NASCAR’s Greg Biffle says he won’t race this season
Greg Biffle is swapping a spot in his NASCAR driver’s cockpit for the television studio.
Biffle, 47, announced on Twitter on Friday that he won’t race in the Cup series this season, which begins Feb. 26 with the Daytona 500. He said he has accepted a position as a guest analyst on NBC Sports’ NASCAR America. His first segment will air March 1 and he will make recurring appearances.
Biffle also said that “if the right opportunity arises I may return to the driver’s seat.” He said he had received offers to drive again, but decided not to drive this season.
After a great deal of consideration from all the offers I've received, I've decided not to participate full time in #NASCAR this season....
— Greg Biffle (@gbiffle) February 17, 2017
If the right opportunity arises I may return to the driver’s seat...
— Greg Biffle (@gbiffle) February 17, 2017
I’ve accepted a great opportunity @NBCSports as a reoccurring guest analyst on their show #NASCARAmerica, my first appearance is March 1
— Greg Biffle (@gbiffle) February 17, 2017
In November, Biffle parted ways with Roush Fenway Racing, for whom he had driven for 19 years. He has 19 career Cup victories, the most recent coming in 2013 at Michigan.
Biffle is the third top-tier NASCAR veteran to announce he won’t drive this season. Tony Stewart has retired and Carl Edwards announced Jan. 11 that he would no longer race.
New concussion protocol
NASCAR announced Friday it has added another layer to its concussion protocols, requiring drivers to take a Sports Concussion Assessment Test (SCAT-3) after crashes that might have resulted in head injuries.
The test will help determine whether an injured driver will be allowed to return to the track, with the diagnosis being made by a team of doctors. If the doctors determine the driver can’t return to the track, NASCAR officials will help enforce the decision.
NASCAR also announced that drivers whose cars go behind the pit wall or into the garage after being damaged by "accident or contact of any kind" will be required to go to the infield care center. Drivers have not been required to go the care center if they drove their cars to the garage.
NASCAR recently announced it is partnering with AMR to form a rotating group of doctors that will travel to all Cup races.
This is a positive step toward protecting our drivers. Good to see progress being made and implemented. Health and safety is top priority. https://t.co/ERu118eCO0
— Dale Earnhardt Jr. (@DaleJr) February 17, 2017
“Good to see progress being made and implemented. Health and safety is top priority,” driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. said on Twitter. Earnhardt missed 18 races last season with a concussion.
David Scott: 704-358-5889, @davidscott14
This story was originally published February 17, 2017 at 1:11 PM with the headline "NASCAR’s Greg Biffle says he won’t race this season."