who's ranked seventh in the standings. "The 16-team, we tend to fly under the radar a little bit more. We're there every week, right there, right there. ... And tend not to make too much racket, which does and doesn't bother me that we don't get the attention.

"Pretty much everything I saw and read after the Dover race was about Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson -- 'two of the best drivers in the world, did you see em?' "

"I wasn't even mentioned," Biffle said smiling. "It was like I wasn't even there. I was the one leading. Tony and I battled for position, then he got by me. ...Then the 48 got by me.

"I don't let that bother me, it's just where the storyline is. Sometimes we'll be the storyline and sometimes we won't."

Latest NASCAR Images

NEW YORK - JUNE 10: Brian Vickers, driver of the NASCAR #83 Red Bull Toyota, pulls away after making a full pit stop with the Red Bull Racing pit crew on 7th Avenue in Times Square on June 10, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Jaime L. Mikle/Getty Images for Red Bull) *** Local Caption *** Brian Vickers

Getty Images for Red Bull

NEW YORK - JUNE 10: Brian Vickers, driver of the NASCAR #83 Red Bull Toyota, makes a full pit stop with the Red Bull Racing pit crew on 7th Avenue in Times Square on June 10, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images for Red Bull) *** Local Caption *** Brian Vickers

Getty Images for Red Bull

NEW YORK - JUNE 10: Brian Vickers, driver of the NASCAR #83 Red Bull Toyota, makes a full pit stop with the Red Bull Racing pit crew on 7th Avenue in Times Square on June 10, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images for Red Bull) *** Local Caption *** Brian Vickers

Getty Images for Red Bull

NEW YORK - JUNE 10: Brian Vickers, driver of the NASCAR #83 Red Bull Toyota, makes a full pit stop with the Red Bull Racing pit crew on 7th Avenue in Times Square on June 10, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Chris McGrath/Getty Images for Red Bull) *** Local Caption *** Brian Vickers

Getty Images for Red Bull

NEW YORK - JUNE 10: A NASCAR racing lollipop is held in the street before Brian Vickers, driver of the NASCAR #83 Red Bull Toyota, makes a full pit stop with the Red Bull Racing pit crew on 7th Avenue in Times Square on June 10, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images for Red Bull) *** Local Caption *** Brian Vickers

Getty Images for Red Bull

NEW YORK - JUNE 10: Brian Vickers, driver of the NASCAR #83 Red Bull Toyota, makes a full pit stop with the Red Bull Racing pit crew on 7th Avenue in Times Square on June 10, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Jaime L. Mikle/Getty Images for Red Bull) *** Local Caption *** Brian Vickers

Getty Images for Red Bull

NEW YORK - JUNE 10: Brian Vickers, driver of the NASCAR #83 Red Bull Toyota, makes a full pit stop with the Red Bull Racing pit crew on 7th Avenue in Times Square on June 10, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images for Red Bull) *** Local Caption *** Brian Vickers

Getty Images for Red Bull

FILE - This is an April 19, 2008 file photo showing Colin Braun posing for photographers after winning his first pole position in his three-year career, during the NASCAR Nationwide qualifiers in Mexico City. Braun figures there couldn't be a better time for his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory than in Saturday's race at Michigan International Speedway. The 20-year-old Braun, in his second full season driving trucks for Roush Fenway Racing, would love to be the driver to give team co-owner Jack Roush his 50th series victory. (AP Photo/Miguel Tovar, File)

Tony Stewart (14) drives from the garage area for practice Saturday, June 6, 2009, at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa. Darian Grubb had no intention of leaving his engineering job at Hendrick Motorsports. But when Tony Stewart called him with an offer to be the crew chief of his upstart team, Grubb couldn't say no. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

More often than not, the Roush team is the storyline at Michigan, a driver-favorite 2-miler where the Roush Fenway team has scored at least one victory in the past seven consecutive years -- a track record. The last time the Cup Series raced here (August, 2008), all five of the Roush Fords finished in the top-10.

And as far as team founder Jack Roush is concerned, there's no finer place for the success. He lives outside Detroit and his ROUSH Industries engineering company is headquartered a half hour away from the track. He got his first Michigan win two decades ago with a 30-year-old Martin.

"It's just fun to race in front of the home crowd and we have a history of being successful based on the foundation that Mark Martin put under us 20 years ago," said Roush, who counts a 1997 win during Ford Motor Company's 100th anniversary celebration as his most memorable victory here.

Edwards, Biffle and Kenseth -- who are ranked sixth, seventh and eighth in the championship -- are among the leaders in nearly every statistical category at Michigan in the last four years and considered heavy favorites this weekend.

Edwards holds the top driver rating at MIS, Kenseth is third and Biffle fourth. Edwards, who has two wins in nine Cup starts here, is also tops in Average Running Position (seventh), Laps Run in the Top 15 (90.2 percent) and Fastest Race Laps (134).

"Trust me, I want to win so badly," said Edwards, who won at Michigan last August and is coming off a runner-up effort at Dover on Sunday.

"Even though it's only been 13 or 14 races [since a win], it feels like forever. But I think if we just keep our heads down, I think we'll get what we deserve. And definitely points feel good."

Biffle concurs.

"Big picture, we're right there," said Biffle, adding with a laugh. "We're not lousy by any means."

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

6-12-2009 @ 10:10AM

Kim said...

Ah sorry, Biffle....that was not much of a "race" between you and Tony Stewart let alone Jimmie Johnson. They both blew by you like you were standing still and then the two of them DID put on a race. I am sorry, I don't dislike Biffle, but the story should not have been about him at Dover. He didn't put up much of a fight and Jimmie & Tony were definitely the show stoppers.

I am not a fan of Roush's top three drivers in the least. Biffle acts like a dork half the time, Kenseth always has a pissy look on his face, Edwards is a bully and a media whore, IMO. Yes, they are all talented, but if I had to pick two Roush drivers that I liked for personality, my votes go to Regan and McMurray.

Kim

6-12-2009 @ 1:58PM

illsell4u said...

Kim, I am not sure everyone caught on to what you were saying. Why don't you stop sugar coating it and just come out and say what you think. LOL
MBL

6-12-2009 @ 5:58PM

You know me, Mike....I never sugar coat anything. I am sure someone will come on here and blast me for being negative, but frankly I could care less. I think Roush's organization is completely overrated and I don't understand why they get so much press. Even Mark Martin wasn't happy there for Pete's sake and he's a happy guy!

Kim

P.S. Other than Kenseth's one championship, the three top Roush drivers remind me of that old saying, "Always a bridesmaid, never a bride." They get close each year, but never pull it off for themselves. Let's see if one proves me wrong soon, but frankly....as long as they are racing against the likes of Jimmie, Jeff, Tony, Mark Martin, Kyle Bush and even this year, Ryan Newman....never gonna happen!

6-12-2009 @ 2:33PM

nzcr14 said...

HERE IT IS MIKE. THE ENTIRE GROUCH RACKET ALWAYS A FAN TURN OFF,no wonder why kurt bush was in.As matter of fact he left,he has gotten a little better.JERK GROUCH A LIFETIME BITCHER AND CRYBULLY ABOUT ANYTHING and most of the time he was wrong;the last issue last year about KYLE BUSH and GM suppose obtained favors.THE MERGING OF GROUCHES/FINNFISH did not improve the racket any.
KEM SETH, THE BEEF, HATEWARDS,DECENT DRIVERS,maybe a little more than mediocre but NEVER TOP TIERS.
ATTITUDES;low grades and skimpey.
MC FURRY/MC POURRY whatever and REAGAN, LOW TIER DRIVERS but better personalityes than the other 3.
All summed up GROUCH/FINNFISH still a FORD NO, NO TEAM,still a turn your face away team.
oops now i'm in trouble again with TOSOR poster, which got lost in cyberspace somewhere lately.
works for me...

6-12-2009 @ 2:40PM

ok, somebody is going to jump on me about KENTSETH,
winning a champ in 02.BIG DEAL! A 3 WINS FLASH. Even
KURTNEY BUSH GOT ONEback than.Another FLAS with couple wins AND EXTREMELY LUCKY FIRST CHASE CRAP END
for an undeserving crown winner driver.
i'm done, ciao, ciao.

6-13-2009 @ 2:11AM

Rob said...

It's nice to hear other people have the same opinion of Rousch drivers. It's too bad the driver that leaves Rousch at the end of the season will likely be one of the two with a personality.

6-16-2009 @ 5:26AM

NORA said...

FOR ALL THE BITCHING THAT IS GOING ON ALL I WOULD LIKE TO SAY TO CARL EDWARDS IS BE CAREFULL MY 5 YEAR OLD GRANDDAUGHTERS ARE WATCHING AND LOVE THE BACK FLIPS SO BE SAFE AND BEAT THEM ALL IN THE END