ealth of leading returning scorer Elijah Brown, who skipp

BROOKLYN, Mich. -- Two drivers arrive at Michigan this week fresh off announcements of their Darlington paint schemes.During those events, the typical optimism reigned. There was at least the mention of one of these drivers winning the Labor Day weekend race. The Southern 500 remains one of the biggest events on the NASCAR calendar not only for prestige, but also because it sits as the next-to-last shot for drivers to win their way into the Chase for the Sprint Cup.The drivers spoke with at least some hope of winning and earning such a berth.Those drivers: Greg Biffle and Kasey Kahne.Yes, that Greg Biffle. The one who drives for Roush Fenway Racing and has led just 21 laps in three races in 2016 and has one top-5 this year. He does have 19 career wins, but sits 22nd in the points. Biffle enters the Pure Michigan 400 this weekend at Michigan International Speedway winless in his last 116 starts.Yes, that Kasey Kahne. The one who drives for Hendrick Motorsports and has led no laps this year. Zip. He has two top-5s and his consistent finishes between sixth and 20th (14 in 23 races this year) has him 17th in the points. Kahne, who has 17 career Cup wins, enters Michigan winless in his last 70 starts.Neither driver has had much fun the last couple years in trying to find speed to get back to Victory Lane. They hope their fortunes will turn this weekend.You can lead a lap easily, Kahne said. You dont even have to be fast to lead a lap, and we havent led a lap. ... Its terrible to not lead a lap in this series, as good a team as we have and a company we race for.We need to figure out a lot of things.Many drivers in their careers find themselves mired in a slump. Biffle, second in the 2005 championship standings and third in 2008, feels his team has started to turn things around.His three top-10s this year came in consecutive races at Daytona, Kentucky and New Hampshire in July.Were here to win, Biffle said. Kasey Kahne is in this sport to win. Were all in this sport to win. The commitment level of all those drivers, were here to win and not just race.The last couple of years [before 2016], I felt like our cars really werent capable of winning. ... Did I think that was my ability? Absolutely not.Biffle feels that way because during his years at Roush Fenway, he had seasons where he had more wins than Matt Kenseth and seasons where he had more wins than Carl Edwards. Those drivers now consistently win at Joe Gibbs Racing.I feel like I can win races, Biffle said. I know I can win races. Thats why Im still in the uniform. And I will tell you this: I will probably retire before I say I cant win races anymore.Biffle has one more year left in his deal at Roush Fenway. Kahne is signed through 2018 and has sponsorship backing him specifically from Great Clips. Kahne doesnt view Hendricks hiring of 18-year-old William Byron as a sign Hendrick is grooming his replacement.If I havent performed by 2018, its time to do something different, said Kahne, who finished fourth in the 2012 championship standings in his first year at Hendrick. Its just the way racing and life is.Kahne said it comes down to having the speed he needs to go fast. He hasnt had, in recent years, the feel in the cars he yearns to have.Its been going on for a long time on my front, Kahne said. Its just not where I want to be in the sport. ... You can look at it and tell were just about kind of as good as we are.Something needs to happen, whether the car gets changed or the setup gets changed -- things have to happen for us to be much better. Were working hard and were just 13th to 18th. Thats just where were at.The working hard is the cause of the frustration, Biffle said.Last year was just ... bad, Biffle said. What is the frustrating part about last year is everybody was working so dang hard. That happens.When you run bad, or you dont have fast cars, you work three times as hard and three times as much as other teams.Dealing with that frustration forces a driver to focus on whats ahead. He said a driver must enter Michigan this weekend believing he can win if everything goes right.Our team is capable of running between fifth and 15th right now, we feel like, Biffle said. We want to run more consistently in the top 5. Thats what produces wins.Biffles last back-to-back races in the top 5 came in June 2013; Kahnes came in November 2013.Because of NASCARs rules, drivers dont get to test except for Goodyear tests and the occasional NASCAR test, where one driver from each organization can get behind the wheel. Teams often rely on simulation programs to determine their next move on how to make the cars go fast.When you get behind and you cant test, its hard to get that feel back that youre looking for, Kahne said. When you dont have it, you cant go fast.Its different for everybody. Every driver drives different. Im missing out on something and I need it to go fast.While the drivers know they have three final chances to make the Chase by winning a race -- Michigan and Darlington are followed by the regular- season finale at Richmond -- they also know that making the Chase doesnt cure all ills.Biffle and Kahne both made the Chase in 2014, with winless Biffle finishing 14th in the standings and Kahne -- who had won in the next-to-last regular-season race at Atlanta -- at 15th. Last year, neither made the Chase, with Kahne 18th in the final points and Biffle 20th.Kahne said the biggest role he plays remains working as hard as he can and respecting the work his team puts in on a daily basis.Im more focused on just getting better week to week, Kahne said. Making the Chase would be great, but if you cant finish in the top 15, then whats it really matter in the Chase? Youre going to be out in the first round anyway. Air Max 2011 Sale . In the lead up - which seemed to begin the moment Mike Geiger blew the whistle in Houston last Thursday night - the Impact rumour mill went into overdrive. The speculation went into meltdown mode, of the golden nugget variety. Nike Metcon Sale . The Vancouver coach and an announced sellout crowd of 18,910 watched in dismay as the Canucks lost 7-4 to the New York Islanders on Monday night by squandering a 3-0 lead in the third period. https://www.wholesaleshoesforcheap.com/nike-flyknit-sale/ . -- Ryan Getzlaf grabbed the three pucks wrapped in tape and held them up to his chest in the Anaheim Ducks dressing room for a celebration nine seasons in the making. Adidas Shoes Sale . The visitors took a deserved lead in the 16th minute with midfielder Yohan Cabaye curling the ball beyond Adrian from inside the penalty area. Air Max 2002 Sale . PETERSBURG, Fla. ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Sam Logwood scored a career-high 20 points, and Tim Williams had 18 points and 11 rebounds to help New Mexico beat Idaho State 81-70 in Friday nights season-opener for both teams.Ethan Telfair had a triple-double for Idaho State. He finished with 25 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists to go along with six steals. Robert Jones added 13 points for the Bengals.It was a game that was chippy throughout, with officials stopping the game once in each half to determine the extent of physical play. Bengals starting guard Gary Chivichyan came flying off the bench during one first-half confrontation to earn an ejection. The teams received four technical fouls as well as a flagrant foul.Idaho State had 29 personal fouls. New Mexico finished with 20.I dont want my guys to back down and (Lobos coach Craig) Neal doesnt want his guys to back down, Idaho State coach Bill Evans said. We had two teams fighting, trying to win. I dont have a problem with that. Ive got a problem with the fact that we escalated it further.For Neal, the skirmishes didnt have an impact on the outcome.I like how my guys fight and they stand up for one another, Neal said. Theyre not going to back down from anybody.New Mexico fell behind 24-14 in the first half but pulled to 38-32 at the break. Longwoods layup gave New Mexico their first lead of the second half, 48-46, and the Lobos led the rest of the way.BIG PICTUREFinding a point guard was one question for New Mexico this season, but sophomore Jordan Hunter looked just fine in the role, finishing with six points and eight assists, includinng a couple of well-threaded helpers through traffic and two pinpoint fast break deliveries.ddddddddddddHe played well, Neal said of Hunter. I thought he was pretty good, but I thought the toughest part of his game was having to defend every possession with Telfair. I think that took a little bit out of him on his shooting.The Lobos other big question centered on the health of leading returning scorer Elijah Brown, who skipped both exhibition games as he dealt with a hamstring injury that has lingered since last season. He finished with 14 points and played 29 minutes.I think it hurt our team, Neal said of Brown missing the exhibitions. Im not saying it hurt our team where we got off to a poor start. I just think that continuity, playing together, trying to get back timing wise. I think it had an effect on the team.For the Bengals, Coney Island, New York native Telfair, who led the team in scoring last season with 20 points a game to earn Big Sky newcomer of the year, showed that last season was not a fluke. He made three 3-pointers and had nine defensive rebounds.KEY STATSWith 18 offensive boards, New Mexico had a 20-7 advantage on second-chance points.New Mexico has won 14 straight season openers.UP NEXTNew Mexicos 3-game, season-opening home stand continues Monday against Houston Baptist, a prelude to the Lobos first of two games against New Mexico State.Idaho State continues a 3-game, season-opening road trip at Utah Valley on Wednesday. ' ' '