With Chris Buescher waiting, Greg Biffle's future at Roush up for speculation

Greg Biffle's future with Roush Fenway Racing is a subject of discussion ahead of Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Martinsville.

One element in play: Who might replace Biffle, a Roush driver since he entered Cup racing in 2002?

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There are no answers yet, nor should there be until the 2016 season is over. Sunday, Biffle starts 25th at Martinsville in the fastest Roush car.

Would Roush replace Biffle with Chris Buescher?

Buescher is in his first Cup season, a year after winning the Xfinity championship. He drives for Front Row Motorsports, a back-marker operation that uses Roush equipment. Front Row was a place to give Buescher experience with no Roush cars available. Buescher starts 29th at Martinsville.

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Few question Buescher's promise. But as to his success this season, there's one big point that skews arguments.

Buescher won a race and made the Chase. That victory, in the second Pocono race, came on fuel strategy. Buescher was on the track when NASCAR put the race under caution because of fog. When the race was stopped and ended, Buescher had a victory.

None of Roush's drivers (the others are Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Trevor Bayne) won a race this season. But that doesn't mean Buescher had better results.

Consider what Roush president Steve Newmark told USA Today in August about its plans for Buescher.

"I don't think that particular win monumentally changes the direction that we want to go with him. Our hope is to be in a position at some point to bring Chris back into Roush Fenway equipment at the Cup level. Right now we've got a great partnership with Front Row. I think they were excited that that possibility was available because we felt Chris was ready to get to the Cup level after his Xfinity championship last year and thought that would be really good experience. And it's proven to be that.

"We continue to have the same goals and everybody always wants to know the timing."

Timing could be a bigger factor than success. Biffle soon turns 47. His car loses a major sponsor when Cheez-Its withdraws at season's end, according to Sports Business Daily. He also lost a major sponsor after last year when Ortho decided not to return.

By the way, Buescher turned 24 on Saturday.

Remember, Biffle told media members after the Kansas Chase race:

"I want to be competitive in races and run in the top 10. That's my goal and my focus. If I'm not doing that, then I am probably going to do something different."

If Biffle wants a new challenge, media reports suggested he could get it — driving a second car for JTG Daugherty Racing. After 15 years in a Roush Ford, he would move to a Chevy for an organization allied with Richard Childress Racing if that happened.

It's not a done deal in any way. Tad Geschickter, co-owner of JTG Daugherty, called a second car a possibility. According to Motorsport.com, Geschickter said:

“We are weighing the pros and cons of starting a second team as we speak.”

For now a one-car operation, JTG Daugherty is getting a good season out of AJ Allmendinger.

Part of the equation could be whether the team can obtain a charter, and whether one would be available. Childress could be looking for one for Ty Dillon or a Childress ally could be in the market. Furniture Row Racing might pursue a purchase for its second car with Erik Jones driving. And Wood Brothers Racing likely will get one if NASCAR removes one from a low-performing team in accordance with its charter scheme.

Behind the headlines of victories and Chase championship performances, 2017 team alignment is an interesting footnote to follow.

Performance in 2016

It is by no means a comparison based on equal value, but here's a look at Greg Biffle's 2016 results ahead of Oct. 30's Martinsville race and those of Chris Buescher.