NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series
Photos and story © 2005 Dwight Drum
Web work by Gary Larsen

Ford Racing Focus

Time: Season finale 2005
Place: Jeff Conine's restaurant
Event: Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway

Greg Biffle and Jeff Conine

When the Ford Championship Weekend revs up at Homestead-Miami Speedway for the NASCAR finale the energy seems to spread to the entire Miami area and beyond. Early in the week events like Greg Biffle joining baseball's Jeff Conine at his major league restaurant for promotional moments in Ft. Lauderdale and the Ford Fan Fest at Las Olas Riverfront gave fans an extra chance to be close to sports standouts.

Zoomster.com arrived early in that big week to bring to those who can't attend an up-close moment to enjoy via images and words.

Dwight asked Greg Biffle:

"Some moments of my career - you know probably the one thing, the biggest lesson I've learned and really went back and thought about and analyzed over and over was I lost a championship by eight points in 1999. I've got a positive attitude about it and wondered why things happen the way they do. I really kind of sat back and thought about that. I made it into a positive and learned from it. I've won two championships since then and I'm right in the hunt this year the whole way. I think that's one thing that really helped me."

"Win a NEXTEL Cup title. That's all I care about. I care about winning races, but I want to win a NEXTEL Cup title bad. That's really my focus. Winning the NEXTEL Cup title. That's my goal. That's what I need to overcome."

"You know I think I have a pretty laid-back personality. It's hard to explain yourself. I'm easy-going. I kind of like doing stuff that I like to do when I like to do it. I like the freedom of that. I've got a lot of that freedom a lot of times. I love doing stuff outdoors and I'm always on the go. I like riding motorcycles. I live on a lake and enjoy boating. I like working on cars. "

"I think it changes my new lead, but I always think about late model racing, street stock racing where I grew up and where I came from. The things I have now always keeps me pretty level headed. I'm very thankful for all the things that I have and get to have and use, one being my airplane, lots of things. That keeps me really focused and level headed about everything I do and how I conduct myself in business and everything. I've got it all because of the way I used to be and that's the way I want to continue to be is that way. "

"I don't know. It's kind of funny. I'm competitive about everything I do. It's not like I have to win at everything I do, but I enjoy the competition whether it's bowling, school stuff or doing whatever. I've always been a real competitive person and I enjoy that."

"You know I have a lot of strategies. I put a lot of thought into each race. I analyze what I need to do, what I need to do to win. What I need to do to work on the race car, how different scenarios can play out. I really put a lot of thought on how a race unfolds - what can happen. There is lot of strategy involved. "

"Not really. I'm excited to be in Florida and can't wait to go fishing tomorrow on a boat. That's about it."

Jeff Conine visited his restaurant to host a visit from Gregg Biffle for local fans and was gracious to answer a few questions.

Dwight asked Jeff Conine:

"Absolutely. Actually I did the Richard Petty Driving Experience a couple of years ago. I have a lot more respect for what these guys for what they do after doing that. I mean I'm on the track for 30 laps basically following an instructor and they've got 40 guys on the track going a lot faster than I was. The concentration and the skills they have to have is impressive."

"I had fun doing it, a lot of fun doing it. It's a rush to be out there and do what those guys do. I don't know if a celebrity thing comes after I'm done playing, I might dabble."

"Really! I'd like to get them in a batting cage. But NASCAR drivers are definitely athletes. There's no question about that."