Jeff Burton, speaking at a remembrance gathering in Charlotte to honor Greg Biffle and the victims of the December 18 plane crash, revisited a story from the legendary driver’s early NASCAR years that highlighted both his devotion to racing and the unforgiving mindset of the era in which he came up. It was a time when men were defined by toughness, and Biffle’s broken-arm episode served as a perfect example of that reality.
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Burton recounted how Biffle raced with a broken arm during his rookie Cup season, choosing silence over sympathy. Determined not to let the injury derail his career, Biffle asked his public relations representative, Patrick Rogers, to help conceal the situation. But then, what began as a personal decision soon turned into a coordinated effort, as his No. 16 Roush Racing team eventually joined in to keep the injury out of sight and off the radar.
“Greg broke his arm by climbing in the motor home, which just happened to be out at the sand dunes where there’s sand rails and thousand-horsepower cars and four-wheelers,” Burton explained. “But the story was, he broke it getting in the motor home. He had concocted a plan, and he needed Patrick to play along with this.
“He’s not going to tell anybody about his broken arm,” Burton added.
He also underlined the stakes involved for a rookie trying to survive in the Cup Series. “Because when you’re a rookie, you can’t go out and have fun and break your arm and show up at the racetrack. That’s a good way to lose your job. So Greg’s going to hide this from the entire world,” he said.
Jeff Burton’s full story of Greg Biffle secretly racing with a broken arm during his rookie season in Cup:
Biffle called his PR guy one night and told him that he broke his arm “climbing in the motorhome” (which just so happened to be out at the sand dunes – feel free to draw… https://t.co/kI6tDeYat3 pic.twitter.com/lNPzGGoluA
— Steven Taranto (@STaranto92) January 16, 2026
The timing only made matters harder. That week, the series was in Fontana, California, during the April 2003 season, when temperatures soared and heat settled over the track, turning the environment into a furnace.
Biffle, who typically arrived early to spend time with his team, altered his routine entirely. That week, he showed up as late as possible. When he climbed out of his car, he wore a winter coat in the middle of Fontana’s oppressive heat, with temperatures hovering around 118 degrees.
The coat, of course, was meant to hide the injury. Fearing he might get caught, Biffle delayed his arrival for practice, exited the car as soon as sessions ended, and disappeared. He even rented a motor home simply to have a place to stay out of sight throughout the week.
To keep the secret intact, Biffle stayed away from nearly everyone. Once his No. 16 Roush team realized what was happening, they closed ranks and helped protect the truth. Other drivers remained in the dark, as did the media. When the race finally unfolded, Biffle ran solidly until an early restart changed the complexion of the afternoon.
Driving with one arm, Biffle spun on the restart and lost multiple laps. Still, he stayed on track and finished one lap down in 18th place. Burton, racing without an injury, finished 19th. Seven races later, Biffle captured his first Cup Series victory at Daytona.
But the NASACR legend had a toughness tempered by empathy, often stepping in to help those in need. Last year, he assisted families affected by Hurricane Helene, using his plane to reach remote areas and deliver essential supplies to those stranded.
