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BIFFLE LEADS FORD IN CHARLOTTE NASCAR ACTION

  • Greg Biffle was the top Ford driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup race in Charlotte, N.C., finishing second in the No. 16 Fusion. Biffle remains 11th in the standings.
  • Biffle was the top Ford driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race in Charlotte, finishing seventh in the No. 16 Fusion. Biffle remains 30th in the standings after running in only six races.
  • Erik Darnell was the top Ford driver in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race in Mansfield, Ohio, finishing 11th. Darnell remains ninth in the standings.
  • James Gue and Bret Seafuse were the top Ford drivers in the Grand-Am KONI Challenge race at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn., finishing third.

DEARBORN, Mich., May 26, 2008 – Greg Biffle paved the way to the finish line for the rest of the Ford contingent during the Memorial Day weekend in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and the NASCAR Nationwide Series races in Charlotte, N.C., to highlight Ford Racing holiday action.

In the NASCAR Sprint Cup race Sunday evening, Biffle led a trio of Ford drivers in the top 10 with a second-place finish. Biffle’s teammates, Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards, joined him in the top 10, finishing seventh and ninth, respectively.

“We ran good all night,” said Biffle. “We probably had a fast enough car to run up there with the 9 [Kasey Kahne, race winner]. We ran lap times, but we just never could get track position. I was too loose in traffic, too tight in traffic. Once it got strung out about 20 laps in, I would come on. We needed that long green run at the end because my car, I was just mowing guys down. I passed the 18 car on the last lap down there in turns three and four, but the 9 had a lot of track position on us.”

Edwards was actually running third on the final lap but ran out of gas between turns three and four and coasted to the finish. Edwards moved up to sixth in the standings, while Biffle remains 11th. Kenseth moved up four spots to 16th.

In the Nationwide Series race Saturday night, Biffle crossed the line seventh. Though the race was just the sixth Nationwide event that Biffle has run in this year, it marked his third top-10 finish of the season.

David Ragan was the next Ford driver across the line with a ninth-place finish in the No. 6 Ford Fusion. It was Ragan’s seventh top-10 of the season through 13 races.

“We qualified well, we practiced well and we just need to build on nights like this,” said Ragan. “It’s tough to win these races and I think that we just have to have a perfect night to win a race. Tonight we made a couple of mistakes and were just a little bit off. We still finished in the top 10, and it’s a good points night, but it’s always just a lot more fun when you can be up there battling for the lead.”

Ragan remains sixth in the standings. Carl Edwards, who finished 13th, remains third in the standings, 176 points behind series leader Clint Bowyer.

The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series was in Mansfield, Ohio, Saturday afternoon and Erik Darnell was the top Ford driver in the race, finishing 11th in the No. 99 F-150. Rick Crawford drove his No. 14 Ford F-150 to a 13th place finish and remains second in the standings, just eight points behind leader Todd Bodine.

The Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series returned to action of for the first time in four months in a Monday afternoon outing at Lime Rock Park in Lakeville, Conn. The duo of James Gue and Bret Seafuse finished third in their No. 37 Ford Mustang FR500C. The finish was the first time that the duo was able to make it onto the podium.

“It’s been a long time in coming for the podium,” said Seafuse. “James and I ran together last year and came close a few times. We had a good points finish. I’m glad to be on the bottom of the podium, but we’re looking to get to the top. We had a great run today.”

Next weekend, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series will be in Dover, Del., while the NHRA will compete in Topeka, Kan.

Ford Racing Technology

Ford Racing Technology, based in Dearborn, Mich., is responsible for major racing operations in North America, including NASCAR (Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series, Craftsman Truck), Grand American sports car racing, NHRA drag racing, USAC midget car racing and the Ford Racing Mustang Challenge for the Miller Cup. Ford Racing also oversees the development and marketing of Ford Racing Engines and Performance Parts, the outreach programs with all Ford Clubs and Ford enthusiasts, and the marketing of the Ford Racing brand through initiatives such as Team Ford Racing. For more information regarding Ford Racing’s activities, please visit www.fordracing.com.