PHOENIX, Oct. 27 (UPI) -- NASCAR Busch series rookie Greg Biffle won Saturday's Outback Steakhouse 200 to complete two perfect days at Phoenix International Raceway.
On Friday, Biffle also took the checkered flag at the Craftsman Truck series Chevy Silverado 150 at the one-mile track for his second victory in only four starts this season. It was the 16th NCTS win for the leading rookie in the Busch series, who last year won the truck series title.
Biffle's Busch race was impressive, considering on lap 69 he fell a lap down to 37th place because of a right front flat tire. The change in the pit stop cost him 18 seconds of lost track time.
Once making up the lap, Biffle led 111 laps in his Ford Taurus and scored his series high-tying fifth victory of the year. Series points leader Kevin Harvick also has five wins.
"It was pretty strong all day," Biffle said. "There were a few cars better than us. We had really good track position and great pit stops. It's too bad we got that flat tire and got a lap down. We were able to come back and make it up. We dug really hard. I was really worried about the cut tire because it was tearing the right front fender off. So I slowed down so it wouldn't tear it up because aerodynamics is really important here.
"I love this Phoenix area. I just wish we could race tomorrow."
Harvick finished third in a Chevrolet Monte Carlo behind the Ford of Jeff Green, who trails Harvick by 198 points with two races remaining.
"It was a good day for us," Harvick said. "Greg Biffle had a good car all day and we had the play the track position game. We're going for a championship and not trying to make any big mistakes. The guys did a heck of a job today."
Harvick needs to finish 25th or better in the last two events at North Carolina Speedway and Homestead-Miami Speedway to win the championship.
The race was red-flagged with seven laps left after Geoffrey Bodine made contact with Scott Wimmer while racing for ninth place. Bodine spun and crashed into the wall, leaving debris on the track. All cars were halted on the backstretch.
On the restart on lap 198, Biffle hit the gas pedal and drove away from Green. Behind them, Matt Kenseth was side by side with Todd Bodine for fifth as the two traded paint.
Kenseth was high, bounced off the wall and hit head-on but was not injured. He led 25 laps but ended up 20th.
Bodine went on to finish fifth behind Ron Hornaday. The final lap was completed under caution.
