Biffle shows moxie

Busch, Junior struggle in Chase

LOUDON, N.H. -- The winner of the Chase for the championship will need fast cars, flawless pit stops and solid strategy. He'll also need a strong dose of mental toughness.

Based on Sunday's opening round of the 10-race sprint to the title, Greg Biffle has the confidence to make a run at the championship. Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr.? Well, those two title favorites have a lot to prove.

Biffle, a long shot to claim his first Sprint Cup title, left New Hampshire International Speedway with a surprise victory. His bravado seeped through his words, particularly when he described the winning move on two-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson.

"I don't want to brag," he said, "but it was a textbook pass."

Seeded ninth in the standings and riding a 33-race winless streak one week ago, "The Biff" heads to Round 2 of the Chase ranked third in the points and certain he'll be a player in how this title is decided.

It's not so clear, anymore, whether Busch or Earnhardt can climb back into the mix. And it has nothing to do with their cars and everything to do with their mental state.

Busch had a rough first Chase race, starting from the pole but sinking quickly to the back of the field when a bolt broke on his sway bar. It was all Busch could do to keep his car off the wall as he struggled to make it to a Lap 35 competition caution that gave his team a chance to diagnose the problem.

Repairs and a procedural penalty dropped Busch two laps off the pace, and a later accident ensured a long, miserable day for the regular-season points leader. He finished a mortifying 34th.

Busch is now eighth in the standings and trails co-leaders Johnson and Carl Edwards by a head-banging 74 points.

"It's unbelievable how fast you can fall," Biffle said.

His former boss thinks Busch will bounce back.

"Kyle is mature enough to handle it," Rick Hendrick said.

Hendrick knows a thing or two about driver psyche, particularly after counseling Earnhardt through portions of Sunday's race.

Earnhardt drove to the front about midway through and seemed set to contend. But when a bad set of tires cost him track position, Earnhardt appeared to unravel on his radio. Hendrick quickly took the mike to settle his driver.

"You got a bad set of tires. It happens," Hendrick said. "You can do this. Talk to everybody about what the car is doing. We can make the right adjustments."

An irritated Earnhardt wasn't convinced.

"Take it out on those guys in front of you," Hendrick advised.

Earnhardt wound up in fifth place, leaving him tied for fourth in the standings, 50 points behind the leaders.

"Once I'm on the ledge, it's hard to get me off of it," Earnhardt said.