Making an impression in the Cup Series can be quite a challenge, and that was the case even for veteran driver Greg Biffle. In over 13 years of racing in NASCAR’s premier series, he clinched many race wins and was arguably one of the best drivers on the track. His experience with teams proved essential to his development, but there was a time back in his rookie season when Biffle narrowly avoided losing his seat.

This was shortly after the 2003 Cup Series season kicked off. Now, one would imagine that, being his rookie season with the yellow stripe on his Roush Racing car, Biffle would be more disciplined and focused. But instead, he put himself in a situation where he was forced to drive with one hand.

When Greg Biffle outscored his experienced teammate with a broken arm

It’s April 2003. NASCAR has arrived in Fontana and is greeted by sunny California. The heat is scorching around the track, and teams are preparing for the race weekend. But Greg Biffle, who usually is one of the first to arrive at the track, is awfully late this time around. Moreover, he shows up in a winter coat, ignoring the heat. Something seems wrong, and as his then-teammate Jeff Burton revealed, Biffle had broken his arm prior to the race.

“One night, Patrick [Rogers, Biffle’s PR agent] was at home, innocently at home, and got a call from Greg. Greg’s broken his arm. And there’s a race coming up.”

This was quite a disaster. Biffle claimed that he broke his arm while climbing into the motorhome, which seemed rather odd. But that wasn’t important. There was a race coming up, and he had to make an impression on Jack Roush for the future. So, to hide the cast on his arm, Greg Biffle wore a winter coat and avoided any interactions.

“Greg shows up as late as possible, gets to the car, and he’s got a winter coat on. In Fontana, California, in the middle of the heat, it’s like 118 out there. He’s got a winter coat on because he’s hiding the cast. He’s got to hide it. So he shows up late to practice, practice is over, he gets out of the car, and leaves. He went so far as to rent a motorhome to have a place to hide throughout the week,” Burton added.

The race began like normal that weekend. Despite some crew members learning of the injury, Biffle took the flag but spun, triggering a caution. He lost places but still finished the race, practically driving with one arm. In fact, Biffle finished ahead of his seasoned teammate, Jeff Burton.

“Driving with one arm, he’s spun out. He lost a couple of laps but went on to complete the race. He finished one lap down in 18th. And with a bit of humidity. For me, I finished 19th without a broken arm.”

And there wasn’t a lot for him to be worried about, as just seven races later, Biffle clinched his maiden win as a rookie driver.

“Seven races later, Greg Biffle went on to win his first Cup race at Daytona. That’s Greg. We have a problem. We’re going to deal with it. We’re going to figure it out.”

Biffle had already proven himself as a competitive driver before getting the rookie seat with Roush. He raced for the team in the NOAP Series and won the title in 2002. This victory at Daytona sealed his fate with them. Biffle remained one of the most loved and respected drivers.

His untimely death shocked the entire NASCAR world, but he will never be forgotten. Jeff Burton shared this story at the memorial service that was held for him and his family, including those who lost their lives in the flight that crashed in December. Cleetus McFarland, his close friend, also shared emotional words for him.

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“Be like, Biff,” Biffle’s close friend shares an emotional message

On December 18, 2025, Greg Biffle and his family left their home in NC in his private jet to meet Garrett Mitchell, more popularly known by his YouTube username, Cleetus McFarland. They were supposed to spend the afternoon together. But tragedy struck as the jet attempted to land back at the airport, and it crashed down, killing everyone on board.

This was understandably a difficult moment for Mitchell, who was waiting for Biffle to arrive at his place with his family. He was the first to confirm on social media that the former NASCAR driver was on the plane.

Speaking at his memorial service earlier this week, he insisted that people should be more like ‘Biff,’ a nickname that was given to Biffle.

“We’ve been saying, ‘Be Like Biff,’ since we lost our hero, and what does that mean? That means taking opportunities when you see them. Whether you’re taking the opportunity to pass somebody on the track, getting off your couch, or chasing a dream you’ve only been talking about for the last five years, it means showing up for your friends and family. It means using your heart to make the world a better place. It means being generous whenever you can and helping other humans when they’re down. That is what it means to be like Biff, so spread the word,” he said.

Apart from being a competitive driver, Biffle was also known for his humanitarian work. He was a local hero in the community. For all the work he did and all the races he won, Biffle ensured that he would never be forgotten by his fans.