The results on the track so far this NASCAR season have not been great for Greg Biffle, the driver of the No. 16 3M Ford Fusion, yet he and his fans have plenty of reasons to smile with the upcoming Sprint Cup Series Quicken Loans 400 slated for Father’s Day.
The results on the track so far this NASCAR season have not been great for Greg Biffle, the driver of the No. 16 3M Ford Fusion, yet he and his fans have plenty of reasons to smile with the upcoming Sprint Cup Series Quicken Loans 400 slated for Father’s Day.
Not only has the Michigan International Speedway track been kind to Biffle in the past, but the driver will be running a special paint scheme for Give Kids a Smile June 15-16.
The veteran driver won at Michigan International Speedway in 2004, 2005 and in 2012, so he’s hoping to regain some of his winning form this time around, while also playing a key role in helping 3M ESPE and the American Dental Association provide free dental care and oral health education to children in need.
“We’re really looking forward to Michigan. That’s always been a good track for us, and we’re looking to win another one – a fourth one,” Biffle said this week during a media teleconference.
The Michigan race is one of 11 NASCAR events that include Give Kids a Smile programs in 2013, featuring fun family activities and education about healthy dental habits. Biffle’s car will showcase the Give Kids A Smile logos to help drive home the importance of good dental health.
“It’s a fun program to be involved with,” said Biffle, who finished 15th last weekend at Dover International Speedway. “I’ve been involved with a lot of great programs from National Guard, to Red Cross to Give Kids a Smile. It’s always fun working with all the great people that are around it.”
He’s proud that the program - also supported by Henry Schein, Care Credit and Oral Health America - helps inform people of the importance of proper oral health.
“Good dental health goes so under the radar,” he said. “It’s so not in the forefront of people’s minds. This is a great opportunity to have it on the racecar. Lots of our fans are kids. For moms and dads and kids to see this awareness for the Give Kids a Smile program and to all the underprivileged kids to get an opportunity to get a screening at the racetrack, it’s a great program.”
Last season the Roush Fenway driver had 21 top-10 finishes in 36 races while finishing fifth in the Cup standings. This year, with the new Gen-6 car, the results have not been as consistent with four top-10 finishes in 11 races.
But the Michigan track is one of NASCAR’s bigger and fastest tracks and Biffle and his team has fared well on the track.
“They’ve been a strong suit for our company, these big race tracks. We won there last year and we’d certainly like to repeat,” said Biffle, who had a win as well as a fourth-place showing in Michigan in 2012.
“We feel really, really confident that this is going to be a good weekend. We just have got to qualify well and keep our car running up front the whole race, (have) good pit stops. There are lots of things that go into this. This new car is kind of throwing us a curveball. We’re looking forward to Michigan and a good opportunity to maybe learn some things that we’re missing at other tracks and build on that.”
Regardless of the outcome during the Quicken Loans 400, Biffle knows the weekend will be a great one because of the Give Kids a Smile program. He said he’s fortunate to have the opportunity to work with companies like 3M that do more than just provide great products.
“It really all boils down to a company, and that company being 3M,” he said. “They are a very sound fundamental company with great values. They care about the products and the things that they make. They make a huge amount of medical and dental supplies, which a lot of people don’t know about.”
Biffle knows how valuable the paint schemes are to companies during big NASCAR dates and appreciates 3M’s commitment to programs like Give Kids a Smile.
“They sacrifice a lot to try and promote good things. They’re giving up their paint scheme to put the Give Kids a Smile scheme on the car to drive home the importance of good dental health,” he said.
“That’s just great company values. They do the same thing with the American Red Cross. It’s great to be associated with companies like that.”
A father himself, he knows the importance of teaching children good habits. “I have a child that’s almost 2. It brings awareness to let kids know how important dental health is and to get the word out and let moms and dads know also. It’s fun to be associated with and it’s fun to have it on the car for the Michigan race.”
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