Motorsports FanHouse http://motorsports.fanhouse.com Motorsports FanHouse http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/media/feedlogo.gif Motorsports FanHouse http://motorsports.fanhouse.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Kasey Kahne Deserves Morehttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/05/13/kasey-kahne-deserves-more/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/05/13/kasey-kahne-deserves-more/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/05/13/kasey-kahne-deserves-more/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Fans have just voted Kasey Kahne's win in last year's Sprint All-Star Race the greatest moment in Lowe's Motor Speedway's storied history. After failing to qualify for the race, Kahne lined up on the starting grid thanks to the fans' popular vote, then promptly went out and snapped a 19-month winless streak.

Kahne's amazing effort that night, followed by a win a week later in the Coca-Cola 600, marked one of the best weeks of his Sprint Cup Series career.

The highlight reel has been considerably shorter for him since.

As the All-Star race win demonstrates, Kahne, 29, is incredibly popular and massively talented. Unfortunately he's driving for a newly merged, newly named, old-school team, Richard Petty Motorsports, that appears to be going nowhere fast.

Literally.

After a promising start, Kahne has slowly and painfully slipped out of Top 12 Chase contention. He's had only two top-10 finishes through 11 races -- although he did lead laps at Darlington last Saturday and ranks 17th in the championship. He hasn't won since last June and his fellow RPM drivers are faring even worse.

This is not what Kahne signed up for when he was tabbed by then team owner Ray Evernham to succeed champion Bill Elliott behind the wheel of the No. 9 Dodge in 2004. Kahne, a USAC star, was widely considered one of the best young talents NASCAR had lured away from open-wheel.

And Evernham, a three-time Cup champion crew chief for Jeff Gordon, was Dodge's NASCAR Alpha Dog, its flagship operation. The potential of the highly motivated combination of Evernham, Kahne and Dodge made for one of the freshest success stories in Cup racing.

Kahne delivered the 2004 Rookie of the Year title, won four pole positions and finished a respectful 13th in points.

Latest NASCAR Images

    ** AUTO RACING PACKAGE FOR MAY 13 OR THEREAFTER ** In this photograph taken on Saturday, May 9, 2009, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Marcos Ambrose gets out into a car for driver introductions before the start of the Southern 500 auto race at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, S.C. The 32-year-old Australian has been steadily rising in his first full Sprint Cup season. He's had five top-15 finishes in his past seven races and is 20th in the points standings. (AP Photo/Brett Flashnick)

    AP

    ** AUTO RACING PACKAGE FOR MAY 13 OR THEREAFTER ** In this photograph taken on Friday, May 8, 2009, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Marcos Ambrose smiles as he walks in the garage area to practice for the Southern 500 auto race at Darlington Racewayin Darlington, S.C. The 32-year-old Australian has been steadily rising in his first full Sprint Cup season. He's had five top-15 finishes in his past seven races and is 20th in the points standings. (AP Photo/Brett Flashnick)

    AP

    ** AUTO RACING PACKAGE FOR MAY 13 OR THEREAFTER ** In this photograph taken on Saturday, May 9, 2009, pit crew members for Marcos Ambrose service the car of during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Southern 500 auto race at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, S.C. The 32-year-old Australian has been steadily rising in his first full Sprint Cup season. He's had five top-15 finishes in his past seven races and is 20th in the points standings. (AP Photo/CJ Driggers)

    AP

    ** AUTO RACING PACKAGE FOR MAY 13 OR THEREAFTER ** In this photograph taken on Friday, May 8, 2009, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Marcos Ambrose takes his car out duing practice for the Southern 500 auto race at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, S.C The 32-year-old Australian has been steadily rising in his first full Sprint Cup season. He's had five top-15 finishes in his past seven races and is 20th in the points standings. (AP Photo/Brett Flashnick)

    AP

    In this screen image released by EA Sports, a scene is shown from "NASCAR Kart Racing." (AP Photo/EA Sports) ** NO SALES **

    AP

    Michael Waltrip (55) catches fire as his engine blows in turn three during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Southern 500 auto race at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, S.C., Saturday, May 9, 2009.

    Richard Shiro, AP

    FILE - In this Feb. 12, 2009 file photo, Joey Logano is shown before the first of two NASCAR Gatorade Duel 150 qualifying auto races at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Logano, who turns 19 on May 24, led 19 laps of the Southern 500 on Saturday, May 9, 2009, nearly four times as many he had this season, and was out front with fewer than 100 miles left. He ended ninth, matching his best-ever NASCAR finish at a track known for sending rookies into the wall and then laughing in their faces. (AP Photo/Terry Renna, File)

    AP

    FILE - In this Feb. 12, 2009 file photo, Joey Logano is shown before the first of two NASCAR Gatorade Duel 150 qualifying auto races at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Logano, who turns 19 on May 24, led 19 laps of the Southern 500 on Saturday, May 9, 2009, nearly four times as many he had this season, and was out front with fewer than 100 miles left. He ended ninth, matching his best-ever NASCAR finish at a track known for sending rookies into the wall and then laughing in their faces. (AP Photo/Terry Renna, File)

    AP

    DARLINGTON, SC - MAY 09: Mark Martin, driver of the #5 Cheez-It/CARQUEST Chevrolet, sits next to his car on the grid prior to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Southern 500 on May 9, 2009 at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mark Martin

    Getty Images

    DARLINGTON, SC - MAY 09: Mark Martin, driver of the #5 Cheez-It/CARQUEST Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Southern 500 on May 9, 2009 at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mark Martin

    Getty Images



Kahne scored his maiden Cup win in 2005 and answered with a series high six wins the next season and a career-best eighth place ranking in the championship.

By then, the handsome, personable Kahne had also made a name for himself as one of NASCAR's most marketable drivers. He was chosen as one of People Magazine's "Hottest" Bachelors. He starred in popular and entertaining television commercials and his souvenirs were selling off shelves.

Men loved the way he raced. Women loved the way he raced. And everything else about him.

Kahne was one of NASCAR's rock stars. And that is fine. But what he has always been more interested in winning races and that seems to be a losing proposition with his current situation.

Today's Richard Petty Motorsports hardly resembles the original Evernham Motorsports -- most obviously because Evernham has sold his majority interest to Canadian George Gillett and remains with the team only as a "consultant."

In the off season, Gillett-Evernham merged with Petty Enterprises, which, frankly hasn't fielded a championship contender since Richard Petty drove for the team in the 1970s.

Far from being a mega-merger, the result is a mega-mediocre four-car team. And it shouldn't be that way. The lineup, including veteran Elliott Sadler, journeyman Reed Sorenson and newcomer A.J. Allmendinger is capable of winning races.

And it's not Dodge, which unveiled an improved engine this year that RPM inexplicably STILL isn't using.

Kurt Busch, who drives a Dodge for Penske Racing, has won a race and led the championship this season under the new power.

How much difference could the new engine package make? Three words: Sam Hornish Junior.

It makes you wonder if racing is merely a business proposition to RPM owners. It is certainly more than that for Kahne. It's about winning, which is something Kahne has done since he was teenager racing sprint cars in the Northwest.

And why should he lower the expectations?

"What gets to me,'' Kahne said, "is when you start getting happy running 12th or 14th. That's not where I want to be. At times right now, I leave the track after I finish 13th and I'm a little upset but that's better than it could have been. I don't really like that attitude but that's kind of what it's been the last couple of years.

"I like to win, I know that much. I want to have the opportunity to win each week.''

Give Kahne credit. He has taken the high road and remained loyal to RPM, but even he has a certain threshold of what he can tolerate.

In remarks to reporters last week at Darlington, S.C., Kahne indicated he was hopeful the team would turn things around but was clearly frustrated.

"They're starting to listen, but my concerns have been the same for a while,'' Kahne told The Charlotte Observer. "Sometimes, early in the year and the end of last year, I'd tell them my concerns and they'd look at you. It would go in one ear and out the other and they'd go about their day.

"In the last three weeks they have really started to think about it and said, 'Our cars are really heavy and our engines don't run' and they're starting to work on it.

"It's not like all this just happened.''

With the right equipment and support there is absolutely no reason why Kahne shouldn't be in the Chase for the Championship this year and every year.

If RPM can't give him the commitment to make that happen, the team should let Kahne out of the final year of his contract, 2010, so he can drive for a team that is as interested in winning as he is.

Imagine what it must be like for Kahne to watch those (who shall remain nameless) in superior equipment squander opportunity.

The driving talent is still there. The support is not. And it's time for Kahne to move on.

Kasey Kahne Deserves More originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 13 May 2009 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Kasey KahneKaseyKahneSprint All-Star RaceSprintAll-starRaceHolly CainWed, 13 May 2009 14:30:00 EST Evernham Enjoying Life in Slow Lanehttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/02/11/evernham-enjoying-life-in-slow-lane/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/02/11/evernham-enjoying-life-in-slow-lane/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/02/11/evernham-enjoying-life-in-slow-lane/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Dressed casually in jeans and a black, button-down oxford, Ray Evernham leaned back into his chair and twirled the large gold ring on his right ring finger - the ring he received as crew chief for Jeff Gordon's 1999 Daytona 500 victory.

"I've got two of these Daytona 500 rings, but I can't get a parking pass," Evernham joked Wednesday from the infield of the Daytona International Speedway.

A decade ago he was celebrating in victory lane. A year ago he was on the pit box guiding another young driver, Kasey Kahne, to a top-10 finish in the Daytona 500. This week, he had to borrow a parking pass from fellow ESPN television analyst Rusty Wallace.

"I thought to myself, this is full circle. ..."

And of his own careful doing.

In one of the first lengthy sit-down, ease-back interviews the former champion crew chief touched on a number of topics -- from his relationship with Gordon to his pursuit of a land speed record with drag racing star Doug Herbert to his happiness post-ownership.

Anyone that knows Evernham would be struck by his laid-back manner -- a stark contrast to the high-energy, uber-control days of leading Gordon's famous "Rainbow Warriors" team to three championships or his pursuit of another for himself as team owner from 2001-2008.

Evernham didn't rule out working with Gordon or Rick Hendrick again in the distant future, but says he has no interest in working as a Cup crew chief ever again.

"Never going to happen," Evernham said. "That would be like asking John Elway, as bad as he probably wants to play football, would he come back and quarterback? You just can't do it.

"That was a different time. The job is different now. I'm a different person. It would take me two or three years to learn it all over again and I'm too old for that."

Evernham currently owns a small minority stake in Richard Petty Motorsports -- which used to be Gillett Evernham Motorsports -- which was originally Evernham Motorsports -- the Cup team he started in 2001 to usher in Dodge's return to the sport.

He has an exclusivity agreement with the Petty team as their NASCAR consultant and minority owner.

His heart is also in another project. He's currently trying to come up with $20 million in funding to help Herbert in a quest for a land speed record -- a feat dedicated to Herbert's two sons who were killed in a car accident a year ago.

"The physics of making a car go fast are the same," Evernham said. "It's aerodynamics, horsepower, traction, power to weight. The engineering -- it's good. I've been involved in some projects lately that have got my engineering brain working again and it's good. It's refreshing.


"But I really want to take a little bit at a time and see exactly what I want to do before I commit 100 percent to anything. Right now I'm committed to ESPN, and I'm committed to helping Doug (Herbert) get that done."

Evernham was similarly candid and revealing on other topics, including:

Relinquishing majority ownership of his team:
"There's no doubt . ... I gave everything I had. There was nothing left. If you really are a championship-caliber athlete you have to have that killer desire, that fire. When you see you don't have that, then the best thing you can do is walk away, otherwise you're just making excuses as to why you're not winning."

On his relationship with former boss Rick Hendrick and with Gordon:
"I don't know where that will go, but Rick and I have stayed close and Jeff and I have stayed close."

On Gordon:
"I'd really like to see Jeff end his career on a high note because I will tell you, it really sucks for him when people start to question if he has the desire, does he have this, does he have that. He is this close (holding his fingers together).

"Jeff Gordon will definitely win races. If it were the old points system I'd guarantee you he'd win another championship. But with the Chase it's just too hard to predict."

On why he sold his team:
"I can't say something turned me off to it.

"The sport changed. You either change with it or do something else. I love racing and I was very fortunate to do what I did as an owner, but quite honestly the handwriting was on the wall. I was not going to lead that thing to a championship."

On current state of mind:
"After a while you have to decide how competitive you want to be. So I'd rather kick back, design cars, help people, not have to be fighting all the time.

"I feel like I can contribute now without being competitive."

Evernham Enjoying Life in Slow Lane originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 11 Feb 2009 22:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>fanhouseindaytonajeff gordonJeffGordonkasey kahneKaseyKahneray evernhamRayEvernhamrick hendrickRickHendrickHolly CainWed, 11 Feb 2009 22:30:00 EST Stories for '09: The Mega-Merger Erahttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/01/20/10-for-09-the-mega-merger-era/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/01/20/10-for-09-the-mega-merger-era/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/01/20/10-for-09-the-mega-merger-era/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Here's what everyone will be talking about as the NASCAR haulers roll into Daytona International Speedway next month for the start of one the most unpredictable seasons in recent memory.

Especially early on, one of the most intriguing storylines of the season will be the success of the mega-mergers.

Will we see Kumbaya moments or power-plays as some of the biggest names and egos in the sport join hands hoping there's strength in numbers?

Sure, it'll take some drivers half a season to figure out the guy he used run up into the marbles is now his teammate, but that just makes this more fun to watch.

The general consensus is that the power-mergers between teams like Ganassi and Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Gillett-Evernham and Petty Enterprises along with the "alliances" of Yates Racing and Hall of Fame racing teams may be a temporary fix to a pressing problem, not necessarily a permanent solution.

It's also a sort of sentimental survival for NASCAR, which is weathering enough "issues" without having its highest profile names go away. It's hard to imagine the sport without Richard Petty's or Dale Earnhardt's namesake team legacies.

It would be like the NFL without the Dallas Cowboys or Major League Baseball minus the New York Yankees.

The actual benefit on-track and in-competition may be harder to quantify. Other than keeping the car counts up, it'll be interesting to see if the newly-merged teams will be any better equipped to challenge the Hendrick, Roush or Gibbs juggernauts.

I doubt it. At least not initially.

"I do think it's really cool that DEI figured out how to stay and Richard Petty figured out how to stay,'' Michael Waltrip said. "I believe two is stronger than one and it will allow them to get through these times and eventually have more competitive cars on the track.

"I believe things are going to come out on the other end of this looking a lot different than they ever have.''

Stories for '09: The Mega-Merger Era originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Tue, 20 Jan 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>10for09daleearnhardtmichaelwaltriprichardpettystoriesfor09Holly CainTue, 20 Jan 2009 11:00:00 EST Welcome to NASCAR's Silliest Seasonhttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/01/14/welcome-to-nascars-silliest-season/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/01/14/welcome-to-nascars-silliest-season/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/01/14/welcome-to-nascars-silliest-season/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Did you really think the NASCAR world could keep quiet during this offseason?

First, we had Elliott Sadler being canned from his then Gillett-Evernham Motorsports ride just months after signing a multi-year contract extension. A.J. Allmendinger, they said, was taking over the ride.

Then, Richard Petty and the oh-so-struggling Petty Enterprises worked out a merger with GEM, a fellow Dodge team to create a still unnamed four-car team that includes the famed No. 43. Somehow, such a merger was a positive move for Sadler, as he was reinstated to the ride he had originally been taken out of.

Perhaps the newly-formed team didn't want to deal with a near-certain lawsuit Sadler was going to throw their way?

With Sadler back in, the Petty merger complete, Allmendinger signed up to run a handful of races based on sponsorship for the team, the NASCAR world appeared to slow.

Slow, at least, until the former Petty Enterprises driver (effective December, that is) Bobby Labonte was seen popping up in and around Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing -- propelling rumors that he'd be taking over the No. 8 car based on bringing a solid sponsorship package with him.

(Note: Been under a rock the last few months? Here's some info about that whole DEI not being DEI anymore deal.)

So, it seemed, Labonte was to be in at the No. 8, according to the Coke website, Super 8 hotels was on-board.
Aric Almirola, slated originally to drive No. 8, was now thrown to the backburner without sponsorship for a fourth car at EGR.

But, as they say, not so fast.

Tuesday, rumors bubbled up that Labonte had signed a contract with Yates Racing after the team merged with Hall of Fame Racing. Wednesday, such rumors were confirmed with a press release indicating Labonte will now drive the No. 96 Ford sponsored by Ask.com

Over at ThatsRacin, indications were that Labonte had a lunch meeting scheduled with EGR, but called just before to say that he had signed with Yates/Hall of Fame -- meaning Almirola was back in the No. 8.

Looking back at all of this, can you imagine how crazy preseason Daytona testing (it would have finished Wednesday) would have been with this driver carousel?

Welcome to NASCAR's Silliest Season originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>AJAllmendingerBobbyLabonteEarnhardtGanassiRacingElliottSadlerGillettEvernhamMotorsportsPettyEnterprisesRichardPettyGeoffrey MillerWed, 14 Jan 2009 13:30:00 EST GEM-Petty Merger Brings Elliott Sadler Backhttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/01/09/gem-petty-merger-brings-elliott-sadler-back/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/01/09/gem-petty-merger-brings-elliott-sadler-back/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/01/09/gem-petty-merger-brings-elliott-sadler-back/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

I suppose you could chalk this up as one of those deals that just makes you want to go "hmmm."

Not only did one of NASCAR's most-storied organizations lose much of its independent identity thanks to a merger cued from financial necessity, but a driver thought to be on axe from the other merged team is back in the fold.

In other words, just another day in the always unpredictable world of NASCAR.

Petty Enterprises, owned by NASCAR's "King" Richard Petty, joined forces with a fellow Dodge racing team, Gillett Evernham Racing, thanks to a lack of sponsorship that saw the team's premier driver walk out the door just weeks ago. On the verge of shutting down its operations, the merger breathes a new hint of life back into the famed operation.

On the Gillett side of things, the biggest story of late has been the reported hiring of NASCAR young gun A.J. Allmendinger to fill the ride of Elliott Sadler -- despite the fact that Sadler had signed a new, multi-year deal with the team last season.

Now, the team has confirmed, the "family" has made up from some in-fighting and Sadler will once again take the controls of the No. 19 for the full 2009 season with Allmendinger signed up to run at least eight races in the fourth car of the operation.

What's all this mean for on-track activiity, you ask?

Well, for now, the plan is for Sadler to keep the No. 19, Kasey Kahne returns in his No. 9 Budweiser Dodge, Reed Sorenson will pilot Petty's No. 43 car and for Allmendinger to drive an unannounced car.

Chad McCumbee, a young driver in waiting at Petty, had hoped to pick up a Sprint Cup ride in 2009, but as of now, those plans are on hold.

The AP's Jenna Fryer mentioned that the team could take the moniker of "Richard Petty Motorsports" in an effort to promote the 7-time champion's connection in addition to creating one of the coolest acronym a team could have -- "RPM".

So, at the end of the day (today at least), the No. 43 is still around, Richard Petty still has a reason to hang out in the NASCAR garage area, Elliott Sadler got his job back and a bit of sponsorship luck will see A.J. Allmendinger in a decent car for 2009.

Not a bad day if you're a NASCAR fan.

GEM-Petty Merger Brings Elliott Sadler Back originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 09 Jan 2009 16:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>AJAllmendingerElliottSadlerGillettEvernhamMotorsportsKaseyKahneReedSorensonRichardPettyRichardPettyMotorsportsSprintCupGeoffrey MillerFri, 09 Jan 2009 16:30:00 EST Unhappy Sadler Readies Contract Breach Suithttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/01/03/unhappy-sadler-readies-contract-breach-suit/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/01/03/unhappy-sadler-readies-contract-breach-suit/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2009/01/03/unhappy-sadler-readies-contract-breach-suit/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

I bet this isn't what A.J. Allmendinger signed up for with Gillett-Evernham Motorsports contacted him about driving for the Sprint Cup team in 2009.

Allmendinger, along with GEM, majority owner George Gillett and Ray Evernham Enterprises were named earlier this week in Iredell County (N.C.) as defendents by an attorney representing Elliott Sadler in a possible suit alleging breach of contract, according to David Poole of The Charlotte Observer.

Sadler, as we were surprised about earlier in the week, appears to be on the outs from GEM's No. 19 Dodge in favor of Allmendinger in 2009 -- despite signing a contract extension this past spring with the team through 2010.

Poole noted in the article that "Sadler plans to seek injunctive relief, declaratory relief/specific performance, consequential and punitive damages as a resultof Defendants anticipatory and actual breach of Plantiff's Driving Services Agreement [...]."

All of the legal lingo could more appropriately described as Sadler being extremely irritated and desiring to grab all of the money from GEM he can because of the loss of external revenue (personal contracts, etc.) he stands to lose by not driving in the Sprint Cup Series full time in 2009.

I'd say Sadler stands a pretty good chance to settle for a vast amount of money because there's absolutely no reason for anyone to believe he wasn't able fulfill the his end of the contract. Additionally, it shows just how ridiculous the world of NASCAR contracts have gotten.

In other words, a contract that a driver has with a team should be a guarantee, but instead, it's just a worthless piece of paper in terms of jobs but a very valuable one for a driver who gets canned from his ride because it serves as a method of retribution.

Regardless, the Allmendinger for Sadler move seems complete, and I'm still quite surprised.

Unhappy Sadler Readies Contract Breach Suit originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 03 Jan 2009 16:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>AJAllmendingerElliottSadlerGilletteEvernhamMotorsportsRayEvernhamGeoffrey MillerSat, 03 Jan 2009 16:48:00 EST '08 Rear-View Mirror: Elliott Sadlerhttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/12/09/08-rear-view-mirror-elliott-sadler/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/12/09/08-rear-view-mirror-elliott-sadler/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/12/09/08-rear-view-mirror-elliott-sadler/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Warning: Objects in this post may be the only way to successfully live through the NASCAR off-season. For best results, read rearview mirror early and often.

Driver: Elliott Sadler
Team: No. 19 Gillette-Evernham Dodge
'08 Final Standing: 24th (-3324)
Best Race: Allstate 400 at the Brickyard (4th-place)
Worst Race: Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta (43rd-place)

Season in a box: Sadler's 2008 campaign started with a bang thanks to a 6th-place finish in the season-opening Daytona 500. From there, however, things didn't pan out as Sadler would have expected.

It wasn't until the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in May -- a span of nearly three and a half months -- until Sadler found the Top-10 again. The very next week, though, his luck reverted back after getting spun in this huge crash at Dover, forcing the No. 19 to a 42nd-place finish.

Sadler -- who possesses three career wins in the Sprint Cup Series -- managed just eight total Top-10s in 2008 to, unfortunately, match the number of finishes 35th or worse. For a stretch in the season, it seemed that nearly every week featured a wreck involving the No. 19 and that on-track activity left Sadler with an average 2008 finish of 24th -- a number that nearly mirrors his average career finish.

Through the crystal windshield: I can't really say I'll be expecting much of Sadler or the Gillette-Evernham operation in 2009. The team is rumored to be looking at a merger with one car from Petty Enterprises in the offseason, though the GEM case is different than the Chip Ganassi Racing/Dale Earnhardt Inc. merger in that team majority owner George Gillette has a solid portfolio and the team has secured most of its 2009 sponsorship.

Sadler will easily pull off a Top-5 finish here and there, but I don't see the lovable Virginian taking middle-tier equipment and winning races or making the Chase for the Sprint Cup like his teammate Kasey Kahne could.

Next up: Travis Kvapil

'08 Rear-View Mirror: Elliott Sadler originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Tue, 09 Dec 2008 14:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Allstate400DodgeElliottSadlerGilletteEvernhamrearviewmirrorGeoffrey MillerTue, 09 Dec 2008 14:30:00 EST After Argument, Carpentier Done at GEMhttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/10/07/after-argument-carpentier-done-at-gem/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/10/07/after-argument-carpentier-done-at-gem/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/10/07/after-argument-carpentier-done-at-gem/#commentsFiled under: ,

Reed Sorenson's future seat at Gillette-Evernham Motorsports might get a little cold before he takes the reigns of his new Dodge after Patrick Carpentier got the boot from the organization Tuesday afternoon.

Carpenter failed to make last Sunday's race at Talladega, and later had somewhat of a confrontation in plain view of the entire Talladega garage with his crew chief who blamed Patrick -- not the car -- as the reason the No. 10 car wasn't in the race.

Carpentier, who was already scheduled to leave the team at the end of 2009, later posted a response to the incident on his web site:
"I think it's a complete lack of respect," said Carpentier. "I never was shy to take the blame when I thought it was my fault, but here, everybody knows that it's like driving in a straight line."

"I've looked at the timing data and we were already three-tenths below the time we needed to qualify when I went below the line. I went low because I felt we had to try everything. I gave it all I had, but now he blames me? This is totally unacceptable. It's not as if my teammates were on the first row! They both ran slower than me!"
It's hard to deny Carpentier's logic, but at the same time, he and his publicist had to know that it was a risky move by posting the team's dirty laundry for everyone to see -- especially when its against a team that had a gossip-filled firing of Jeremy Mayfield a few years ago that revealed a team owner's relationship with a female driver, among other things.
Carpentier made 24 races in 2008 with a best finish of 14th and an average of 29th, though he won the pole for the first race New Hampshire Motor Speedway in June.

Mike Wallace will be in the No. 10 this weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway, and A.J. Allmendinger will finish out the season after a stint in the Michael Waltrip Racing No. 00 at LMS.

After Argument, Carpentier Done at GEM originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:04:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>AJAllmendingerDodgeGilletteEvernhamMotorsportsMikeWallaceNASCARSillySeasonPatrickCarpentierTalladegaGeoffrey MillerTue, 07 Oct 2008 20:04:00 EST GEM Makes Carpentier a Free Agent; Allmendinger Decision Coming Soon?http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/09/17/gem-frees-carpentier-allmendinger-decision-soon/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/09/17/gem-frees-carpentier-allmendinger-decision-soon/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/09/17/gem-frees-carpentier-allmendinger-decision-soon/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Patrick Carpentier is a free man and the word on the future of A.J. Allmendinger & Red Bull Racing seems to be nearing.

On the Carpentier side of things, word came out Wednesday that Gillette-Evernham Motorsports has officially made NASCAR's favorite driving Canuck a free agent after his first season in a race car with fenders.

Carpentier is being let go effective at the end of 2008 in favor of the younger, more marketable but seemingly-similarly (say that five times) talented Reed Sorenson. Sorenson is departing Chip Ganassi Racing's No. 41 ride after having a disappointing foray into the Sprint Cup Series racing with that team.

Carpentier's story is one that just makes you want to frown and say "that just ain't fair" because of his noted improvement from when he started driving a NASCAR (hasn't even been a year yet) to now, on top of his interesting and always honest personality. Given the right opportunity with a patient car owner and sponsor, Carpentier could easily succeed as a solid driver in NASCAR.

Unfortunately, it doesn't seem like that's going to happen, and that's a shame.

Speaking of potential shames (Can you really make that plural? Probably not. Works for me, though.) the future relationship betwee Red Bull Racing and A.J. Allmendinger appears headed toward a crossroads in the very near future with a decision on 2009 coming soon.

Red Bull retained team general manager Jay Frye earlier this week after he traveled to Austria last week to discuss his own personal contract, as well as what the Red Bull driver lineup would look like in 2009. Frye had been linked to a possible move to Stewart-Haas Racing, but a multi-year contract with Red Bull ended that speculation.

Frye's move, though, doesn't indicate much in the way of Allemendinger's future, though here at FanHouse, we took A.J.'s side after his stellar sophomore season in the like-new Toyota operation.

For some reason -- I can't find the exact quote or source -- I'm under the impression that Frye is a fan of Allmendinger and that Frye signing on for more years at Red Bull is only good news for the talented A.J.

I'll claim my bias in this situation because I really feel like A.J. has done more than enough in 2008 to land himself a new contract with Red Bull. What say you, though? Should A.J. stick around at Red Bull? And should Carpentier stick with this stock car thing?

GEM Makes Carpentier a Free Agent; Allmendinger Decision Coming Soon? originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 17 Sep 2008 23:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>AJAllmendingerDodgeGEMGilletteEvernhamMotorsportsPatrickCarpentierRedBullRacingSprintCupToyotaGeoffrey MillerWed, 17 Sep 2008 23:01:00 EST It's Over: No Minced Words for Carpentierhttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/08/29/its-over-no-minced-words-for-carpentier/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/08/29/its-over-no-minced-words-for-carpentier/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/08/29/its-over-no-minced-words-for-carpentier/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Reed Sorenson made his way to Gillette-Evernham Motorsports earlier this week, transferring across Sprint Cup team lines from Chip Ganassi Racing.

And as he did so, rookie Canadian driver Patrick Carpentier in first year with GEM's No. 10 car could read the writing on the wall.

Simply, the team was placing him on the back burner of its sponsorship search -- meaning he more than likely won't be in a sponsored car if he decides to stick with the GEM team in 2009 because the emphasis will now be on Sorenson.

And when he was asked about Friday afternoon at Auto Club Speedway, he didn't exactly toe the company line:
"They hired Reed Sorenson for next year, so it's over," Carpentier says. "They're working on a fourth team and looking for sponsorship, but you know how that goes."

So Carpentier says he's a free agent. "I'm talking with other teams to see what's out there," the Montreal native says.
I'd classify what was said by Carpentier as another round of those "you can't blame him"-type comments.

He's been vocal for many weeks now about how GEM hasn't let him know about his future while other drivers snap up other rides, and to have the team string him along like that just frankly can't feel good and doesn't come across as professional.

The stats for Carpentier aren't exactly compelling him in to another ride or sponsorship in 2009, but one has to remember that his first stock car experience came just over a year ago in a road course race in Montreal.

Carpentier has a great personality and does have driving talent, and any team that decides to let him refine himself as a stock car driver could be very well-served -- if only to allow Carpentier to rub his talent in GEM's face.

It's Over: No Minced Words for Carpentier originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 29 Aug 2008 21:03:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>AutoClubSpeedwayGEMGilletteEvernhamMotorsportsPatrickCarpentierPepsi500ReedSorensonSprintCupGeoffrey MillerFri, 29 Aug 2008 21:03:00 EST Sorenson Moves to GEM; Carpentier Gone?http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/08/27/sorenson-moves-to-gem-carpentier-gone/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/08/27/sorenson-moves-to-gem-carpentier-gone/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/08/27/sorenson-moves-to-gem-carpentier-gone/#commentsFiled under: , ,

You can now call Reed Sorenson the former Chip Ganassi Racing driver:
Reed Sorenson isn't waiting for Chip Ganassi Racing to figure out the Car of Tomorrow.

The 22-year-old driver signed a multiyear contract to join Gillett Evernham Motorsports next season, where he'll join Kasey Kahne and Elliott Sadler.

Sorenson said his decision to leave Ganassi, where he began his NASCAR career as a precocious 18-year-old, was difficult but necessary.

"I'm going over here to try to make myself a better racecar driver," Sorenson said during a conference call Tuesday shortly after the announcement. "I wanted to be more competitive and I wanted to have some more opportunities to win races and things like that."
For Sorenson fans, this is great news, but for Patrick Carpentier fans it's probably not.



Sorenson's move to the GEM racing operation means the team now has four drivers on the plate for 2009, which likely means one more than sponsorship dollars can support. How does GEM relieve that problem?

Bye, Bye Patrick.

It's been no secret that GEM has struggled to find full-time sponsorship for the No. 10 ride for both 2008 and 2009, and bringing in Sorenson into the No. 10 will likely land a sponsor much easier than the older Carpentier can find.

Is that fair to Carpentier? No way. The guy has been fun to watch in 2008 as he gets better and better with each race despite having, at this point, about a year total in a stock car. Carpentier is a former Canadian open-wheel racer who jumped into NASCAR last year during the Nationwide Series race at Montreal.

In his first event, he won the pole for the road course race.

Carpentier even has a pole in 2008, though his finishes haven't exactly been top-notch. His best finishes of 2008 include a 14th at Daytona and 18th at Indianapolis in July.

As for Sorenson, look for his performance to improve I believe. He's finally had enough experience in NASCAR to fully "get it" after jumping into the sport as an 18-year-old. I fully believe Sorenson's career would have taken off much easier had he been able to wait to join the Sprint Cup Series at such a young age, but he's learned from his experience -- and pressure at Ganassi -- and will apply that well to GEM.

Sorenson Moves to GEM; Carpentier Gone? originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>ChipGanassiChipGanassiRacingGEMGilletteEvernhamMotorsportsPatrickCarpentierReedSorensonGeoffrey MillerWed, 27 Aug 2008 11:33:00 EST First Time: Ambrose, Carpentier Qualify at IMShttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/07/26/ambrose-carpentier-earn-first-brickyard-start/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/07/26/ambrose-carpentier-earn-first-brickyard-start/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/07/26/ambrose-carpentier-earn-first-brickyard-start/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

FanHouse's Geoffrey Miller is on-location at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for Sunday's 15th Running of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard.

It's a good day to be a driver from Australia or Canada in Indianapolis.

Both drivers representing their respective countries managed to qualify for their first Allstate 400 at the Brickyard Saturday morning at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the session's go-or-go-home finale.

Australian Marcus Ambrose, who announced just last week that he would be jumping from the Nationwide Series to the Sprint Cup Series full-time in 2009 with the creation of JTG Daughtery Racing, qualified for his first oval race. Needless to say, he was excited:
"I've never been so anxious and nervous and apprenhensive all my life. Two laps on the race track here at the Brickyard, which is so famous and so intimidating as well, I just had to suck all that up and let her rip," said Ambrose.

"We're racing against the big boys and we qualified ourselves in on merit. It means an awful lot to me. I feel like today I've made it. I feel like we're in the Brickyard."
Now isn't refreshing to hear a guy who is that excited to make the race? Ambrose's run is all that more impressive because his team had just two laps in practice on Friday thanks to NASCAR rules that allow Top-35 cars to go through technical inspection first.

Ambrose will start 24th.

Canadian Patrick Carpentier -- who does have one career start in 2005 Indianapolis 500 at IMS in which he finished 21st -- also made the 400-mile race in his first career attempt, despite not having a Top-35 owner points position to fall back on.

Carpentier's 15th-place starting spot continues a nice streak for the Gillette-Evernham Motorsports driver, as he has now put the No. 10 Dodge in 15th starting position or better in three of the last four races.

First Time: Ambrose, Carpentier Qualify at IMS originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 26 Jul 2008 14:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Allstate400BrickyardIndianapolisMotorSpeedwayJTGDaughteryRacingMarcusAmbroseNationwideSeriesPatrickCarpentierSprintCupGeoffrey MillerSat, 26 Jul 2008 14:59:00 EST Carpentier to Focus on Montreal, Skip Poconohttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/07/24/carpentier-to-focus-on-montreal-skip-pocono/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/07/24/carpentier-to-focus-on-montreal-skip-pocono/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/07/24/carpentier-to-focus-on-montreal-skip-pocono/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Patrick Carpentier doesn't want to be Kyle Busch.

Busch, who has pulled triple duty in all three of NASCAR's top divisions on a couple of race weekends in 2008, has been quite a busy guy while riding trains, planes, and automobiles to get to each race on those adventuresome weekends. (OK, maybe he's not been on any trains, but you get the picture.)

And Carpentier doesn't want any of that business, so he's decided to focus all of his efforts on winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series race in Montreal on Aug. 2 instead of skipping back and forth between that event and the Sprint Cup race at Pocono Raceway.

The road course event in Montreal is essentially what got Carpentier into Gillette Evernham Motorsports' No. 10 Sprint Cup ride one year ago after he nearly won the event in his first NASCAR start and sat on the pole.

It was quite an impressive effort for the former open-wheeler, and his first full-time season in Sprint Cup has had about as much success as one would expect from a true stock car rookie. He sat on the pole at New Hampshire and recorded his best finish of 14th at Daytona just three weeks ago.

The No. 10 currently sits 39th in owner point standings.

At Montreal, Patrick will drive the No. 9 GEM Dodge with Subway on the hood, and GEM hopes to turn the Subway partnership into something bigger -- like maybe signing Ryan Newman to drive a fourth car for the team in 2008.

In his place, Terry Labonte, who is racing Sunday in Kyle Petty's No. 45, will take reigns at Pocono -- a track that Labonte has won at twice.

Carpentier to Focus on Montreal, Skip Pocono originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 24 Jul 2008 15:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>GilletteEvernhamMotorsportsMontrealNationwideSereisPatrickCarpentierPoconoRacewaySprintCupTerryLabonteGeoffrey MillerThu, 24 Jul 2008 15:55:00 EST Rain Might Be the Story at New Hampshirehttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/06/29/rain-might-be-sunday-story-at-new-hampshire/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/06/29/rain-might-be-sunday-story-at-new-hampshire/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/06/29/rain-might-be-sunday-story-at-new-hampshire/#commentsFiled under: ,

As of noon local time Sunday, the New Hampshire Motor Speedway was dry.

By the time drivers should be reaching lap 100 around 3pm/ET in Sunday's Lenox Industrial Tools 301 -- 301? Really? -- the track might be a little damp thanks to weather in the area.

The forecast for the Loudon, New Hampshire area is for a 50% chance of heavy rain Sunday afternoon and a higher chance Sunday night. Glancing at the radar from the National Weather Service, rain is moving towards the area, but it doesn't look to be an all-day soaker.

The rain could do a favor for Patrick Carpentier after he shocked the NASCAR world Friday afternoon by putting his No. 10 Dodge on the pole for the Sprint Cup event. If the race gets postponed -- my money is that it won't -- then Carpentier will stay in the headlines for another day.

It is interesting, though, to see how this season especially NASCAR has gotten away from pushing up the start of a race due to an impending weather situation. The sanctioning body in the past has pushed through pre-race activities as fast as possible to get another 15-30 minutes ahead in the racing schedule, mainly to ensure that the race goes to halfway.

To me, at a track like New Hampshire without lights and thats a 15-hour drive from the team shops in North Carolina, it'd make sense to remove the threat of having to stay at the race track until Monday afternoon.

Hopefully, though, Sunday's race will get in as planned.

Be sure to come back to the FanHouse Sunday night for plenty of race coverage and some announcements of interactive opportunities coming up this week.

Rain Might Be the Story at New Hampshire originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 29 Jun 2008 13:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>LenoxIndustrialTools301NewHampshireNewHampshireMotorSpeedwayPatrickCarpentierSprintcujpSprintCupGeoffrey MillerSun, 29 Jun 2008 13:35:00 EST This Coca-Cola 600 is for Kasey Kahnehttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/05/25/this-coca-cola-600-is-for-kasey-kahne/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/05/25/this-coca-cola-600-is-for-kasey-kahne/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/05/25/this-coca-cola-600-is-for-kasey-kahne/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Geoffrey Miller is in Concord, N.C. for Sunday's Sprint Cup Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. He'll aim to eat as many elephant ears as possible while blogging away "Live from Lowe's" throughout Memorial Day weekend.


PRN Radio said it best following Sunday night's Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway:

Kasey Kahne has taken a lot of money from Greg Biffle.

Kahne scored his second consecutive victory in the Sprint Cup Series in the 600 to add to his Sprint Cup All-Star Race win from a week ago -- both of which came over 2nd-place Greg Biffle. Kyle Busch was third, Jeff Gordon fourth, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. fifth.

It was a crazy night here in Concord and the race provided what we expect from 600 miles on Memorial Day weekend. What we expect, of course, is the unexpected.

Kahne was easily one of the fastest race cars all night long, but he and his team managed to pull out the win despite the event ending as a fuel mileage event after the the yellow flag didn't wave for the final 62 laps.

Kahne hit pit road on lap 384 for a splash of fuel as a few drivers -- Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, and others -- stayed on track and conserved fuel. The No. 9 Dodge, though, was quite fast and combined with the fact that those drivers were saving fuel for much of the final 62 laps allowed Kahne to catch them despite the stop and drive past them.

Tony Stewart, though, seemed to have the upper hand late in the race as he had a full straightaway lead on Kahne after a quicker stop. That lead and the 600 win went up in smoke after Stewart blew a tire in Turn 2 with 3 laps left, forcing Stewart to pit road, and handing Kahne the win.

Much of the first part of the race was a green flag sprint with the first caution for Robby Gordon brushing the wall on lap 61 and the next on lap 161 when Kurt Busch slapped the wall after blowing a tire.

Many drivers looked quite strong for different parts of the race, but ultimately came up snake-bit while racing in the lead or near the front. Stewart had the tire issue, Busch had one, Earnhardt Jr. led a bunch of laps until cutting a right rear tire while in the lead, and Brian Vickers slapped the wall after losing a wheel in Turn 1 while having his strongest race of the season.

Stay tuned to the FanHouse for plenty more coverage Live From Lowes.

This Coca-Cola 600 is for Kasey Kahne originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 25 May 2008 23:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Coca-Cola600CocaCola600DaleEarnhardtJrGregBiffleJeffGordonKaseyKahneKyleBuschLiveFromLowesLowesMotorSpeedwaySprintCupGeoffrey MillerSun, 25 May 2008 23:59:00 EST Fans Help Kahne Earn All-Star Cool Millionhttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/05/18/kasey-kahne-picks-up-all-star-win/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/05/18/kasey-kahne-picks-up-all-star-win/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/05/18/kasey-kahne-picks-up-all-star-win/#commentsFiled under: , ,



On a night that dominant cars couldn't finish what they started, Kasey Kahne utilized his fans to help him find victory lane.

Kahne, who had not previously been made eligible for Saturday-night's Sprint All-Star Race XXIV, won the fan vote to be included in the main event race, and made the most the of it by winning his first career All-Star event. In doing so, Kahne guaranteed himself a spot in the race for the next ten years and a cool million bucks.


The race -- split up into four 25 lap quarters that offered only money and pride and no championship points -- saw no caution flags due to accidents. In fact, the biggest story wasn't the crashes, but rather the inability for drivers who looked like clear favorites to wrap up one of NASCAR's richest nights.

First, Kyle Busch led the event's first 38 laps (including winning the first segment while going away) before developing an engine issue. The team tried to fix the issue during the 10-minute break after the first two segments, but eventually gave in after the issue was deeper in the engine.

Teammate Denny Hamlin also led in the last segment, but developed a similar issue forcing him to retire after 86 laps.

Carl Edwards was tabbed by Lowe's Motor Speedway track president Humpy Wheeler to win the event, but instead won the second segment two to lead into the halftime pit road break. The No. 99 crew must have made some big adjustments as Carl's car wasn't nearly the same afterwards, and he never competed for the win again.

Greg Biffle won segment three, but he even couldn't run down Kasey Kahne in the waning laps of the fourth and final segment as the No. 9 Dodge pulled away to a steady lead and ultimate victory.

While Kahne has always been one of the more popular drivers since his arrival into Sprint Cup a few years ago, you can imagine he's never been more appreciative to have fans on his side.

Fans Help Kahne Earn All-Star Cool Million originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 18 May 2008 13:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>CarlEdwardsDaleEarnhardtJrDennyHamlinHumpyWheelerKaseyKahneKyleBuschLowesMotorSpeedwaySprintAllStarRaceXXIVSprintCupGeoffrey MillerSun, 18 May 2008 13:59:00 EST Kasey Kahne Wrecked Off-Track at Texashttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/04/10/kasey-kahne-wrecked-off-track-at-texas/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/04/10/kasey-kahne-wrecked-off-track-at-texas/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/04/10/kasey-kahne-wrecked-off-track-at-texas/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Kasey Kahne may be a highly talented Sprint Cup Series driver, but put him on the roadways of America and he's just like you or me.

From the NASCAR Scene:
According to police reports, Kahne ran into the back of a car driven by a 17-year-old woman as traffic slowed on Highway 114 near the track. No one was injured and neither driver was charged in the accident. Both vehicles had to be towed away from the scene.
I'm glad their both OK, but do you think those crazy Allstate mom's were involved?

Kahne, according to the article, was driving a Dodge Durango "leased" from a dealership near Texas Motor Speedway. That's likely a perk of being a Dodge driver.

I'd really like to know, though, if the "17-year-old" driver had any clue who Kahne was. Can you imagine that phone call home if she happened to be a NASCAR fan?

"Hey Dad. Uh, I've been in accident, but it's totally sweet because Kasey Kahne hit me!"

That's a story I'd be proud to tell.

Kasey Kahne Wrecked Off-Track at Texas originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 10 Apr 2008 18:12:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>KaseyKahnePhoenixIntlRacewayRayEvernhamSamsung500SubwayFreshFit500TexasMotorSpeedwayGeoffrey MillerThu, 10 Apr 2008 18:12:00 EST Kahne Under the Weather, Keller to Stand Byhttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/03/02/kahne-under-the-weather-keller-to-stand-by/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/03/02/kahne-under-the-weather-keller-to-stand-by/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2008/03/02/kahne-under-the-weather-keller-to-stand-by/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Kasey Kahne ran the fastest lap in Saturday afternoon's final practice at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but that doesn't mean he's up to running 267 of those on Sunday afternoon.

The Enumclaw, Wash.-driver has been battling sinus infection symptoms all weekend, and as a result, longtime Nationwide Series veteran Jason Keller will stand by on pit road for the UAW-Dodge 400 to get in the No. 9 Budweiser Dodge if need be.

From ESPN.com:
LAS VEGAS -- Kasey Kahne was suffering through a sinus infection Saturday, but the illness didn't stop him from posting the fastest lap in Happy Hour.

[...]

"After the first [Cup] practice, we knew we might do something to allow Kasey the time to get better for Sunday's race," said Mark McArdle, vice president of competition for GEM. "He's been taking fluids and getting plenty of rest."
Kahne opted not run in Saturday's Nationwide Series Sam's Town 300 in the No. 9 Gillett Evernham Motorsports car due to his condition, and instead, GEM teammate Patrick Carpentier took the wheel.

That may have been a good move considering the incredible amount of sheet metal torn up in the Nationwide race. Carpentier brought the Dodge home 8th.

Kahne, if he starts the race (which I imagine he will for points), will roll off the grid in 37th-place.

Kahne Under the Weather, Keller to Stand By originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 02 Mar 2008 10:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>JasonKellerKaseyKahneLasVegasLasVegasMotorSpeedwaySprintCupUAWDodge400Geoffrey MillerSun, 02 Mar 2008 10:33:00 EST Kahne's Brother Differs; Suit Asks for $15,000http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2007/12/19/kahnes-brother-differs-suit-asks-for-15-000/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2007/12/19/kahnes-brother-differs-suit-asks-for-15-000/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2007/12/19/kahnes-brother-differs-suit-asks-for-15-000/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Tuesday, word came out about legal troubles involving Sprint Cup Series Driver Kasey Kahne. The Gillette-Evernham driver has a misdemeanor charge of battery against him as well as a civil suit from his actions stemming from an altercation with a security guard at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November, which you can read more about here.

The lawsuit has been officially filed, seeking $15,000 in damages for Archibald Hutchison, the security guard at HMS that Kahne allegedly knocked to the ground -- while wearing his Busch Series driving suit, nonetheless -- for this oh-so-short list of reasons:
bodily injury; pain and suffering; disability; physical impairment; disfigurement; mental anguish; inconvenience; loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life; aggravation of an existing disease or physical defect; activation of a latent disease or physical defect; expense of hospitalization, medical and nursing care, and treatment in the past; expense of hospitalization, medical and nursing care, and treatment to be so obtained in the future; earnings lost in the past; and loss of ability to earn money in the future.
To be honest, I'm a little surprised that the suit is only requesting 15 grand. That's got to be one of the more legitimate financial claims to come across a court room for a major public figure in a long time.

Regardless, the fact that Hutchison was treated for "bruises and abrasions" at the Speedway makes an accusation of "loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life" or "loss of ability to earn money in the future" seem a little outlandish for me. Now, I realize I wasn't there and didn't witness it, but really, did Kahne really shove the dude that hard?

Kasey's bro Kale sure doesn't think so:

In his statement to Aquino, Kale Kahne said he has reaching for his ID but that his brother didn't have his because he'd just been in a car on the track.

"He (Kasey) said. 'I am going to walk to my motor home then,'" Kale Kahne wrote.

"One guard got in front of Kasey and grabbed him and said that you are not going anywhere. ...Kasey pushed his hands off of him. The guard lost balance and fell to the ground."
Yeah, it sounds like the typical back-your-bro-up type of story, but it probably, again, is worth noting that this security guard was so intent on not letting Kahne through the gate despite not only wearing a driver suit (referred to as "jumpsuit" in the lawsuit) and riding a golf cart.

Kahne's arraignment is Jan. 8.

Kahne's Brother Differs; Suit Asks for $15,000 originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 19 Dec 2007 11:16:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>KaseyKahneShovesPeopleNASCARCourtGeoffrey MillerWed, 19 Dec 2007 11:16:00 EST Kahne's Shove Brings Misdemeanor Charge, 'Are You Kidding Me?' Lawsuithttp://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2007/12/18/kahnes-shove-brings-misdemeanor-charge-br-are-you-kidding-me/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2007/12/18/kahnes-shove-brings-misdemeanor-charge-br-are-you-kidding-me/http://motorsports.fanhouse.com/2007/12/18/kahnes-shove-brings-misdemeanor-charge-br-are-you-kidding-me/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Kasey Kahne will head to court next month for his role in an incident in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series' season-finale weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Kahne was apparently involved in an altercation with a HMS security guard while trying to access the driver motor home lot. According to the police report:
Kahne was attempting to access a restricted recreational vehicle parking lot on a golf cart after he finished driving his racecar when Hutchison stopped him and asked him for credentials. Kahne stated that he was a driver and didn't need any, then got out of the golf cart and tried to walk through the gate, the report stated. When Hutchison blocked the entrance and asked Kahne for credentials again, Kahne pushed Hutchison to the ground [...]
For that incident, Kahne will now face a misdemeanor charge of battery in a January 8 court appearance in south Florida.

Kasey Kahne must be a really hard pusher (or trying to fit the role of a Budweiser driver better) as the security guard, Archibald Hutchison, still hasn't returned to work -- according to a lawsuit to-be-filed against Kahne.

To me, it looks like a man trying to make a buck or million off of a very small incident. But I'll let you decide:

Hutchison, who was advised not to let any unauthorized people through gate 208 without exception, was treated at the speedway's medical facility for minor bruises and abrasions, according to the report. Dohan said Hutchison hasn't been able to return to work because of his injuries.

Dohan said his client has suffered emotionally from the incident and is "getting killed" by NASCAR fans on Web site blogs. He also said he planned to have his client speak with the media about the lawsuit at a news conference planned for Tuesday.
Can you say money-hungry? Without a doubt.

I should really stop saying things about Hutchison to benefit Kahne's cause, but dang, when have bruises and abrasions caused someone to miss work for nearly a month? And why exactly should Kasey Kahne be held responsible for what other people do?

He shouldn't, and legitimately half of those claims should be thrown out. "Treated and Released" should speak volumes.

Should Kasey Kahne have tried to use his fame as a tool to get him places? No.

Should he have pushed Hutchison? No.

Am i condoning pushing 62-year-old men to the ground for fun? No. (Could it be fun? I'll let you decide.)

I'd imagine Kahne will do something to plea down the misdemeanor (if that's possible) and end up with some community service. But the lawsuit? That's ridiculous, and any judge that lets that proceed as stated is not thinking correctly.

Stay tuned to NASCARCourt here at the 'House as we'll keep you updated.

Kahne's Shove Brings Misdemeanor Charge, 'Are You Kidding Me?' Lawsuit originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Tue, 18 Dec 2007 17:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>KaseyKahneShovesHardNASCARCourtGeoffrey MillerTue, 18 Dec 2007 17:37:00 EST