Biffle Holds Off Keller in Thrilling Indy Race

Greg Biffle is as hot now in NASCAR Busch Grand National Series competition as Jason Keller was earlier in the year, winning for the fourth time in the last nine races in Saturday night's thrilling Kroger 200 at Indianapolis Raceway Park before a standing-room-only crowd of nearly 25,000 and a prime time television audience.

Biffle grabbed the lead for good with 10 laps remaining when then leader Scott Riggs, Jason Keller's teammate at ppc Racing, had a tire going down and was forced to nurse his car home to the finish and a 11th place result. Scott's Nesquik Ford Taurus was the last car on the lead lap at the checkers.

Biffle did have to hold off a furious charge by Keller to gain the win, beating Keller by less than a car length after Jason roared back after his pit crew stumbled on their final stop with 29 laps left that put Biffle ahead and in position to take advantage of Riggs' misfortune. Track position was key all night as most drivers who gained the top spot were pretty much able to hold it. Keller led for better than 20 laps early in the race when Biffle, who was leading at the time, faltered on a race restart following a caution allowing Keller to roar past on the back stretch. Once Biffle got out ahead of Jason following pit stops, it pretty much decided the end result.

"We had a fast race car tonight but just came up a little short," Keller said after the race. "That was good, hard racing, but I liked it. You try and put yourself in a position to win the race, and Steve (crew chief Addington) made a good decision to put on four tires on that last pit stop. We just need to get pit road fine-tuned," Keller added, alluding to the rear tire changing problem that has plagued the team the last few races. Jason started the race in the second position, also one less than pole sitter Biffle, who will move onto the Winston Cup Series in 2003 with his entire team from this season as well as with his sponsor, Grainger Industrial Supply.

With the win, Biffle gained 5 points on Keller towards the driver's championship and now leads Jason by 82 points after 22 of the 2002 season's 34 scheduled races. The win tied Biffle with Keller for the most wins (4) by a driver on the Busch Series this year. Biffle has notched one more top 10 finish to date than Keller (16 to 15) with both pilots having posted 13 top 5 finishes.

Jack Sprague, the points leader for a long stretch earlier this season, continued to struggle. He finished 17th Saturday night, and though he remained third in the standings, the veteran driver for Hendrick Motorsports fell 287 points behind Biffle and 205 shy of Keller.

Riggs, a rookie, remained fourth in the standings despite his late-race woes that foiled his shot at his third win of the 2002 season. Riggs, who was the race's lap leader, trails Biffle by 405 points.

The Busch Series competitors take next weekend off before returning to the wars on Saturday, August 17, at Michigan International Speedway for the Cabela's 250. TNT will televise that race live, nationally, beginning at 1:30 p.m. EDT.