|
 With just two races remaining, Kahne (37 points behind) and Biffle
(83) are too far below the points cutoff line to get into NASCAR's
playoffs without a victory.
The two veteran drivers will get the first of their final two
chances to take a checkered flag Sunday in the Bojangles' Southern
500 at Darlington Raceway (7 p.m. ET on NBC).
Kahne is no stranger to the pressure of his current "win or go home"
situation. Winless heading into Atlanta on Labor Day weekend last
season, he piloted his car to Victory Lane in a last-ditch effort to
secure a spot in the Chase.
Kahne has never won at Darlington but does lead active drivers there
with four poles and ranks fourth in laps led in the past 10 races at
the South Carolina track (327).
"It would mean a ton to win the Southern 500," Kahne said. "It's
always been one of the races that I've wanted to win. We've come
close but haven't been able to do it, so to do it in this car that
time of the year right before the Chase would be a perfect time."
Biffle has struggled this season, with just two top-five and three
top-10 finishes in 24 starts, but he has been successful at
Darlington throughout his career. The Roush Fenway Racing driver
boasts two wins at the track "Too Tough to Tame" and leads all
drivers in laps led there over the last 10 races (637).
"Darlington is a fun place. It's one of the toughest places that we
race," Biffle said of the 1.366-mile egg-shaped oval. "Driving into
the corner at 190-plus mph and sliding up about three or four inches
from the fence, or at least you hope that's where it stops sliding,
and riding the fence all the way around. It's a demanding, tough,
fast race track and I look forward to going back there with the new
package and tires. I'm pretty excited about it."
ELLIOTT EYES REPEAT WIN AT DARLINGTON
Egg-shaped with long straightaways and short, quick turns,
Darlington Raceway eats up and spits out even the most experienced
drivers.
No one told Chase Elliott that last year.
The then 18-year-old driver made a mad dash from sixth with two laps
remaining to visit Victory Lane in his first start at the track "Too
Tough To Tame." That day, Elliott defeated NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
stalwarts Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch and Joey Logano.
"Darlington is a special place for me and my family, and last season
was an unbelievable feeling," said Elliott, whose father, Bill
Elliott, won five times at Darlington in his Hall of Fame career.
"Words cannot describe what it meant to me."
Elliott will get the chance to defend last season's Darlington win
on national television Saturday in the VFW Sports Clips Help a Hero
200 (3:30 p.m. ET on NBC). In the process, he will also attempt to
close the 16-point gap that separates him from leader Chris Buescher
in the NASCAR XFINITY Series standings as he tries to earn his
second straight series championship.
Championship points and wins aren't the only items on the line for
Elliott. If he finishes higher than Daniel Suarez, Ty Dillon and
Brian Scott, he'll win an extra $100,000 as part of the NASCAR
XFINITY Series Dash 4 Cash program. The No. 9 JR Motorsports driver
has shown good form down the summer stretch with top-10 finishes in
his last seven starts.
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"I want to make the most of the opportunity this weekend and try and
continue to gain in the championship point column," Elliott said.
"It's definitely cool going for $100,000 too in the (NASCAR) XFINITY
(Series) Dash 4 Cash program."
NASCAR RACE WEEKEND GUIDE
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Race: Bojangles' Southern 500
Track: Darlington Raceway
Date and Time: Sunday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m. ET
On the Air: NBC, MRN, SiriusXM Ch. 90
Distance: 501.3 miles (367 laps)
What to Watch For: Jeff Gordon, NASCAR's active wins leader at
Darlington with seven victories, will make his final start at the
South Carolina track. ... 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion
Kevin Harvick tries to defend his 2014 victory at Darlington. ...
Chase Elliott makes his fifth and final NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
start of 2015 as he prepares to take over for Jeff Gordon in the No.
24 car next year. ... Winless drivers have only two more chances to
visit Victory Lane to earn an automatic berth in the Chase for the
NASCAR Sprint Cup. ... Drivers will sport retro paint schemes on
their cars as part of Darlington's "throwback" weekend.
NASCAR XFINITY Series
Race: VFW Sports Clips Help a Hero 200
Track: Darlington Raceway
Date and Time: Saturday, Sept. 5 at 3:30 p.m. ET
On the Air: NBC, MRN, SiriusXM Ch. 90
Distance: 200.8 miles (147 laps)
What to Watch For: Ty Dillon, Brian Scott, Chase Elliott and Daniel
Suarez will compete for the $100,000 bonus in the final round of the
NASCAR XFINITY Series Dash 4 Cash. ... Chase Elliott tries to defend
his 2014 Darlington win. ... Chris Buescher (standings leader),
Chase Elliott (16 points behind) and Ty Dillon (19) continue their
race to the NASCAR XFINITY Series championship.
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