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Phoenix to mark Greg Biffle’s 500th consecutive Cup start

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Goody's Fast Relief 500 - Qualifying

MARTINSVILLE, VA - OCTOBER 28: Greg Biffle, driver of the #16 FordPass Ford, climbs into his car prior to qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Goody’s Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway on October 28, 2016 in Martinsville, Virginia. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)

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Greg Biffle will join an elite group when he takes the green flag Sunday in the Can-Am 500 at Phoenix International Raceway.

The 500 club.

With a start at Phoenix, Biffle will have made 500 consecutive Sprint Cup Series starts. In doing so, he will join active drivers Jimmie Johnson (539), Ryan Newman (539), Kevin Harvick (531), and Jamie McMurray (506). Biffle began his streak with a 13th-place finish in the Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the spring of 2003.

The Roush Fenway Racing veteran will become just the 17th driver in NASCAR history to reach 500 consecutive starts. Jeff Gordon is the all-time leader with 797 consecutive starts. His streak ended after he retired from full-time competition in November 2015.

“I was really excited about making my 500th start at Richmond, and it’s pretty amazing to be reaching 500 in a row this weekend at Phoenix,” Biffle said in a team release. “There are a lot of great memories over the 500 starts, but one of my favorites was winning on Father’s Day in Michigan with my daughter there to celebrate with me. So far this season we don’t have the results that we would have liked, but hopefully we can finish up these final two races on a high note.”

Other drivers who have made and eclipsed 500 consecutive starts include Ricky Rudd (788), Bobby Labonte (704), Rusty Wallace (697), Terry Labonte (655), Dale Earnhardt (648), and Richard Petty (513).

In his 500 consecutive starts, all of which have come with Roush Fenway, Biffle has earned 19 wins and 175 top-10 finishes. He finished a career-best second in points in 2005.

A former Truck and Xfinity Series champion, Biffle made his Sprint Cup Series debut in the 2002 NAPA Auto Parts 500 at Auto Club Speedway.

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