It's Official: Kasey Kahne at Red Bull Racing

Kasey Kahne adressed the media in a press conference Friday morning at Martinsville Speedway. He and Jay Frye, Vice President of Red Bull Racing cleared the air about the Richard Petty Motorsports/ Kasey Kahne split.

Kahne confirmed that he was paid up to date by RPM and that his release from them was mutual. Discussion of this began Monday. Also, "Easy" Kenny Francis will remain with the nine car at RPM for the last five races of the 2010 season.

Then began the discussion about the move to Red Bull, "I've been doing the same thing for six and a half years, so everything's different. A big change for me.

"The excitement at Red Bull now... it's nice to be a part of it.

"I've been looking forward to next year for quite some time now. This just gives us a head start on next year." Kasey said.

Indeed, Red Bull is excited to have Kahne, too. Vice President Jay Frye expressed this when he said, "His DNA is a race car driver. We couldn't be more excited ro have him for the final five races and 2011.

"... We want to win races, make the Chase, and win the championship."

Kasey then continued to talk about those who questioned his commitment: "Anyone who questions my commitment doesn't know my love of racing."

"It's about me moving on, and starting with the next year. I'm glad we've done it." he said of the split.

"People can talk. They can say what they want, but I'm definately not a quitter. I've done a lot for that company for a long time." Kahne spent his first six and a half years within the organization. If he hadn't been doing something right, they would have gotten rid of him long ago.

Kasey is disappointed about leaving Budweiser early, but will finish out his appearences for 2010. We still do not have word if Budweiser will continue to sponsor Kasey Kahne Racing driver Joey Saldana.

Next year? Kasey is happy that they will be prepared and has time to get to know the company. He is hoping to win races for Red Bull.

As for Red Bull, Jay Frye says that they are still monitoring Brian Vickers' health and Scott Speed's performance. They also are dealing with the fact that they have three crew chiefs (Kenny Francis signed on to be with Kasey for 2011) and only two cars.

"This went down a lot different than anybody expected, especially myself."

We did not expect this either, Kasey.

Side note: During practice in the 83, Kasey said, "Everything feels good. Forward bite is good. Brakes feel really good!"

Thank you so much to Skirts and Scuffs for giving me this opportunity and for following this coverage all week!

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Kasey Kahne Released from Richard Petty Motorsports

A little before ten o'clock on Wednesday at night, a press release dropped that surprised some and did not surprise others. Indeed, Richard Petty Motorsports released Kasey Kahne from driving the number nine Budweiser Ford Fusion for the remaining five races of the season.

The beginnings of this came last Saturday during the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway when Kahne's braking system seemed to fail (later it was found as a braking fluid issue). The handling of the car was frustrating to Kasey and the nine team, who had been at the top of the board in the final two practices. Kahne and his team began that race with high hopes, which came crashing down when Kasey's car spun in turn four. After limping the ill-handling car to the garage, Kahne got out of his car; he had not felt well before the race.

This is where it all went downhill. An unidentified Richard Petty Motorsports member told Kahne "to start doing his part." Kahne left and never returned to the number nine. JJ Yeley completed the race for him.

The next day, Kasey ran his 5 Kahne to raise money for his Kasey Kahne Foundation. After running in that race, he adressed the media, saying, "I can't control that as a driver. I'm doing my part; I just need the car. I work as hard as anybody out there."

When given the possibility about switching to Red Bull Racing (where he is headed for the 2011 season) early, Kahne thought for a moment and replied with "I don't think so. I doubt it."

Monday morning, Robbie Loomis, Vice President of Competition at Richard Petty Motorsports, adressed the media. He accused the Budweiser driver of not being able to handle adversity and because of that, he was not championship material. Whether Kahne heard this or not, we will never know.

Kahne is headed to Hendrick Motorsports in 2012 after a year at Red Bull Racing. Sure, he is anticipating better equipment and a better season. Can you blame a man for that after the season that he has had? He is winless with three poles and a handful of top-tens. But, he is the only one who has dealt with this braking system.

So, when the press release dropped, it was official; Kasey Kahne is done driving the nine Budweiser For Fusion for RPM. His plans? Red Bull Racing has signed him on to finish out the season in Brian Vickers' 83. Originally, Aric Amirola was to drive the 83, but will now drive the nine for RPM.

It seems as though this mess is over. Or we could only hope, at least.

Photo credit: www.Kaseykahne.com

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"... how can you quit on people if they've already quit on you?"

Richard Petty Motorsports Vice President of Competition Robbie Loomis addressed the happenings between an unidentified member of RPM and Kasey Kahne at Charlotte this weekend on Monday.

He started by trying to say that everyone is putting out 100 percent when everything is going well. However, he goes on to say, "It’s those times when you have bad times, it’s hard to fight through those bad times because you know there’s going to be something different you’re doing next year. Probably the hardest part is to keep your focus and attention on it." Paul Menard, Elliott Sadler and Kasey Kahne are all leaving RPM at the end of the season to pursue better offers. Menard is headed to Childress, Sadler is headed to drive for the Camping World Truck Series or the Nationwide Series for KHI, and Kahne is headed to drive for Red Bull Racing - a yearlong hop before heading to Hendrick Motorsports in 2012.

Kasey Kahne has not had the best of seasons. It has been up and down - one race he will come in second, the next he gets caught in a crash and ends up 33rd with a DNF. After making the Chase last year, sitting 21st in points is not what Kasey had imagined for himself this year. He planned to finish strong at RPM. However, some people within the RPM organization do not believe that Kahne is trying his hardest.

"When you know that [you’re leaving and it’s] in the back of your mind, it gets harder and harder when you’re having adversity to fight through it," Loomis said. "The real champions in life learn how to fight through those things even on the bad days. It’s all part of a growing process for us all."

Loomis suggests that Kasey Kahne is not championship material. If Kahne was not championship material, then why is Hendrick hiring him? Hendrick is made up of Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt Jr. In my eyes, all four men are legends within the history of this sport. After 2011, Kahne is headed to the No. 5. There, he will drive with these legends.

"When he gets over there [at Hendrick], with being around Jeff [Gordon] and Jimmie [Johnson], he’ll get to learn a lot through them and how they deal and fight with adversity, too. It was disheartening for all of us. We felt so good going into the race."

Again, Loomis suggests that Kasey does not know how to deal with adversity. If he did not know how to deal with the races that he does not do well, would he still have a ride? I think not.

Robbie Loomis changes the subject after that to say how excited the RPM team is to see A.J. Allmendinger and Paul Menard doing well. But, what about Kasey? What about the equipment problems that he has dealt with all year?

"There are about 12 guys around the car, including guys with AP [brakes], all trying to look at the master cylinders and all that," Loomis said. "Sometimes, you just, I don’t know, it seems like it’s been one of those years. We’ve just had a lot of the troubles fall on him and that car."

But out of the eight cars fielded by RPM and Roush Fenway Racing combined, Kasey is the only driver to have this brake problem. It is unacceptable to think that one out of eight Fords on the track is having this problem and it has not been looked into by anyone other than Kasey and Kenny Francis, his crew chief. RPM should be looking into this and use this information for the future. What if next year A.J. Allmendinger is driving at Charlotte and the brakes fail because of the brake fluid? What would happen then?

Jeff Gluck of sbnation.com made a very good point in his article titled "Aftermath, Charlotte II: Is Kasey Kahne A Quitter?" and that is this: "... how can you quit on people if they've already quit on you?"

The views expressed in this post are those of the author and not necessarily those of the site or its administrators.

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Kasey Kahne and the Frustration of the 2010 Season

After taking part in his charity 5Kahne, Kasey Kahne addressed the media about not finishing the race Saturday night at Charlotte.

Kasey's brakes had failed around Lap 40. His season full of frustration had not helped, either. This is the third brake issue from an RPM car this year, the second in three weeks. When he was involved in a crash later in the race, Kahne took the car into the garage, got out, and never looked back.

"I was just mad," he said. "I came into the race thinking we had a shot to win. We had a good car in practice. It went green, and I was still a little bit tight, but I passed cars and felt really good and then – boom – my brakes are gone."

Indeed, the nine team had a shot at winning this race. They were first in the second practice and fourth in the final practice. Kasey has an average finish of 11.6 at Charlotte - the best out of the non-chasers.

He said it was a joke that he goes to press the brake, it goes all the way to the floor, and doesn't work. I agree. A failure in brakes in a Sprint Cup car should not happen. It is ridiculous to look back and see that Kasey has had this problem three times this year.

Between Roush-Fenway, who also runs Ford Fusions, and Richard Petty Motorsports, Kahne is the only one who has had this problem.


"And that's a good point, but I've never had any issues in my past six years, and if you look at brakes after race, my brake pads are better (less worn) than any one of the other seven or the same as the best ones who don't use much brake. I don't use much brake. So it's just a mess, really."

When Kasey got out of his car after the crash, an unidentified member of Richard Petty Motorsports accused him of not doing his part. Kasey was mad as would be any sane person. Even I as a fan was outraged. How could a person say such a thing to a man that works his hardest day in and day out?

Kasey made a good point saying, "I can't control that as a driver. I'm doing my part; I just need the car. I work as hard as anybody out there."

On top of all that, Kasey was sick, despite anything that anyone said about him using that as an excuse.

Kasey and Kenny Francis, his crew chief, are headed to Red Bull Racing for 2011, before Kahne heads to Hendrick Motorsports in 2012. For this team, the end of the season could not come fast enough.

Think good thoughts for the nine team as they finish out their 2010 season. They tried their hardest and just have not had the luck or equipment.

The views expressed in this post are those of the author and not necessarily those of the site or its administrators.

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""Atta Boy!"

"'Atta Boy!"

That is what I yelled when I was watching qualifying yesterday and Kasey passed the finish line and qualified for the pole. His time of 30.920 completely dominated the qualifying results.
It is so nice to see Kahne, a non-chaser that has clearly had horrible luck all season long, qualify for a pole over all the Chase guys. Even better, his teammate, Paul Menard, is starting right up front with him! I'm sure RPM did not see this coming, because I didn't. An interesting fact, Elliott Sadler, who is also leaving RPM at the end of the season, qualified 15th. Meanwhile, A.J. Allmendinger qualified 30th.

I'm looking forward to next season to see how Kasey performs under a new team. He is a great driver with a great potential to win a lot of races or, even better, a championship. I have a good feeling that Kasey will show all the doubters what he is made of next year at Red Bull Racing and then the year after at Hendrick Motorsports. Especially at Hendrick. With Jimmie Johnson, a driver who has dominated the Sprint Cup series, Dale Earnhardt Jr., the most popular driver, and Jeff Gordon, a driver that came from a background like Kasey's and is a great driver, Hendrick can do no wrong by adding Kasey to the roster.

I do not pay attention to the results coming from Hendrick this year. It doesn't matter to me where they finish. The drivers are not the same. If I were to compare Mark Martin to Kasey, I wouldn't be saying the same things about them. Mark is a well seasoned veteran and is a great driver, while Kasey is in his seventh seson in the Sprint Cup series. They come from different backgrounds, they have different crew chiefs. The list is endless.

All in all, Kasey is not giving up and I felt that his pole-winning was an excuse to write about him. Keep your eyes on Kasey Kahne, he's already gearing up for the 2011 season!

The views expressed in this post are those of the author and not necessarily those of the site or its administrators.

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Kahne and Paschal to added to Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame

The fans have spoken... and Kasey Kahne and Jim Paschal will be the next drivers enshrined to the Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame on Saturday, Oct. 30. 

The Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame in downtown Talladega is both a focal point saluting NASCAR’s greatest names and a tribute to one of racing’s brightest stars – the late Davey Allison. Developed in 1994, the Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame has inducted one active driver and up to two inactive drivers since 1995 based on the fans’ vote chosen from a ballot of nominees selected by strict guidelines.

This year’s active driver nominee, Kasey Kahne, has thrived in the NASCAR ranks, but his early career began in open-wheel cars.  Hailing from Enumclaw, Wash., Kahne tore through the open-wheel world earning a 2000 USAC Midget Series championship and National Midget Driver of the Year honors.  His success caught the attention of owners in NASCAR and in 2002 he made his rookie campaign in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.  In 2004 he raced his first full season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, earning the Raybestos Rookie of the Year title and finished 13th in the driver point standings.  His most successful season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series came in 2006 when he won six races and six pole awards to finish eighth in the final season standings. Now in his seventh year at the Sprint Cup level campaigning for Richard Petty Motorsports, Kahne has amassed 11 career wins and 18 career pole awards.


Inactive driver nominee, James Roy Paschal, Jr. known to fans as Jim Paschal, was a driver during NASCAR’s formative years. Originally from Highpoint, North Carolina, Paschal competed in his first race at the Charlotte Fairgrounds on June 19, 1949. He won 25 races and 12 poles during his 23-year career.  He won the World 600 twice, now known as the Coca Cola 600, in 1964 and 1967.

His remaining wins came on short tracks, less than a mile and a half in length. He competed in his last race in 1972, shortly after; Paschal was inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame. Paschal passed away in 2004 at the age of 77.

Past active driver inductees have included Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Ernie Irvan, Dale Jarrett, Bill Elliott, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Bobby Hamilton, Ricky Rudd, Mark Martin, Kyle Petty, Darrell Waltrip, Kevin Harvick,  Matt Kenseth, Bobby Labonte and Morgan Shepherd. Richard Petty and Benny Parsons were the first inactive drivers to be inducted, later joined by Alan Kulwicki, Cale Yarborough, Ned Jarrett, Buddy Baker, David Pearson, Junior Johnson, Harry Gant, Lee Petty, Tim Flock, Fireball Roberts, Buck Baker, Joe Weatherly, Red Byron, Bobby Isaac, Fred Lorenzen, Fonty Flock, Herb Thomas, Terry Labonte, Rex White and Jack Smith.

The first inductees – “ Alabama Gang” drivers Bobby Allison, Donnie Allison, Red Farmer and Neil Bonnett – were inducted by decree of the board.

In the park, Davey Allison is remembered with a large marble monument, while drivers inducted into the Talladega-Texaco Walk of Fame have bronze plaques placed around the park, accessible by walkways that form the shape of Talladega Superspeedway. For additional information, visitwww.talladegawalk.com.

Will more NASCAR history be made when NASCAR returns to Talladega Superspeedway for the AMP Energy 500 weekend? Race fans will have to be here to find out.   NASCAR action returns with the Mountain Dew 250 fueled by Fred’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race and Race Number Seven in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, the AMP Energy 500, Oct. 29 - 31.  To experience it all, call 1-877-Go2-DEGA or visit www.talladegasuperspeedway.com.

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Kasey Kahne Unlucky Again

Kasey Kahne was running strong last night in the Emory Healthcare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He led a few laps, even. However, he was bumped from behind and sent down into the grass, causing a rear tire to go down and completely ruining his chance at winning the race.

This season hasn't been a great one for Kasey. He's been back in the late teens in points with no wins, except for the Gatorade Duel back in February. His average start has been 12.4, not horrible, and his average finish has been 17.7. That is pretty good, but not quite good enough to put him into the Chase this season.

Last night left him 18th in standings, too far away to put him in that 12th spot. Had that tire not gone down, he could have hopped into that 13th or 14th spot, putting him in good position for the spot they are all after. But, the tire went down and now he's a sitting duck in the late teens.

I do not believe, however, that it's Kasey's fault that he is back there. One thing that has always made me livid about his luck is the fact that RPM is not giving him the equipment he needs to contend for the chase. Kasey is a great driver with great potential. The cars that RPM is giving him are not what he needs. You can see Elliott Sadler, another driver with 69 career top 10s, is almost always shown out or a lap down. The cars that RPM is giving out are not cars that can contend with the cars from teams such as Joe Gibbs Racing, Hendrick Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing.

But, if you look at where Kasey is headed, you will see that he is headed in the right direction. A year at Red Bull Racing will give him a year to really focus on his racing and then he will head to Hendrick, arguably the best team that one could move to. Hendrick may not have the best cars this year, but with drivers such as Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon, you can bet that Kasey will fit right in.

In conclusion, I believe that Hendrick will be strong in 2012 and I also would like to say that RPM is doing the right thing by going down to two cars. They can focus on two cars every week instead of four. That might be key to more Richard Petty victories!

"The opinions expressed in this post are solely of the author."

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Kahne on pole for Great Clips 300

Kasey Kahne won the pole for Saturday's Great Clips 300 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, his first Nationwide Series pole since Richmond in May 2008.

This is Kahne's first pole at Atlanta and his eighth in 163 Nationwide starts.

Kahne's lap of 181.479 mph in the No. 38 Great Clips Toyota was enough to beat Kyle Busch for the top starting spot in Saturday's qualifying session.

Busch will start on the outside of the front row. The reigning series champion has 10 wins this season and is looking to make history tonight by claiming his 11th, which would break the record for most wins in a single season by a driver in the series.

Rounding out the top five are Reed Sorenson, Ryan Newman and Carl Edwards. Points leader Brad Keselowski will start 15th.

Nine of the top 10 starting positions are commanded by Sprint Cup regulars. The lone exception is Josh Wise, who will roll out sixth.

The Great Clips 300 will be broadcast on ESPN2 tonight at 7 p.m. ET. Green flag is scheduled for 7:16 p.m. ET.

Starting lineup for the Great Clips 300:

1. Kasey Kahne
2. Kyle Busch
3. Reed Sorenson
4. Ryan Newman
5. Carl Edwards
6. Josh Wise
7. Jamie McMurray
8. Kevin Harvick
9. Paul Menard
10. Joey Logano
11. Trevor Bayne
12. Jason Leffler
13. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
14. David Gilliland
15. Brad Keselowski
16. Clint Bowyer
17. Mike Bliss
18. Matt Kenseth
19. Kevin Hamlin
20. Justin Allgaier
21. Chase Miller
22. Mike Wallace
23. Jason Keller
24. Dennis Setzer
25. Joe Nemechek
26. Michael McDowell
27. Brad Baker
28. Danny O'Quinn Jr.
29. Willie Allen
30. Brian Scott
31. Kevin Lepage
32. Michael Annett
33. Brendan Gaughan
34. Brian Keselowski
35. John Wes Townley
36. Eric McClure
37. Steve Wallace
38. Jeff Green
39. Tony Raines
40. Kenny Wallace
41. Mark Green
42. Robert Richardson Jr.
43. Johnny Chapman

Did Not Qualify:
Jeremy Clements

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Will Kasey Kahne win at Atlanta this weekend?

Kasey Kahne during Michigan
qualifying in August. (Jeff Zelevansky/
Getty Images for NASCAR)

NASCAR visits Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend for a series of night races.

Kasey Kahne will return to the Atlanta Emory Healthcare 500 as a defending winner in his #9 Budweiser/Valvoline Ford. In his past 13 starts at the track, Kahne has secured 2 wins, one pole award, six top 5s, eight top-10 finishes and has led a total of 297 laps.

It’s probably safe to say, AMS is Kahne’s track. Will he make it to victory lane in Atlanta this weekend?

To date, Kahne sits in 16th position, putting him -737 points behind the leader, Kevin Harvick and 136 points out of 12th position. Is there a chance for him to catch up and secure a spot in the Chase in the next two races?

There’s been a lot of media around Kahne these past few months; this is his final year with Richard Petty Motorsports, with Budweiser and possibly the #9. He signed a contract with Hendrick Motorsports to drive the #5 car in 2012 and has announced he’ll be driving the Red Bull car in 2011, number to be announced later. There’s no set crew chief at this time. Marcos Ambrose is set to replace him at RPM and Budweiser will move to Richard Childress Racing's #29, which is driven by Kevin Harvick.

Kahne told reporters Tuesday in a teleconference that he believes he has a shot of winning the next two races. He plans to make the best of his final days at RPM and plans to contend in each race, whether he makes the Chase or not.

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Fashion in NASCAR

This morning, as I was pulling on my jeans, I wondered to myself, "Just what do the NASCAR drivers wear for clothes?" So, I went on a hunt for anything that would answer my question. I stumbeled upon an aritcle on NASCAR.com from February 2008.

Of course, the first person they interviewed was Sherry Pollex, girlfriend of Martin Truex Jr., and also the owner of Lavendar Boutique in North Carolina. Pollex is obviously high fashion and describes how excited she was when Chandra Johnson wore one of her purchases from Lavendar Boutique on pit road, but she also sells her clothing to the drivers.

Kasey Kahne is a guy you would think is just simple jeans and tee-shirts everyday, right? Wrong. The Budweiser driver said "I'm pretty picky about my jeans, I'll try on ten pairs and buy zero or some days I'll buy five." Then he goes on to say the most he has ever paid for jeans, which rings in at $190. However, he said that he does not pay attention to the fashion trends on pit road.

On the other hand, Carl Edwards had not been shopping awhile and said, "My assistant Angela picks out stuff for me, but I got these boots from a People Magazine shoot a long time ago, I wear them so much I had to have them re-soled,"


Kyle Petty, famed for his iconic ponytail, said that drivers wore what they could afford back in the times of Dale Earnhardt and also says, "[Fashion] adds zero to the sport, I don't have any energy for it. What do I care about fashion? I haven't had a haircut in 15 years. I'm ready for my plaid pants and stripped shirt phase." Will someone tell this guy that plaid pants are out?!

Sherry Pollex says, "Honestly for me, it's a respect thing as well. Like church on Sundays, when I walk out there, I have a sense of pride because I'm a reflection of Martin and what he does." I am sure that most NASCAR wives would agree.

One other person that comes to my mind is DeLana Harvick. Almost every weekend during the Sprint Cup race, the wife of the 29 driver is supporting her husband by wearing her own Pennzoil firesuit. Just one of the reasons I love DeLana and what she believes in.

When you are watching the races, look at some of the things that the mothers, girlfriends, and wives are wearing. This is just example of the way that women have shaped NASCAR.

________


Source: http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/features/02/22/rswan.pit.road.fashion/index.html

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Kahne to Red Bull Racing for 2011

In April we learned that Kasey Kahne had signed a deal with Hendrick Motorsports to take over for Mark Martin as driver of the #5. The only problem with the deal was that Mark Martin wasn’t set to retire until after the completion of the 2011 season and Kahne’s contract would not begin with HMS until 2012. 

With Kahne leaving Richard Petty Motorsports at the conclusion of the 2010 season we all started speculating where Kahne would land in 2011. Many, including myself, speculated that Kasey would move to a third team for Stewart-Haas Racing because of their affiliation with Hendrick Motorsports.

Today we “officially” learned that Kahne will pilot one of the Red Bull Racing cars in 2011. What we don’t yet know is which car it will be or who his teammate on the two car team will be. Below you will find the press release from Red Bull Racing, but before you dive into that tell us what you think of the news. 

Who do you think is leaving? Speed or Vickers? Could Vickers need additional time off and this is RBR’s way of keeping his seat open if that’s the case? Does Kasey Kahne look like the Red Bull drinking guy any more than he looks like the Budweiser drinking guy? Is this one year deal unfair to the existing Red Bull Racing drivers or would one of them be leaving even if Kasey wasn’t coming?

Okay, here’s that release:

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Kasey Kahne will drive a Red Bull Racing Team Toyota in 2011, the team announced Tuesday.

“We were fortunate to have the opportunity to hire a very talented driver for the 2011 season and we took it,” said Jay Frye, Red Bull Racing Team Vice President and General Manager. “This is a unique situation that doesn’t happen every day. Kasey is a perfect fit for our company, team and Red Bull.”

Kahne, 30, owns an impressive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series résumé. He has 11 wins, 17 poles, 47 top-five and 84 top-10 finishes and twice was a Chase participant in 2006 and 2009.

“This opportunity places me with an established, competitive team that has proven they can win races and make the Chase,” Kahne said. “I have great respect for Red Bull, so to have the opportunity to drive for Red Bull Racing Team in 2011 is a great fit for me, both personally and professionally. It feels good to be able to finally put this to rest and focus my energy on finishing the season strong for the 9 team and our sponsors.”

“This obviously all happened very quickly,” Frye added. “Over the next month, we will finalize the specific team details.”

Red Bull Racing Team’s final driver lineup for 2011 will be confirmed later this year.

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Kahne and Kyle Busch Motorsports Team Up for Pocono Truck Race

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (July 15, 2010) – Kasey Kahne, who is undefeated in two career NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts, will pilot the No. 18 Toyota of Scranton (Pa.) Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) in the inaugural Pocono Mountains 125 Truck Series event July 31 at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway.

Kahne, who drives the No. 9 Budweiser Ford full-time for Richard Petty Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, won Truck Series races in November 2004 at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway and Homestead-Miami Speedway.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve competed in the Camping World Truck Series,” said Kahne, who led 149 of a possible 284 laps in his two Truck Series starts. “It’s a great opportunity for me to come back to the series and compete with really good equipment. I’ve watched Kyle put the team together and it’s really been impressive how well they’ve done this year as a first-year team. I’m really looking forward to working with Rick Ren (director of competition) and Eric Phillips (crew chief) and trying to put the No. 18 Toyota of Scranton Toyota Tundra in victory lane.”
In 13 career Sprint Cup starts at Pocono, Kahne has one win (June 2008), two poles (June 2004 and 2008) and five top-10 finishes. He has never started lower than 20th and has rolled off the grid eighth or better nine times.

“It’s a big deal for us to have someone like Kasey in the No. 18 Toyota Tundra,” said KBM driver-owner Kyle Busch. “His Truck Series record is about as good as it can get, given that he’s never lost a race. He’s obviously got a good record at Pocono in the Sprint Cup Series as well, so we know he’ll give us a great chance to go to victory lane.

“Rick and Eric are excited to work with him and I know the rest of the KBM guys are pumped to have him in our truck. We really have to thank everyone at Toyota of Scranton for their support and I know Kasey will do all he can to get them a victory.”

The Pocono Mountains 125 is the first-ever Truck Series event at Pocono Raceway, which is located 38 miles south of Toyota of Scranton.

“We’re thrilled to be sponsoring Kasey Kahne and Kyle Busch Motorsports in the Truck Series race at Pocono,” said Greg Gagorik, managing partner of Toyota of Scranton. “We’re big supporters of all the racing Toyota is involved in and it will be very exciting for us to have the Toyota of Scranton logo on a Tundra driven by Kasey and owned by Kyle – two of the most recognizable and talented drivers in NASCAR. There will be a lot of our employees and customers out at the track cheering the No. 18 Tundra to victory.”

Busch is hoping to win as an owner and a driver all in the same day, for while Kahne will drive the No. 18 Toyota of Scranton Toyota Tundra for KBM at Pocono, Busch will pilot the No. 18 Z-Line Designs Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Iowa Speedway in Newton.

The 50-lap race at Pocono begins at 1 p.m. EDT on July 31 and will be broadcast live on SPEED beginning with a pre-race show at 12:30 p.m.


About Toyota of Scranton

Toyota of Scranton is located at 3400 North Main Ave., in Scranton, Pa., and serves Lackawanna County and all of Northeast Pennsylvania. In 2008, a state-of-the-art facility was built and it expanded all departments at Toyota of Scranton, making the dealership one of the largest in Northeast Pennsylvania. In addition to a large showroom, the facility also features a high-tech service department with factory-trained technicians and a fully-stocked inventory of auto parts. For more information, log onto www.toyotascionofscranton.com.

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Kahne Captures Pole at Infineon

With a time of 76.300 seconds (93.893 MPH) Kasey Kahne will start from the pole position in Sunday’s Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway. The pole is Kahne’s 17th of his Sprint Cup Series career and his first at the California road course and his first of 2010. Starting alongside Kahne will be Jimmie Johnson.

The Toyota/Save Mart 350 will air Sunday June 20, 2010 on TNT at 3pm Eastern with Green Flag at 3:19pm





The full starting lineup is as follows:

1. Kasey Kahne
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Kurt Busch
4. Kevin Harvick
5. Jeff Gordon
6. Marcos Ambrose
7. Tony Stewart
8. Bobby Labonte
9. Greg Biffle
10. Martin Truex Jr.
11. Mark Martin
12. Denny Hamlin
13. Ryan Newman
14. Juan Pablo Montoya
15. AJ Allmendinger
16. Robby Gordon
17. Boris Said
18. Paul Menard
19. Carl Edwards
20. Joey Logano
21. Elliott Sadler
22. Clint Bowyer
23. Scott Speed
24. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
25. Jamie McMurray
26. David Gilliland
27. Kyle Busch
28. Joe Nemechek
29. Max Papis
30. Jeff Burton
31. Regan Smitth
32. Jan Magnussen
33. David Reutimann
34. Matt Kenseht
35. PJ Jones
36. Brad Keselowski
37. JJ Yeley
38. Mattias Ekstrom
39. Sam Hornish Jr.
40. Travis Kvapil
41. Kevin Conway
42. David Ragan
43. Dave Blaney

Failed to qualify: Brandon Ash, Brian Simo, Michael Waltrip

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The Lugnut Report: Kahne Avoids Wreck, Gets Texas Top Five

It was another crazy weekend that ended with a crazy Monday finish. And it was an even crazier week for Kasey Kahne.

This past week, ESPN's Marty Smith broke the news that sent the NASCAR world in a tizzy; Kahne had signed a multi year deal with Hendrick Motorsports to drive the No. 5 in 2012. However, he'll be leaving Richard Petty Motorsports after this season to drive for a team to be announced.

"Kasey is a very talented driver and I have enjoyed watching him race. We all wish him nothing but the best and hope he succeeds in anything he chooses to do," Richard Petty said in a statement.

With all the media's attention on him, Kahne entered Texas Motor Speedway in the spotlight. The driver of the No. 9 Budweiser Ford captured a win in Forth Worth during his amazing six win year in 2006. However, in 12 starts Kahne has seven finishes of 20th or worse at the track.

In the only practice session of the weekend, Kahne ended 20th on the speed charts. He qualified fifth and wouldn't return to the track until the green flag dropped. All on track activities were washed out on both Saturday and Sunday, meaning the Samsung Mobile 500 would have to wait until Monday.

Despite starting up front, Kahne spent most of his day in the midst of traffic.

With 17 laps to go, Kahne was able to drive around a massive nine car wreck that collected Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart, among others. Capitalizing on the chaos, Kahne drove home to a fifth place finish.

"About six of them of them disappeared in front of me and we were left," Kahne said after the race. "We had a decent car."

With the top five, his second of the year, Kahne jumped four spots to 22nd in points.

Thanks to NASCAR on FOX, NASCAR.com, Jayski, Racing Reference and ESPN for the information and quotes used in this post.

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Let The Speculation Begin: Kahne to Hendrick in 2011?

Thank you Marty Smith for turning our world upside down. You’ve made Twitter go nuts and have got tons of NASCAR fans scratching their heads trying to figure out if it’s fact of fiction.

That’s right folks! ESPN’s Marty Smith just dropped this bombshell on us (Read the full story here: Kahne leaving Petty for Hendrick in ‘11) Apparently Kasey Kahne is going to Hendrick in 2011. Is your head spinning? Mine is!

Did Hendrick forget how to do math? Who is going to be leaving if this turns out to be fact? Or will one of the drivers be moving over to Stewart-Haas which is an extension of Hendrick?

What do you think? We want to hear from you regarding this? Would Kasey be a good fit with HMS? Why or why not? Who should be out at HMS?

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Kahne Appearing at Budweiser ROLL-BAR at PIR on April 10th

Tuesday, March 23, 2010 - NASCAR Sprint Cup Series star and Budweiser driver Kasey Kahne will appear at Phoenix International Raceway's Budweiser ROLL-BAR for a question-and-answer session with NASCAR fans before the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 600™ on Saturday, April 10.

Kahne, driver of the No. 9 Budweiser Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports, qualified for the 2009 Chase for the Sprint Cup - his second such distinction. Kahne has three top-10 finishes in 11 Sprint Cup Series starts at Phoenix International Raceway.

Fellow Sprint Cup competitors Clint Bowyer, Robby Gordon, and A.J. Allmendinger will also appear at Budweiser ROLL-BAR over the weekend. Each driver will be scheduled to participate for 15 minutes, and appearance times will be confirmed shortly and announced on PhoenixRaceway.com.

More driver appearances will be announced soon.

Budweiser ROLL-BAR is located just behind the Bobby Allison Grandstands on the west side of the track, and features the best in live entertainment each day and night throughout the SUBWAY Fresh Fit 600™ NASCAR weekend and appearances by some of NASCAR’s top personalities.

The innovative hospitality environment at Budweiser ROLL-BAR includes a special VIP section for guests, featuring high-end furniture on a raised platform. A number of unique custom structures - including a bar to house a replica of the No. 9 Budweiser Ford driven by Kahne - adorn the beer garden area and highlight the Budweiser branding seen throughout the club.

Single-day tickets to Budweiser ROLL-BAR are available for $89 on Friday, April 9 and for $139 on Saturday, April 10. Additional purchase of a grandstand ticket is still required for track admission.

Tickets for 2010 at Phoenix International Raceway can be purchased online at PhoenixRaceway.com or by calling 1-866-408-RACE (7223). The PIR Ticket Office is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 125 S. Avondale Blvd., just south of I-10 at Exit 131 in Avondale.

Release via Phoenix International Raceway

Photo courtesy of Bristol Motor Speedway and Dragway

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Harvick and Kahne to join Earnhardt Jr. in Martinsville's Fan Zone

Dale Earnhardt Jr. will have some company in the Martinsville Speedway Fan Zone before the running of the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 on March 28.

Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne have been added to the Fan Zone lineup to give fans an impressive trio of drivers to enjoy.

Earnhardt, Kahne and Harvick will appear at different times in the Fan Zone during the morning of Sunday, March 28.All three will take questions from fans during the emceed appearance. There will not be any autograph sessions.

Admission to the Martinsville Speedway Fan Zone is $99 and includes pastries, juice and coffee for breakfast, lunch buffet, AMP Energy and Pepsi products, four beer coupons per adult and Pre-Race Track Pass.

The Pre-Race Track Pass allows fans to stroll on the track along the front stretch from 9 a.m. to noon.

The $99 price does not include a ticket to the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500.

The Martinsville Speedway Fan Zone will open at 8 a.m. on March 28. The pastries will be served at 8 a.m. with the lunch buffet beginning at 10:30 a.m.

Tickets for the Martinsville Speedway Fan Zone may be purchased by calling 1.877.RACE.TIX or by visiting www.martinsvillespeedway.com online.

Tickets for the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 begin at $25 and may be purchased by calling 1.877.RACE.TIX or by visiting www.martinsvillespeedway.com online.

Release courtesy of Martinsville Speedway

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