Motorsports FanHouse

Sprint Cup N's & Q's: Banking 500

Geoffrey Miller — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:38:00 EST

Filed under: Casey Mears, Clint Bowyer, Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch, Sprint Cup, Joey Logano

Kasey Kahne might have had the only car to really challenge Jimmie Johnson on the longer runs Saturday night at Lowe's Motor Speedway, but a late pit stop and a bad set of tires didn't let that situation play out.

"The tires we took on the last stop shook and didn't turn," said Kahne after the race in which he led 67 laps. "I guess that was our bad set for the night."

That didn't mean that Kahne was making excuses for coming up short with a third-place finish -- his best result since a win at Atlanta in September. Instead, he was stating the obvious.

"We were the best car at times, but the final run when it counted, we weren't," said Kahne. "Jimmie [Johnson] showed up and beat us all."

It seems that a mention in last week's N's & Q's provided a nice boost of momentum to Casey Mears again this week. (OK, maybe not...)

Anyways, Mears followed up an 11th-place finish last weekend at Auto Club Speedway with a 7th-place effort at LMS on Saturday night. LMS, of course, is the site of Mears' only career win in 2007.

Mears, though, was feeling that the finishes were finally starting to back up some strong race cars that didn't finish where they should have over the past few races.

"We've had some really strong runs over the last six races and we finally have the finish we deserve," said Mears. "We're really starting to click as a team and we're looking forward to carrying this momentum over to the final five races of the season."

Mears' teammate Clint Bowyer had the best night of the oft-struggling Richard Childress Racing group with a 6th-place finish -- a sign that the team is starting to turn the corner in terms of competitiveness. Unfortunately for Casey, though, team owner Richard Childress acknowledged this weekend that his No. 07 car is having trouble attracting sponsorship -- leaving the door open to the chance that Mears won't have a ride with RCR in 2010.

Current sponsor Jack Daniel's announced last month that they'll be leaving the sport at the end of the season.

The official stated attendance for Saturday night's Sprint Cup action at LMS was 105,000 -- a number that is dwarfed by the nearly endless grandstands around the 1.5-mile speedway.

But when you stop to think about the situation, it's not a big surprise that LMS was having trouble getting tickets sold to near capacity for the fall race. Not only was the weekend a cloudy, cold and often rainy mess, but the NASCAR Banking 500 was the third Sprint Cup event at the track this season when you count the Coca-Cola 600 and the Sprint All-Star Challenge.

Toss in the big NHRA weekend at the track and you're looking at a bunch of racing options that you're trying to get local fans to throw hefty amounts of money at to attend. Let's face it: this economy just isn't going to support such spending.

I'm not saying that the Charlotte market is oversaturated with racing or that the quality isn't there on the race track -- the end of Saturday night's race had me on the edge of my seat -- but that it's understandable that tickets aren't easy to sell at the moment.

News flash: Joey Logano is still, in fact, a rookie and a 19-year-old kid.

Just look at what Logano had to say after finishing fifth on Saturday night after a late-race duel with Jeff Gordon.

"I had a blast," said Logano. "Racing a world class champion race car driver like that, running door to door for a fourth-place finish -- that was a bunch of fun. It's still really cool to me. I'm still a rookie on this whole deal. To be racing Jeff Gordon, I never thought that day would happen."

It's kind of refreshing to know that he's still getting a kick out of turning laps with the best of the best, huh?

The top-five was Logano's best finish in the Sprint Cup Series since his win at Loudon in May.

Kurt Busch, fresh off a 10th-place finish at LMS, is starting to see a trend develop in NASCAR -- particularly in the first five races of the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

"You get into a marathon-type pace early on and then you have a 100-yard dash at the end," said Busch. "It's almost like clockwork."

Fortunately for NASCAR, they didn't have to endure any criticism for a phantom debris caution after Max Papis lost an engine latein Saturday night's race. That caution led to two more before a 20-or-so lap green flag stint to the finish.

Busch acknowledged that such a pattern makes it easier to know what a car will need to win at the end.

"The team that has the car to make that short run at the end is going to be successful," said Busch.

Based on their two Chase wins in 2009, it's apparent that Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus knew that beforehand.

Sprint Cup N's & Q's: Banking 500 originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Mon, 19 Oct 2009 22:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kasey Kahne Calls Out NASCAR

FanHouse Newswire — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 23:49:00 EST

Filed under: Kasey Kahne, Chase for the Sprint Cup

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- It was just a little over two years ago when two-time series champion Tony Stewart accused NASCAR officials of "playing God" by manipulating races through phantom debris cautions.

Upset because a series of caution flags contributed to him losing a race at Phoenix, Stewart likened the sport to professional wrestling in complaining that the bogus debris calls changed the outcome of races.

"I guess NASCAR thinks 'Hey, wrestling worked, and it was for the most part staged, so I guess it's going to work in racing, too,"' he fumed. "I don't know that they've run a fair race all year."

The issue has come roaring back behind Kasey Kahne's accusation that NASCAR threw a bogus caution Sunday to bunch up the field and avoid a boring runaway win by Jimmie Johnson at Auto Club Speedway.

Kahne was likely headed to a top-10 finish when he was wrecked on a restart with 12 laps to go. Kurt Busch started the accident when he bounced off the wall and into Kahne. The contact sent Kahne into Greg Biffle, and both cars spun through the grass with enough damage to ruin their race.

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Latest NASCAR Photos

Denny Hamlin (11) and Juan Pablo Montoya, partially obscured, tangle on a restart during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' Pepsi 500 auto race, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009, in Fontana, Calif. At front left is Jimmie Johnson, who won the race. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Latest NASCAR Images

Brazilian Formula One driver Nelson Piquet Jr. during NASCAR Truck testing at Rockingham Speedway in Rockingham, N.C., Monday, Oct. 12, 2009. Rain prevented Piquet from testing a NASCAR truck. (AP Photo/Jim Bounds)

Brazilian Formula One driver Nelson Piquet Jr., right foreground, during NASCAR Truck testing at Rockingham Speedway in Rockingham, N.C., Monday, Oct. 12, 2009. Rain prevented Piquet from testing a NASCAR truck. (AP Photo/Jim Bounds)

Brazilian Formula One driver Nelson Piquet Jr., left, and IRL driver Vitor Meira, also from Brazil, watch Red Horse Racing NASCAR truck testing at Rockingham Speedway in Rockingham, N.C., Sunday, Oct. 12, 2008. Rain prevented Piquet from testing a NASCAR truck. (AP Photo/Jim Bounds)

Brazilian Formula One driver Nelson Piquet Jr. is shown during NASCAR Truck testing at Rockingham Speedway in Rockingham, N.C., Monday, Oct. 12, 2009. Rain prevented Piquet from testing a NASCAR truck. (AP Photo/Jim Bounds)

Brazilian Formula One driver Nelson Piquet Jr., is shown at NASCAR Truck testing at Rockingham Speedway in Rockingham, N.C., Sunday, Oct. 12, 2008. Rain prevented Piquet from testing a NASCAR truck. (AP Photo/JIM BOUNDS)

Brazilian Formula One driver Nelson Piquet Jr., left, during NASCAR Truck testing at Rockingham Speedway in Rockingham, N.C., Monday, Oct. 12, 2009. Rain prevented Piquet from testing a NASCAR truck. (AP Photo/Jim Bounds)

Brazilian Formula One driver Nelson Piquet Jr. arrives to test a NASCAR truck for Red Horse Racing at Rockingham Speedway in Rockingham, N.C., Monday, Oct. 12, 2008. Rain prevented Piquet from testing a NASCAR truck. (AP Photo/Jim Bounds)

Brazilian Formula One driver Nelson Piquet Jr., right, talks with NASCAR truck driver Timothy Peters during testing at Rockingham Speedway in Rockingham, N.C., Monday, Oct. 12, 2009. Rain prevented Piquet from testing a NASCAR truck. (AP Photo/Jim Bounds)

A Jeff Gordon fan sits in the grandstands during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' Pepsi 500 auto race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Jimmie Johnson drives in the early laps of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' Pepsi 500 auto race at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2009. Johnson won the race. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

But Kahne didn't blame Busch for the accident. His ire instead was directed at NASCAR, which had called a caution four laps earlier for debris on the track. At the time of the yellow flag, Johnson had an insurmountable lead over the rest of the field that could only be erased by a caution.

"We worked hard all day, got ourselves in a good position and I think it was going to be a good points day," Kahne said. "Then NASCAR threw a debris caution for no debris, which caused Kurt Busch to hit the wall, which caused me to go to the grass and Greg Biffle.

"It's disappointing that we had a bad race because of a caution to put a show on for the fans. That's a good part of the sport - we have to keep the fans excited - but sometimes it ruins people's days."

There's one small problem with Kahne's contention.

There was clearly debris on the track.

ESPN's cameras showed a decent sized black wad of something laying on the backstretch when the caution was displayed with 16 laps remaining. A safety vehicle was also shown pulling off the grass and onto the track to presumably recover the item.

Not that NASCAR was ever in doubt, though.

"There was debris on the track, it was talked about on the (NASCAR) radio, it was identified as something being there and the caution was thrown," NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said Monday.

And if NASCAR had been wrong, and there was nothing on the track?

Oh well.

"NASCAR is always going to put the safety of the competitors first, and when it comes to identifying something on the track, we're always going to err on the side of caution," Poston said.

And that's what will forever keep this issue alive. Because sometimes there may not be debris on the track, competitors and fans will always form their own opinions on NASCAR's intent at the time of the caution.

In fact, there was a debris caution that went unproven shortly before Kahne's accusation. Johnson had his normal monstrous lead when the yellow came out with 65 laps left. This time, though, ESPN was in commercial. When the network came out of the break, the debris was not shown, the commentators did not reveal what was on the track surface and the issue was forgotten as soon as pit stops began.

So, for the sake of argument, let's just pretend we know it was a phantom caution call to "save the show."

It certainly added excitement to the event - Denny Hamlin wrecked as the leader on the restart to bring out another caution - and it prevented Johnson from winning by a half-lap or even more.

Plus, NASCAR used that opportunity to sweep the track, a cleanup that wouldn't have happened had there not been a caution.

So view it as a timeout, a break in the action that is the norm in every other sport and often comes at critical moments of an event. Same thing in NASCAR, when a debris caution can both help and harm a driver.

"It's frustrating when you're leading and pulling away and they say 'debris caution,"' third-place finisher Juan Pablo Montoya said after the race. "It could be simple, or it could be a screw. In Bristol, I had a flat tire from a
washer, you know, with 20 laps to go.

"What can you do? Nothing. It is what it is."

By JENNA FRYER, AP Sports Writer

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Kasey Kahne Calls Out NASCAR originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Mon, 12 Oct 2009 23:49:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse Warmup: AAA 400 @ Dover

Geoffrey Miller — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 11:18:00 EST

Filed under: Denny Hamlin, Elliott Sadler, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch, Chase for the Sprint Cup, Sprint Cup

The Essentials

Race: AAA 400

Where: Dover Int'l Speedway
Time: Sunday 2 p.m./EDT
TV/Radio: ESPN, Motor Racing Network
Twitter: Updates @ FanHouseRacing
Forecast: Mid-70s, Partly Cloudy, 40% rain
Distance: 400 laps (400 miles)
Pole Winner: Jimmie Johnson
2008 Winner: Greg Biffle

The Storylines

If you've caught any coverage of Sprint Cup practice or qualifying this weekend from Dover, the chance you didn't hear a driver complain about the new Goodyear tire compound was razor thin.

The tire supplier tested at the mile-long concrete track in August and brought back a compound that is supposed to have more grip like a tire for Charlotte or Las Vegas. The right-side tires also feature compound elements learned from Indianapolis that Goodyear hopes will allow the rubber to adhere to the racing groove better.

Several teams were taken by surprise by the change this weekend and have noticed a tremendous difference in the tire's handling characteristics from the May race at Dover -- leaving many to ponder and criticize Goodyear's changes.

Denny Hamlin, qualified 13th for Sunday's race, was the most vocal of opponents on Friday in the garage area.

"There was a tire test here and, from what I hear, they didn't bring back the tire that everyone liked," Hamlin said. "They won't listen to us drivers, so I don't know why we even tire test these race tracks anymore.

"They'll take a lot of data from this tire or they'll piece together this tire and that tire and make a tire that no one has run on and it ends up being terrible."

Greg Biffle wasn't as critical of the process, but felt the changes were unnecessary.

"This tire is really proposing a lot of trouble for us, and we're just super-loose and having troubles getting a hold of the race track," said Biffle. "They should've left the tire alone. There was nothing wrong with the old one."

Of course, there were other drivers who felt that the complaining wasn't needed and that the tire would be fine. Kurt Busch's feelings about the tire were positive, feeling that the drivers just need to do their jobs.

"It's not driving very easy, but we're fast," said Busch, who paced the second practice session. "I think what the car is telling me is that this new tire is asking for the drivers to get up on the wheel and drive hard."

And Michael Waltrip Racing's David Reutimann was quite gung-ho about the grip level of the tire -- something Goodyear probably liked to hear.

"I think Goodyear has got a very good tire," said Reutimann. "It seems like it has a lot of grip and a lot of good drive. The tire has a little more stagger and a couple of subtle things."

Hamlin's irritation didn't stop with the tires after getting booted late out of Saturday's Nationwide race at Dover.

Brad Keselowski made a move underneath Hamlin on lap 189 of the 200 lap event in turn two. Hamlin, who admitted his spotter told him that the No. 88 was down low, tried to cut down to stop Keselowski off the corner. Contact ensued and Hamlin spun lazily across the track before clipping the nose of his car against the inside wall.

Hamlin would pull directly to the garage and finish 27th while Keselowski finished third. The controversy didn't stop there, though.

When the 25-year-old Keselowski pulled into the pits after the race, 29-year-old Hamlin greeted him at his car and exchanged a few words with him. Later, Hamlin said he wanted to offer Keselowski "guidance".

The pair exchanged a shoves with Keselowski's PR rep handling Hamlin for the driver from Michigan.

Don't worry, we've got the Youtube of the whole discussion -- and a little bit of background from a tangle between these two at Charlotte last season -- right here.

Elliott Sadler, fresh off his 8th-place finish last week, suffered the same problem that his Richard Petty Motorsports teammate Kasey Kahne had a week ago during qualifying for Sunday's race.

Sadler's No. 19 broke a crankshaft his R6 Dodge engine -- the same ill that knocked Kasey Kahne out of the race at New Hampshire last week. Unlike Kahne, though, Sadler will be biting the bullet on Sunday with the same model of engine because of problems with motor mounts.

Kahne is planning to race the R5 engine -- an older, but more reliable generation of the Dodge motor -- for the rest of the season. Sadler, meanwhile, will have to put a new R6 in for Sunday because the motor mounts on his car at Dover don't align with the R5, and the chassis work to make it fit is too much to handle away from the shop.

Rain is a possibility today at Dover, but the chances seem to be tapering off as the day moves on.

The National Weather Service has the threat of isolated showers at 40 percent through 3pm local time today and otherwise partly cloudy.

Here's to hoping we can get a full race in.

The Prediction

Greg Biffle has scored 108 more points in the last 10 races at Dover than Jimmie Johnson to lead all active drivers in that category. However, Johnson does have four wins at the track compared to Biffle's two.

Johnson is the most recent winner at Dover, but Biffle won last season's fall race at the one-mile concrete oval.

Those two seem like obvious favorites at the fast track in Delaware, but there's just one more stat you should know. Carl Edwards has the best average finish of them all -- he's normally 7th -- and has failed to complete just 5 laps in his career at the track.

Who's your favorite today? Me, I'll take Jimmie Johnson.

FanHouse Warmup: AAA 400 @ Dover originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 27 Sep 2009 11:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engine Problem Sidelines Kahne Early

Geoffrey Miller — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 15:05:00 EST

Filed under: Kasey Kahne, Chase for the Sprint Cup

Kasey Kahne's chances of winning his first NASCAR championship might have just went up in smoke -- literally.

Kahne's No. 9 Budweiser Dodge stumbled on lap 69 of Sunday's Chase for the Sprint Cup opener at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and belched smoke before the Washington driver made a hard left turn into the garage area. The engine problems came just days after reports said that his team's engine shop was in turmoil after a recent merger announcement.

The woes will leave Kahne with a 38th-place finish to start the 10-race run to the championship but not out of the fight quite yet.
As was quickly noted by ESPN after the Dodge engine in Kahne's No. 9 grenaded, Jimmie Johnson suffered a similar fate with a 39th-place finish to open the Chase in 2006. He rallied over the remaining 9 races to win the first of his three-consecutive titles.

After exiting the car, Kahne was obviously disappointed.

"It's a bad deal," said Kahne. "It was a good car. I thought we were a pretty good car [before the problems]."

Kahne's team, Richard Petty Motorsports, hastily announced before last week's race at Richmond that they would merge with Ford team Yates Racing. The team will switch to Fords in 2010. Mark McArdle, now the team's former vice president and manager of racing operations, reportedly had a heated confrontation with team co-owner George Gillett Jr. at Richmond over the planned merge.

It's expected that the RPM engine shop will close and that the Yates Racing engine shop will handle the power plant duties in 2010.

Engine Problem Sidelines Kahne Early originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 20 Sep 2009 15:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Secret to Chase Title? Average a Top-5

Geoffrey Miller — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 21:13:00 EST

Filed under: Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Mark Martin, Chase for the Sprint Cup, Sprint Cup

Based on the five versions of the Chase for the Sprint Cup we've seen so far, two things are clear.

First, Jimmie Johnson's run of three straight championships has to leave the No. 48 as the car to beat, regardless of his performance heading to the Chase. And second, drivers agree: average a top-five finish and you'll be hosting the beautiful Tiffany & Co.-built trophy in Homestead.

In fact, that's what Jimmie Johnson has done in the past two years, setting the bar for what this season's slate of drivers will be aiming for.
Last season, Johnson compiled three wins in the final ten races while averaging a finish of 5.7. He secured his third straight title by 59 points over Carl Edwards.

Such a stat, Mark Martin says, can't be beat even in the most competitive of Chase environments.

"Nobody is going to beat a five or 5.5-place finish," Martin said Friday ahead of the Chase's opening round. "Anybody that does that for 10 races is going to hold that trophy."

Martin already has a slight advantage -- and possibly a few extra mulligan points -- thanks to his four race wins in 2009 that have seeded him with 40 extra bonus pointsand the Chase lead heading to New Hampshire.

Those bonus points, as well as the increased point total for winning a race that was instituted ahead of the 2007 season, have changed the game according to Jeff Gordon. The four-time champion is yet to win a title under the Chase format.

"Winning is more of a premium these days because of the points gap between winning and second," Gordon said. "Ever since they changed that, I think it has made winning that much more important because you can get down a little bit, win two or three races and you can make up a ton of points. In the past, there wasn't that big of a gap and you are fine with finishing second, third or fourth."

The stats back Gordon up on that matter.

Johnson's first title in 2006 carried the lowest average finish of any Chase champion. He wound up with a 10.8 average with just one win and still pulled the title out by 56 points. The 2005 edition was won by Tony Stewart with an 8.7 average and Kurt Busch took the 2004 title by just an 8 point margin with an average finish of 8.9.

Such slim margins have Kasey Kahne, another Chase contender, realizing that his team will need to pick up the pace. No longer with a 10th-place average do.

"We're going to have to step our consistency up a little bit further," said Kahne. "I think we're more of a quiet 8th to 13th and we're gonna need to stick that further up in the top-10 and win a race or two if we want to win a championship."

Secret to Chase Title? Average a Top-5 originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 19 Sep 2009 21:13:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dodge CEO: Petty Switch to Ford 'a Business Decision'

Holly Cain — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:18:00 EST

Filed under: Kasey Kahne, Dodge, Ford, Sprint Cup

RICHMOND, Va. -- Tthere was mixed reaction in the Richmond International Raceway garage Friday morning to the news that Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) and Yates Racing plans to merge for the 2010 NASCAR season and will field a four-car Ford team under the RPM name.

RPM currently fields Dodges and the move to Ford would leave Dodge only the three-car Penske Racing stable in the Sprint Cup Series.

Dodge Motorsports President and CEO Mike Accavitti issued a statement saying, "Richard (Petty) has made a business decision to merge with Yates Racing. We wish Richard and RPM luck the rest of the season and in the future.''

"Dodge's plan -- to be a championship contender in 2010 with Penske Racing and a solid lineup of drivers -- has not changed."

RPM also announced its 2010 driver lineup of Kasey Kahne, Elliott Sadler, A.J. Allmendinger and Paul Menard. And even some of these drivers, say they were just as surprised by the announcement as everyone else.

There is plenty of irony to go around. Sadler left Yates Racing late in the 2006 season to drive for Evernham Motorsports, which is now RPM. Kahne, the team's lead driver, was involved in a lawsuit with Ford in 2004 after he signed with Evernham to drive Dodges.

The twist in fate wasn't lost on Kahne

"This wasn't really about me, it was about building Richard Petty Motorsports," said Kahne who only found out about the merger Wednesday night -- the day before the formal announcement. "When I left Ford and went through that suit and I wasn't a big fan and they weren't a big fan of me, but time heals and a lot of those people that were involved in that aren't there now. They have new people there and I'm really excited.

"I feel good they're trying to make us better as a company. The Dodge deal was up.

"This change is to make us stronger and give us a better chance when it comes to racing against these four and basically eight-car teams. "

Reed Sorenson, who drives the No. 43 Dodge for RPM this season is one of the drivers -- along with former champion Bobby Labonte and up-and-comer Erik Darnell -- left out of the announced merger plans.

Sorenson told Sirius Satellite Radio Thursday, "I didn't know when this was going to happen or what they were working on it but obviously it came along this week.

"There have been some conversations in the past few weeks just discussing next year and I've kind of known for a few weeks now that I'm looking for a job next year."

Sorenson said he doesn't have a real good lead right now, adding, "I just think it's the circumstances of the economy and what everybody's having to do to get through it."

Driver Ryan Newman said he thought this merger -- and a trend of teams merging in the last two seasons -- was a bad sign for the state of NASCAR.

"It's crazy to see how this sport has changed,'' said Newman, who drives the No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet for Stewart-Haas Racing. "To see some of these mergers to me is a weakness in the sport. We don't want to see mergers of organizations; we want to see organizations have multiple teams. I want to see six to eight cars go home every week, that's the way it should be in my eyes.

"I don't think that having these mergers is a good thing for the sport. You know the Dodge thing here, that doesn't really matter, it's just more the merger of the teams that I see as the bigger kicker."

It also creates an interesting situation for Kahne who is the only RPM or Yates driver in position to qualify for the Chase for the Championship. He's a two-race winner this season and currently sixth in the standings, needing only to finish 21st in Saturday night's race at Richmond to make the 12-driver playoff.

Kahne is the only driver with either the Petty or Yates team to win a race since 2005.

"I'm not real worried about that (next year) right now," Kahne said. "I'm worried about driving my Dodges and winning races in them."

Dodge CEO: Petty Switch to Ford 'a Business Decision' originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The King Finally Back in Title Hunt

Holly Cain — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Kasey Kahne, Chase for the Sprint Cup

RICHMOND, Va. -- Kasey Kahne was not even born the last time his team owner, Richard Petty, hoisted a NASCAR championship trophy. Kahne was 4 years old the afternoon Petty won his last race -- the Firecracker 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 4, 1984.

With Sunday's win at Atlanta, the 29-year-old Kahne has now hosted his Richard Petty Motorsports team namesake in victory circle twice this season. And for the first time in almost 25 years, "The King" at least has a shot to hold NASCAR's crown again.

Kahne will clinch a playoff berth Saturday night if drives the No. 9 Budweiser Dodge to a 21st place finish or better at Richmond International Raceway -- site of his first career Sprint Cup Series victory in 2005.

It's the first time in too long that Petty and championship have appeared in the same sentence without being a nostalgic reference to the good ol' days. Things are pretty good these days.

More: Petty, Yates Teams to Combine Forces

A late-season resurgence has positioned Kahne well for the 10-race Chase for the Championship. And if four-time winners Mark Martin and Kyle Busch fail to make the Chase -- neither has clinched a spot -- Kahne could even start as high as third place in the standings when the points are re-set based on wins.

"Maybe we got off to slow start, but hopefully all the stuff that we've done, all the stuff we've learned being a crew and being a team deal sort of gels at the end of the season,'' Petty said following Kahne's win last weekend.

"That's the way the situation is with the points standings now. Anybody that has the last part of the season good has a chance to win a championship. This is a good start of the last part of the season, so that's the way we're looking at it.''

Kahne's job driving for Petty involves three degrees of separation -- Ray Evernham hired Kahne as rookie in 2004, then sold part of the team to George Gillett, whose Gillett Motorsports merged with Petty Enterprises prior to the start of this season, rebranding the four-car operation Richard Petty Motorsports.

On Thursday RPM announced its intent to merge again -- with Yates Racing -- keeping the Richard Petty Motorsports moniker but switching from Dodge power to Ford.

Reverence for Petty is evident in more than the logo -- which has now survived and branded even through multiple mergers.

It's motivation.

Kahne has been candid and emotional about how much it would mean to give Petty a reason to visit victory circle for the first time since 1999 when John Andretti last won for Petty Enterprises.

And sure enough, Kahne and Petty were so overwhelmed and joyous when that moment came this summer in Sonoma, Calif., Petty drank wine with Kahne during the winner's celebration -- noteworthy because for years Petty refused to allow any alcohol sponsorship decals on his cars.

It's a far cry from the modest celebration Petty enjoyed after each of his record 200 wins. But then it's been a long time coming.

"I won a couple races and told the people, 'excuse me, I've got to go to the bathroom,' I think that was the most exciting thing that I ever done,'' Petty joked.

The last time Petty finished top-five in the Cup championship was a pair of fourth place efforts in 1980 and 1983 -- when he was still driving.

Since then, Bobby Hamilton's ninth-place title run in 1996 is the best the team has fared. A Petty team has only cracked the top-20 in the final standings once (with driver Bobby Labonte, 18th in 2007) in the 13 seasons since.

"I'm a hard head, that's the reason I come back,'' Petty said.

And the same tenacity that helped him earn a record seven championships and 200 victories is serving him well -- finally -- as a team owner.

Petty is still the competitor, even if his teams haven't been competitive in recent years.

The merger with Gillett (who first bought into Evernham Motorsports in 2007, forming Gillett Evernham Motorsports, and then bought out founding team owner Ray Evernham the following season) gave Petty a driver lineup -- anchored by Kahne -- that he can count on.

In a season of sentimental choices that also includes Martin's championship run -- Petty is savoring the renewed opportunity and relevance.

He is an icon in the way Arnold Palmer is to golf and Babe Ruth to baseball. And it's a shot in the arm for NASCAR to have its 73-year old King holding court again.

There is no better ambassador. Here is a famous athlete who took penmanship classes when he was young to perfect his signature for autographs, a superstar who not only poses with fans for photographs but patiently allows for do-overs if the shot wasn't just right.

While many of NASCAR's current stars have perfected the don't stop-don't engage walk around the garage, it takes Petty 13 seconds to sign his full name; his number 43, inserted into the oversized loop in the Petty "y" - a finishing touch he offers with pride.

He has a way of making people walk away feeling like they did him a favor, instead of the other way around.

"You've got to figure I've been doing this since I was 7 years old and it's all I've ever done and all I've ever really wanted to do,'' Petty said.

"Basically now it's my hobby. I don't play golf. I'm not that big a hunter,and all this kind of stuff. My hobby is being around the racetrack seeing people and just doing the things that I'm doing.

"Sometimes it gets aggravating but overall, it's really what I want to do ... I always feel like as long as I can do it, I want to keep doing it because if I ever pull over to the side of the road, somebody is going to go by me and I don't like that part.''

The King Finally Back in Title Hunt originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 22:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Petty, Yates Teams to Combine Forces

Holly Cain — Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:04:00 EST

Filed under: Kasey Kahne, Ford, Yates Racing

RICHMOND, Va. -- Two of the biggest names in NASCAR -- Richard Petty Motorsports and Yates Racing -- announced Thursday they have signed a letter-of-intent to merge for the 2010 season and will field a four-car Ford team under the Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) banner.

Current Yates driver Paul Menard and current RPM drivers Kasey Kahne, Elliott Sadler and A.J. Allmendinger will be the drivers.

"This is a pretty big deal for us," Richard Petty said. "We've talked with a lot of folks, but in the end it came down to the success the Gilletts (co-owner George Gillett and his sons) and and I think we can achieve with Ford Racing.

"There are lots of details still left to be ironed out so we don't have a lot of answers for anyone right now. We'll be working on all that in the coming days, weeks and months, but we do intend to have everything in place before the start of next season. I've won races with Ford and plan to again."

"I am very pleased that Richard Petty Motorsports has made the decision to switch to Ford," said Brian Wolfe, director of Ford North America Motorsports. "They had choices to consider other than Ford and it's gratifying to us that they have enough faith in the Ford Motor Company and what we're doing to make the switch."

"What's also really cool to me is the chance to have someone with the class and legacy of Richard Petty involved with Ford. Combine that with the chance to work with the Gillett family, who we have great respect for, and add some great drivers to the Ford camp, well, it's hard not to be excited about this opportunity.''

The Petty team's switch from Dodges to Fords leaves only Roger Penske's three-car operation in the Dodge ranks. and dispels season-long rumors that RPM would be fielding Toyotas in 2010.

George Gillett bought majority control of what was then Evernham Motorsports in 2007 (the company was renamed Gillett Evernham Motorsports after the deal was completed). Team founder Ray Evernham eventually sold most of his interest to Gillett in 2008 and relinquished almost all involvement with the organization -- which again changed names to Gillett Motorsports -- at that point.

Gillett and the legendary Petty joined forces following the 2008 season to form (and rename yet again) Richard Petty Motorsports. Evernham remains a small minority shareholder, but is not active in the organization's operation.

Thursday's news effectively means that Reed Sorenson, who moved to RPM this season to drive the No. 43, and former Cup champ Bobby Labonte, who moved from the former Petty Enterprises to Yates Racing after last season, will both once again be free agents at the end of this season. It also leaves the status of Eric Darnell, who will replace Labonte in the No. 96 Ford for six of the remaining 11 Cup races on the schedule in what was considered somewhat of a tryout on the Cup series for the young driver, uncertain for next season.

Petty, Yates Teams to Combine Forces originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:04:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kahne Rockets Up Standings With Win

FanHouse Newswire — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 23:35:00 EST

Filed under: Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, Chase for the Sprint Cup

HAMPTON, Ga. (AP) -- Four guys are in the Chase for the Championship. Ten others are sweating it out.

On to Richmond!

Kasey Kahne greatly improved his chances of making the season-ending Chase with a victory Sunday night at Atlanta Motor Speedway, pulling away from Kevin Harvick after a fortunate yellow flag late in the race.

More Coverage: Race Results | Sprint Cup Standings

Kahne leaped five spots in the Sprint Cup standings -- from a tenuous 11th to more comfortable sixth -- but he's not ready to count himself in just yet.

The 12-driver NASCAR playoff field will be finalized Saturday night at Richmond, and those are the only ones who'll have a shot at the Cup over the final 10 races.

So far, only Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, three-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin have clinched a spot in the Chase. The next 10 spots are separated by a mere 122 points.

"It's going to be intense," Kahne said. "From fifth to 14th is going to be really intense at Richmond next week."

Kevin Harvick, who won the Nationwide race at Atlanta, was in position for a weekend double until teammate Clint Bowyer spun with 15 laps to go, bringing out the final caution of the night. Kahne got Harvick on the restart and pulled away to an easy 1.766-second win.

Harvick knew he was in trouble as soon as the yellow flag came out. So did his crew chief, Gil Martin, who swung his arms in disgust when he saw Bowyer's car sliding through the grass in the trioval

"We had a great car tonight," Harvick said. "I knew we were in trouble there at the end because it took our car 15 or 20 laps to get going."

He held on for second, matching his best performance in a disappointing season. Juan Pablo Montoya finished third and solidified his odds of making the Chase for the first time.

"Kevin was the best on the long runs," said Kahne, who picked up his second win of the year and 11th of his career. "We just got them. We had a really good car for about 10 laps."

Hamlin became the fourth driver to clinch a spot in the Chase with a sixth-place showing. Stewart, Gordon and Johnson were already in.

There was no change among the top 12, though there was some shuffling in their order. Stewart still leads the points after an 11th-place finish, followed by Gordon, Johnson, Hamlin, Carl Edwards, Kahne, Kurt Busch, Montoya, Ryan Newman, Mark Martin, Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth. Brian Vickers will go to Richmond 20 points behind Kenseth, with Kyle Busch 37 points out of a return to the Chase.

Montoya, the former IndyCar champion and Formula One driver, is hoping to make it for the first time in his three-year NASCAR career. As soon as he climbed from his car, he searched out a computer to see where he was in the standings heading to Richmond.

"It just makes life easier," Montoya said.

Harvick has no chance of winning a championship. He's 23rd in the points and has spent more time this season answering questions about his future with Richard Childress Racing.

"That's a long way from where we've been," said Harvick, whose other runner-up finish this season came way back in February at the season-opening Daytona 500.

The first scheduled race under the lights at Atlanta and the new Labor Day weekend date was a big hit with the fans. An estimated 111,000 turned out on a warm night after years of declining attendance at the 1.54-mile track.

Johnson, trying to become the first driver in Cup history to win four straight championships, slipped from second to third in the standings after finishing 22 laps behind in 36th place.

He was running second when he lost control of his No. 48 car coming out of turn two. He managed to avoid the inside wall and get back to the pits for another set of tires, but the mishap knocked him all the way back to 19th.

Johnson was on the verge of getting back into the top 10 when a broken axle during a pit stop forced him back to the garage for repairs. With all chances of winning gone, he had to go back to the garage one more time to fix a balky gear box.

"We had trouble with the rear of the car," Johnson said. "It was just an unfortunate night for us."

Edwards hobbled out to his car on crutches after breaking his right foot playing frisbee a few days earlier. His pedal foot didn't give him any problem, but his race was ruined by a hole in his radiator. He had to go to the garage for lengthy repairs and wound up just behind Johnson in 37th.

Edwards won this race a year ago, one of nine victories on his way to a second-place finish in the season standings. He has yet to win this year but maybe that's for the best - there's no way he can do his customary victory celebration, a backflip off his No. 99 car with his ailing foot.

By PAUL NEWBERRY, AP Sports Writer

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Latest NASCAR Photos

HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 06: Kurt Busch, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge hits the wall in turn four during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 6, 2009 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kurt Busch

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HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 06: Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 Dupont Chevrolet, leads a line of cars during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 6, 2009 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jeff Gordon

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HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 06: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Pedigree Toyota, Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #1 Guitar Hero 5 Chevrolet, Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's/KOBALT Tools Chevrolet, Kasey Kahne, driver of the #9 Budweiser Dodge, and Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Farm Bureau Toyota, race through turn one during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 6, 2009 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kyle Busch;Martin Truex Jr.;Jimmie Johnson;Kasey Kahne;Denny Hamlin

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HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 06: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Pedigree Toyota, and Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #1 Guitar Hero Chevrolet, races during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 6, 2009 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kyle Busch;Martin Truex Jr.

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Clint Bowyer (33) just misses the spinning car of Joey Logano (20) after Logano hit the wall in Turn 4 during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' Pep Boys Auto 500 race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga., Sunday, Sept. 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Kasey Kahne (9) passes Kevin Harvick (29) for the lead during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series' Pep Boys Auto 500 race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga., Sunday, Sept. 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 06: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet, leads the field during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 6, 2009 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Harvick

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HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 06: Reed Sorenson, driver of the #43 Air Force Dodge drives to pit road after an incident in turn four during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 6, 2009 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Reed Sorenson

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HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 06: Juan Pablo Montoya, driver of the #42 Target Chevrolet, leads a group of cars during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 6, 2009 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Juan Pablo Montoya

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HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 06: Kasey Kahne, driver of the #9 Budweiser Dodge, races during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 6, 2009 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kasey Kahne

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Kahne Rockets Up Standings With Win originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 06 Sep 2009 23:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse Warmup: Carfax 400

Geoffrey Miller — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 12:08:00 EST

Filed under: Brian Vickers, Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Kyle Busch, Sprint Cup

The Essentials

Race: CARFAX 400

Where: Michigan Int'l Speedway
Time: Sunday 2PM ET
TV/Radio: ESPN, MRN Radio
Twitter: Updates @ FanHouseRacing
Forecast: Sunny, 91 degrees, 30% rain
Distance: 200 laps (400 miles)
Pole Winner: Brian Vickers
2008 Winner: Carl Edwards

The Storylines

'Hot! Hot! Hot!' has long been the opener to a Jimmy Buffett concert [much like the one yours truly attended this week] and theme should have major crossover appeal Sunday in Michigan. The mercury is expected to be bubbling with highs in the 90s -- a first for Sprint Cup in 2009.

Just as the weather pattern has been for the upper midwest all summer, the high temperatures and imposing humidity have finally kicked for the NASCAR season's stretch run after a round of events in June and July have been mostly temperate.

Drivers will be feeling fortunate to only have 400 miles at the 2-mile MIS, as will the engine tuners. Innovations such as a helmet coolers and in-car drinking systems that always leave a cold refreshment at hand for drivers make a big difference in staying focused for the entire race, but 3+ hours in a car generally topping 120 or 130 degrees inside is still a workout.

And more than likely, at least one driver will feel the effects of technical difficulties if those cooling systems malfunction or are forced off thanks to another electrical issue inside the car. That's when 'Hot! Hot! Hot!' really comes to play.

And the award for most awkward media visit goes to... none other than Kyle Busch and Brian Vickers. The former Hendrick drivers and not so best friends had an interesting post-race press conference after Saturday's Nationwide Series race at MIS.

For background, Vickers and Busch were clamoring for the win with two laps to go in the 250-miler. Busch was trying to pass Vickers, who got loose, corrected, and tried to force Busch to the bottom of the track down the frontstretch coming to the white flag.

It ended up being a successful defensive move but gave the third-place car Brad Keselowski a wide-open area to swing past them both in the next corner. Keselowski then held off Vickers and Busch to score the win in his home state, as well as one for the Nationwide Series regulars.

Busch was none too pleased with Vickers efforts and showed it by bumping Vickers' No. 32 on pit road. Busch then hopped from his ride to confront a still-seated Vickers about the move, walked away, returned to flip the visor on Vickers' helment and then headed to a national television interview where he said Keselowski didn't deserve to win.

The insults kept flying when Vickers had his interview -- a la "I didn't know it was the Kyle Busch show" -- before they were both hoarded to the media press conference area for their obligated post-race question-and-answer. Of course, they were seated next to each other, leading to this gem of "Awkward Moments presented by Youtube":

Kinda reminds you of those pre-fight boxing matches with a staged controversy, doesn't it? Only difference was that it was very real -- these guys just don't seem to get along.

Brian Vickers, of course, is on the pole for Sunday's race, a mark that tallies his third-straight at the track. It also marked his sixth of the season though he has yet to claim a victory for the prime starting spot.

You can bet that Vickers probably will be pressing harder than normal on Sunday to get to victory lane, mainly to help shore up his yet-to-be-resolved contract situation with Red Bull Racing. Red Bull has always figured out their plans for the next season in an odd, seemingly late fashion, but the possibility of the team's Austrian bosses making a radical change is always there.

For reference, see A.J. Allmendinger being replaced by Scott Speed last season.

Jeff Gordon and his back may finally be off topic for Sprint Cup reporters after the four-time champ finally had it with the questions on Friday during a small media gathering outside his hauler.

"Man, let's stop talking about my back," Gordon said. "We're done talking about my back. Let's move on. I'm here. I'm fine. Let's move on to something else."

Sure, it's an issue, but nothing has really changed on the matter in the past two or three months -- even with some hard hits at Dover in June and last week at Watkins Glen. The questions, though, haven't stopped.

I suppose I can understand a brief "loss of composure" -- as the Associated Press put it -- on the issue, especially given that Gordon has been very up-front about any changes to his situation.

Kasey Kahne confirmed that he had a photo shoot recently for 2010 marketing campaigns that included both a Dodge version and Toyota version of his No. 9 Budweiser car.

Rumor around the garage area has said his Richard Petty Motorsports team is thinking of switching to Toyota next season, and Dodge CEO Mike Accavitti said Sunday he wouldn't speculate on the manufactuer's future with the team.

The Prediction

GM: I'm going with one Brian Lee Vickers to finally win a race. There's plenty of reasons not to pick him, but I'd look like a genius if he did win. Fingers crossed, indeed.

FanHouse Warmup: Carfax 400 originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 16 Aug 2009 12:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Restarts Produce 'One Heck of a Show'

Geoffrey Miller — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Kasey Kahne, Mark Martin, Sprint Cup

What was a bit of a snoozer to begin with at Chicagoland Speedway Saturday night ended in a fashion that was anything but.

In a three-lap sequence of events starting on lap 250 of the 267 lap race, the race lead switched three times between the guy who had dominated the second half of the race, a guy looking for his first win since 2006 and the guy who dominated the first half of the event.

And that's not even the beginning of how crazy the pack was just behind them, all thanks to NASCAR's recently-implemented double-file restart rules.

More Coverage: Kurt Busch Fuming at Johnson | Sprint Cup Standings

Mark Martin -- the first-half dominator -- obviously prevailed over, or escaped from, the mess that was brewing behind him for the final time on lap 252, and went on to score his fourth win of 2009 after leading a whopping 195 laps.

But those restarts nearly spelled the end for Martin as his car's dominant handling started to fade some in the later stages of the race -- until the aforementioned three-lap sequence after the restart on lap 250 brought him right back to the front.

In fourth at the time, Martin watched as Jimmie Johnson got loose in the in the lead, allowing Denny Hamlin and Brian Vickers to sneak underneath. Their reign at the front didn't last long as they raced side-by-side back to turn one where Vickers got loose, shot up the race track and nearly took out himself and Hamlin.

Martin, ever the cagey veteran, was there to slide by and take the lead.

Without those double-file restarts that put the leaders side-by-side after every caution period, however, it's likely that Johnson -- he wound up 8th -- could have sailed off into the Chicagoland darkness for his first win at the track. But thanks to NASCAR's rule change in June to make the restarts identical to the field's starting order that wasn't meant to be.

In fact, it was such an issue after the race that many fans talked about the "chaos" and other "hectic" adventures the restarts produced.

"They certainly make things exciting," said Johnson. "They give everybody a chance and when you can group everyone up that close and they can see the front and they know the checkered flag is not far away, the racing just gets really intense."

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Mark Martin, driver of the #5 CARQUEST/Kellogg's Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series LifeLock.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway on July 11, 2009 in Joliet, Illinois.

John Harrelson, Getty Images

ST. LOUIS, MO - JULY 12: NASCAR driver Carl Edwards (R) talks with Ozzie Smith and Rollie Fingers in the dugout during the 2009 XM All-Star Futures Game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri on Sunday, July 12, 2009. (Photo by Rich Pilling/MLB Photos via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Ozzie Smith;Rollie Fingers;Carl Edwards

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ST. LOUIS, MO - JULY 12: NASCAR driver Carl Edwards (R) talks with Whitey Herzog, Ozzie Smith and Rollie Fingers in the dugout during the 2009 XM All-Star Futures Game at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri on Sunday, July 12, 2009. (Photo by Rich Pilling/MLB Photos via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Whitey Herzog;Ozzie Smith;Rollie Fingers;Carl Edwards

MLB Photos via Getty Images

Former Formula One champion and Indy 500 winner Jacques Villeneuve heads for the pits after crashing his car in the second turn of the first lap of the NASCAR Canadian Tire Tide 250, Sunday, July 12, 2009, at the Autodrome in St. Eustache, Que. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Ryan Remiorz)

Former Formula One world champion Jacques Villeneuve (7) crashes his car during the second turn of the first lap in the NASCAR Canadian Tire Tide 250, Sunday, July 12, 2009, at the Autodrome in St.-Eustache, Que. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Ryan Remiorz)

Former Formula One world champion Jacques Villeneuve drives his Ford Fusion on his way to qualifying 10th for the NASCAR Canadian Tire Tide 250 at the Autodrome in St-Eustache, Que., Sunday, July 12, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Ryan Remiorz)

Former Formula One world champion Jacques Villeneuve, center left, poses for pictures with fans before the NASCAR Canadian Tire Tide 250 at the Autodrome in St-Eustache, Que., Sunday, July 12, 2009. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Ryan Remiorz)

Mark Martin drives during the NASCAR LifeLock.com 400 auto race at the Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill., Saturday, July 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Warren Wimmer)

Mark Martin cresses the finish line after winning the NASCAR LifeLock.com 400 auto race at the Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill., Saturday, July 11, 2009. (AP Photo/Warren Wimmer)

Jeff Gordon (24) drives during the NASCAR LifeLock.com 400 auto race at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill., Saturday, July 11, 2009. Gordon finished second. (AP Photo/Tim Stewart)

Ryan Newman managed to work up a 6th-place finish thanks, in part, to taking advantage of some of the intense racing that Johnson described near the finish.

"It's cool. I think it is good racing," said Newman. "There are times when it's going to be to your advantage, and times it's going to be to your disadvantage, but you've just got to be there for the taking."

Johnson's teammate Jeff Gordon secured a 2nd-place finish thanks to a late pit stop for new tires that allowed him to negotiate the chaotic late restart dashes a little better than drivers with old tires. After the race, he made note that while the restarts making the driver work harder, the intended purpose of the rule change wasn't to make racing easier.

"It's not for us. It's for the people in the grandstands and the people at home," said Gordon. "I think it's a great move. I think it changes how we have to race one another. [...] To me it's always crazy on the double file restarts. It's exciting, man. That's putting on a heck of a show."

Kasey Kahne, who finished third, said that he felt the restarts left him about even after the race.

"The restarts, I like [them]," said Kahne. "I still think it's a great change that NASCAR did. I lost some, I made some again. Same as every week. I lose three of the restarts and win three of the restarts. I don't know, 50% is not too bad."

Richard Childress Racing driver Jeff Burton -- a guy who's trying to battle through a horrendously tough year for the normally top-notch operation -- wasn't too happy with the restarts after getting bit by them for yet another week during a wreck late in the event.

"Double-file restarts four weeks in a row and I have been in wrecks four weeks in a row," said Burton. "I know it is exciting to watch and I am sure it is exciting to talk about but my perspective right now isn't really good. It has been four weeks that wrecks happened in front of us and we have been in four of them. I am about done with them."

Obviously, luck and timing have been playing into Burton's misfortune, and after the thrilling laps NASCAR fans got to see Saturday night, convincing NASCAR to revert back to the old rules would be a tough job.

"Man, that was exciting at the end. Holy smokes," said Carl Edwards. "The fans got their money's worth on that second or third-to-last restart."

Restarts Produce 'One Heck of a Show' originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 12 Jul 2009 16:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Daytona's 'Big One' Takes Earnhardt Out Of Race Early

Holly Cain — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:45:00 EST

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Daytona Int'l Speedway, NASCAR Crashes, Hendrick Motorsports

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The "Big One," a 13-car accident at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday night took out fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. before NASCAR's Coke Zero 400 was even halfway complete.

The accident on the backstretch was triggered when Kasey Kahne's Dodge tapped David Stremme's Dodge from behind. Eleven more cars were collected, including Earnhardt and his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon -- both truly innocent victims of the smoky melee.

Earnhardt, the 2001 winner of this race, entered the weekend needing a good run, acknowledging Friday that his championship chances are dwindling. He was 285 points behind 12th place Juan Pablo Montoya entering the night. Only the top 12 drivers qualify for NASCAR's version of playoffs and there are only eight more races before the championship field is set.

"I guess there were a couple of guys going for the same piece of real estate and I tried to stay high, '' an obviously disappointed Earnhardt said. "The National Guard Chevrolet was just getting going. I thought we had a shot of getting up there and mixing it up with the leaders. ''

Gordon's Chevrolet was able to continue, although badly damaged. Their teammate Mark Martin was involved in an accident on lap 14 and the fourth member of the Hendrick stable, Jimmie Johnson, was a top-five car all evening, ultimately finishing second.

Earnhardt ended up being credited with 39th place and dropped two positions in the standings to 21st - 356 points behind new 12th place driver Kasey Kahne.

Daytona's 'Big One' Takes Earnhardt Out Of Race Early originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jeremy Mayfield a No-Show at Daytona

Holly Cain — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman, Daytona Int'l Speedway, Sprint Cup

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Jeremy Mayfield did not bring his race team to Daytona International Speedway Thursday, despite getting the go-ahead from the U.S. District Court in Charlotte on Wednesday.

Mayfield, an owner-driver in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series, was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR on May 9 after allegedly testing positive for methamphetamine on May 1. He has repeatedly denied that he took the illegal drugs, insisting the test was a false positive -- the result of mixing a prescription drug and a common allergy medication.

Mayfield has sued NASCAR over the test results, and Wednesday U.S. District Judge Graham Mullen ruled he could compete until his trial, saying the damage to Mayfield's reputation and career exceeded the potential damage done to NASCAR.

More Coverage: Drivers Welcome Stricter Testing

Mayfield had until 3 p.m. ET on Thursday to officially enter his team for Saturday night's Coke Zero 400, but he did not show up at the speedway. NASCAR official John Darby was posted by the garage entrance checking his watch.

A pair of team owners reportedly rebuffed Mayfield's offers to drive for them, so it remains unclear if Mayfield is planning on competing any time soon. He could potentially still show up this weekend and drive for another team.

Because of the suspension and ensuing negative publicity, Mayfield's own single-car team has struggled securing financial backing and sponsorship, forcing him to lay off at least 10 crew members. Even before the suspension, Mayfield had qualified for only five of the first 11 races.

Drivers in the garage had mixed reaction about sharing the race track with Mayfield. Most weren't ready to concede NASCAR's point even if the judge gave Mayfield a reprieve. According to court documents, both Mayfield's primary and second samples tested positive for methamphetamine.

"The judge didn't say the result [of the drug test] is wrong, he said it can be questioned,'' said veteran driver Jeff Burton.

"If and when he comes back, NASCAR has every right to test him as many times as they want to. The only problem is, it's not an instant test.

"From Jeremy's perspective, if the judge ruled it can be questioned, it should be questioned. ... But he's [the judge] potentially putting my safety in question.""I have no idea how Jeremy got out of this one, but he did."
-- Kasey Kahne

Like many competitors, Kasey Kahne, Mayfield's former teammate at Evernham Motorsports, had particularly strong feelings about the situation on Thursday prior to practice for Saturday's race. Few were willing to give Mayfield "the benefit of the doubt."

"I'm not concerned about my safety. More than anything, I wonder how this happens and how he get backs back on track after it,'' Kahne said. "Everybody out here wants to race and they want to race hard and race people that are in the same state of mind that you're in. If people are into other things, they should go do those things by themselves and not be on a race track going 200 mph with other racers.''

"I have no idea how Jeremy got out of this one, but he did.

"As far as racing with Jeremy, I don't ever race with him. He's usually at one end of the track and I'm at the other.''

Driver Ryan Newman was similarly concerned about the potential of going door-to-door with Mayfield or anyone who has tested positive for drug use.

"The situation we had when someone tests positive is something to be seriously considered and when you release someone to go back and do that without clarifying everything, that's not cool,'' driver Ryan Newman said.

"People make mistakes. I just hope the judge didn't make a mistake.''

NASCAR Chairman Brian France is scheduled for a "mid-season update" press conference on Friday and will address the issue.

Jeremy Mayfield a No-Show at Daytona originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sprint Cup N's & Q's: Infineon

Geoffrey Miller — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:59:00 EST

Filed under: Kasey Kahne, Kyle Busch, Sprint Cup

Notes & Quotes comes flying at you this week from the sandy shores of the Gulf of Mexico. I hope you'll pardon my tardniness.

Infineon Win a Baby Step for Kasey Kahne at RPM

If you got a chance to read Holly Cain's piece on Kasey Kahne this week, you saw how excited the Washington driver was to be finally finding good equipment at Richard Petty Motorsports. According to Kahne, everything from bodies to engines are coming together at the right time for the team.

That's good news for Kahne fans, but it's even better for the folks running the show at RPM.

With Kahne set to renegotiate a contact for his ride following the 2010 season, he's previously said that RPM needs to a healthy dose of improvement before he'll truly consider signing a long-term deal at the company. And with Kahne being the poster child of that merged operation, RPM desperately needs to keep one of NASCAR's highest-profile drivers in the fold.

Green Flag Passing Stats Rise Dramatically

The use of the now much-discussed double-file restart rule at Infineon Raceway created some astronomical gains in the numbers of passes caught by NASCAR's timing and scoring system during Sunday's race.

In 2007, the system caught 2,351 green flag passes during the 110-lap race, with that number falling heavily to 1,263 in 2008.

This season? Sunday's 350k at the 10-turn road course saw 3,099 passes completed under green flag conditions -- a gain of 1,836 from a year ago.

Of course, there's a number of variables that can affect those numbers such as multiple green flag pit stops, but the numbers, and the advance of several drivers in the closing laps, exemplified how much more competitive and on-the-edge the double-file restarts made the competition at the road course.

Kyle Busch Flashes Back to 2008 Chase

After dominating the road course series in 2008 by going two-for-two in the Sprint Cup Series, Kyle Busch figured to be an easy pick for the win after starting second in Sunday's Toyota Save Mart 350k. It wasn't to be, despite leading laps early.

Busch got caught up in mutliple incidents around the 10-turn track, including one with Sam Hornish Jr. and Brian Vickers that left his fellow Toyota driver and former Hendrick Motorsports teammate steamed with his actions.

"I don't know what he was thinking," said Vickers. "That was stupid. He had no reason to be racing the 77 that hard and wreck him and wreck himself and when he wrecked himself, when he took back off, he drilled us in the door and cut a right rear down, closed our pipes off which ended up blowing the motor."

For as many problems and spins as Busch had Sunday, it certainly looked like he was trying to bring back the struggles of last fall's Chase for the Sprint Cup. His 22nd-place finish? His fourth finish outside the Top-10 in the last four races.

Smaller Fuel Tanks Would Work

I talked a little bit about how smaller fuel tanks for the Sprint Cup boys at Infineon Raceway might be a good idea in the Warmup, and I still think it might make sense.

Because of the limited amount of cautions and 35-40 lap fuel window, just two stops is all a team needs to make it to the checkered flag, meaning caution flags after that point just bunch up the field and don't let teams have a good option to make more adjustments under a pit stop because of the lost track position.

Give the crews one or two more cracks at the car during pit stops due to fuel mileage, and you might see a few more cars adjusted to make a better run at the leader.

Sprint Cup N's & Q's: Infineon originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 24 Jun 2009 15:59:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kasey Kahne Ready to Make His Move

Holly Cain — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:45:00 EST

Filed under: Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart, Dodge, Chase for the Sprint Cup

Holding off Tony Stewart on multiple late-race, double-file restarts on a road course may turn out to be the easier proposition for Sunday's race winner Kasey Kahne.

Capitalizing on the momentum from the victory and avoiding drama in the final days that set the Chase for the Championship 12-driver field ... that's another story.

Kahne said Tuesday he's up for the challenge.

"That might be one of the reasons I like racing ... all the pressure and the excitement,'' Kahne said. "I don't mind it, I enjoy trying to perform under pressure.''

Good thing.

With 10 races left to qualify for NASCAR's version of the playoffs, Kahne is ranked 13th -- a mere three points behind the 12th-place cutoff. For most drivers that's just inviting stress. For Kahne, it's about all he's known since NASCAR went to this format in 2004.

Kahne has teetered on the brink of a making a title run two of the last three years when entering the final "regular season" race at Richmond, Va. -- standing a few points from cracking the top 12 or a few points from falling out of it.

In 2006 he made the cut and went on to finish a career-best eighth in the final standings. Last year he missed it and finished 14th in the championship.

"It always seems a little different from year to year, but for some reason it always seems like we're in that 10th to 14th place position,'' Kahne said.

"I've learned anything can happen at any time, especially when it's winding down. We've been through them all (scenarios). We just need to be strong here the next five races especially.''

Kahne is a "verge" driver in another sense as well.

He's on the verge of making the Chase -- which given his talent, he should -- and he's on he verge of needing a fresh start, which may serve him just as well.

When Stewart indicated last week that he'd be open to adding a third car to the Stewart-Haas Racing stable, Kahne's name was logically among the first to come up. (That is, assuming the Danica Patrick-Tony Stewart volatility potential overrides the hype factor of that matchup.)

Stewart and Kahne have been friends for a long time and share a similar racing background. They help each others' charitable foundations and have a friendly rivalry as World of Outlaws and USAC team owners.

Best of all for this situation, they have a healthy respect for each others' talents.

Kahne's career -- which includes the 2004 Rookie of the Year honors and a 10-win resume -- could use a jump-start. His marketability is an easy sell to potential sponsors even in a zipped up economy and he currently has the Budweiser brand.

Beyond all that -- Kahne wins. And that's what really matters most to he and Stewart, who was among the first to stop by Victory Lane Sunday afternoon in Sonoma, Calif., to congratulate Kahne on his first road course win.

"It's pretty neat when you have someone like him come in and do that,'' Kahne said, adding with a laugh. "It was awesome to race with Tony and be able to beat him once in a while.''

Latest NASCAR Images

SONOMA, CA - JUNE 20: David Reutimann, driver of the #00 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota, drives during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at the Infineon Raceway on June 20, 2009 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** David Reutimann

Getty Images

FILE - In this May 23, 2009 file photo, Kasey Kahne, left, talks with Richard Petty, right, during practice for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup series Coca-Cola 600 auto race at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. Kahne took Petty to Victory Lane on Sunday June 21, 2009, for the first time in 364 races by winning on the road course at Infineon Raceway. It was a breakthrough victory for Richard Petty Motorsports, the team born in January from the merger between Gillett-Evernham Motorsports and Petty Enterprises. (AP Photo/Rick Havner, File)

NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne holds off Tony Stewart and Marcos Ambrose to win the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California, Sunday, June 21, 2009. Stewart finished second and Ambrose in third. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Contra Costa Times/MCT)

MCT

NASCAR drivers Tony Stewart, left, and Kasey Kahne, right, wave to the audience during the driver introductions ceremony before the start of the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California, Sunday, June 21, 2009. Kahne went on to win the Toyota/Save Mart 350. Stewart finished second (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Contra Costa Times/MCT)

MCT

Drivers go two-wide as they head into turn one after a restart during the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California, Sunday, June 21, 2009. Kasey Kahne went on to win the race, with Tony Stewart finishing second (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Contra Costa Times/MCT)

MCT

NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon drives during the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California, Sunday, June 21, 2009. Kasey Kahne won the race. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Contra Costa Times/MCT)

MCT

NASCAR driver Kurt Busch (2) loses control at turn 8 and crashes into a tire wall during the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California, Sunday, June 21, 2009. Kasey Kahne won the race. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Contra Costa Times/MCT)

MCT

NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne heads into turn 4A during the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California, Sunday, June 21, 2009. Kahne won the race. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Contra Costa Times/MCT)

MCT

NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya goes up on three wheels after making turn 3A during the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California, Sunday, June 21, 2009. Kasey Kahne won the race. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Contra Costa Times/MCT)

MCT

NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne goes up on three wheels after hitting the rumble strips on turn 4 during the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California, Sunday, June 21, 2009. Kahne went on to win the race. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Contra Costa Times/MCT)

MCT

Of course the other person in Victory Lane with him was the namesake of Kahne's Richard Petty Motorsports team. And that made a big impact on Kahne, too.

Since Kahne's Gillett Evernham Motorsports team merged with the Petty's team and took on the new RPM moniker this season, Kahne has often spoken of his strong desire to help Petty get back to Victory Lane.

Kahne's win Sunday was "The King's" first visit there since 1999.

"To see the fans' reaction to Richard Petty was eye-opening,'' said Kahne.

Imagine the fans' reaction to seeing Petty there more frequently. Having the sport's legend in the championship mix might just be the antidote to a season when NASCAR's current superstar, Dale Earnhardt Jr., isn't performing up to expectations.

A few days removed from his first win of the season, Kahne couldn't be more hopeful.

The new Dodge R6 engine has made a noticeable difference in Kahne's performance in the two races he's had it. He's scheduled to run it again Sunday in New Hampshire and shot down internet rumors that he would be driving a Toyota by season's end.

The new engine, along with better-constructed cars and improved communication between he and his Kenny Francis-led team have put him in the best position to contend on a consistent basis all year.

"The timing is perfect,'' Kahne said. "with the new cars, latest engines ... with all new stuff, it feels like February almost.''

Kasey Kahne Ready to Make His Move originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Tue, 23 Jun 2009 19:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kahne Edges Stewart at Sonoma, Snaps Drought for Petty

FanHouse Newswire — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:56:00 EST

Filed under: Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart, Chase for the Sprint Cup

SONOMA, Calif. (AP) -- Kasey Kahne gave struggling Richard Petty Motorsports a much-needed boost Sunday, holding off Tony Stewart at Infineon Raceway to snap a 37-race winless streak.

Kahne was met in Victory Lane by Richard Petty, who made his first trip as a car owner in more than a decade. A Petty-owned car had not won a race since John Andretti's victory at Martinsville in April, 1999.

"I feel just as good as he does," said The King, clad in his trademark cowboy hat and sunglasses. "It's great, man. It's great."

Petty's race team teetered on the verge of collapse at the end of last season and needed a January merger with Gillett-Evernham Motorsports to stay in business. The team was rebranded as Richard Petty Motorsports and kicked off the season with a strong showing at the Daytona 500.

But it's been a rough ride, since. Team manufacturer Chrysler is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and funding to RPM has slowed to a crawl as Dodge restructures. The team laid off nine employees earlier this month and made company-wide salary cuts, and it's been plagued by whispers of financial instability the last several weeks.

Just Saturday, majority team owner George Gillett agreed to sell the NHL's Montreal Canadiens in a deal that should help him fight any solvency issues.

It's made for a frustrating season for Kahne, the star of the four-driver team, who at times this year has been vocal about RPM's progress. His criticism prompted team officials to push out a new Dodge engine, and the improved motor had given Kahne hope that there's reason for optimism.

Now he has his first victory on a road course -- a remedy for any disgruntled driver.

"I learned how to drive on dirt," Kahne said. "So to come out and win on a road course ... it feels great. I can't believe it."

The victory moved Kahne to 13th in the standings, one spot shy of qualifying for the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.

Stewart finished second and was followed by Marcos Ambrose, who blew a motor in Saturday's practice that forced him to start at the back of the field and forfeit his third-place qualifying position.

Latest NASCAR Images

Kasey Kahne, right, applauds as Richard Petty has a drink of wine after Kahne won the NASCAR Toyota/Save Mart 350 auto race, Sunday, June 21, 2009, in Sonoma, Calif. Petty was in victory lane as a car owner for the first time in more than a decade. (AP Photo/George Nikitin)

SONOMA, CA - JUNE 21: Kurt Busch, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at the Infineon Raceway on June 21, 2009 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Kurt Busch

Getty Images for NASCAR

SONOMA, CA - JUNE 21: Juan Pablo Montoya, driver of the #42 Target Chevrolet, leads Dale Earnhardt Jr, driver of the #88 AMP Energy/National Guard/Mountain Dew Chevrolet, Clint Bowyer, driver of the #33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet and Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Office Depot Chevrolet, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at the Infineon Raceway on June 21, 2009 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Juan Pablo Montoya;Dale Earnhardt Jr;Tony Stewart;Clint Bowyer

Getty Images

SONOMA, CA - JUNE 21: Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at the Infineon Raceway on June 21, 2009 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Tony Stewart

Getty Images for NASCAR

Kasey Kahne celebrates after winning the NASCAR Toyota/Save Mart 350 auto race, Sunday, June 21, 2009, in Sonoma, Calif. (AP Photo/George Nikitin)

SONOMA, CA - JUNE 21: Kasey Kahne, driver of the #9 Budweiser Dodge, leads Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Office Depot Chevrolet, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at the Infineon Raceway on June 21, 2009 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Kasey Kahne;Tony Stewart

Getty Images for NASCAR

SONOMA, CA - JUNE 21: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M's Toyota, pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at the Infineon Raceway on June 21, 2009 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Kyle Busch

Getty Images for NASCAR

Kasey Kahne celebrates after winning the NASCAR Toyota/Save Mart 350 auto race, Sunday, June 21, 2009, at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif. (AP Photo/George Nikitin)

SONOMA, CA - JUNE 21: Kasey Kahne, driver of the #9 Budweiser Dodge holds the Sunoco checkered flag after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at the Infineon Raceway on June 21, 2009 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Kasey Kahne

Getty Images for NASCAR

SONOMA, CA - JUNE 21: Kasey Kahne, driver of the #9 Budweiser Dodge, celebrates in victory lane with his crew chief Kenny Francis after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at the Infineon Raceway on June 21, 2009 in Sonoma, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Kasey Kahne;Kenny Francis

Getty Images for NASCAR

Jimmie Johnson was fourth and was followed by Denny Hamlin and Juan Pablo Montoya, who moved up two spots in the standings to take the 12th Chase position.

AJ Allmendinger, Kahne's teammate at RPM, was seventh and Clint Bowyer, Jeff Gordon and RPM driver Elliott Sadler rounded out the top 10.

Kahne led the final 38 laps but had to stave off a final charge from Stewart on an overtime finish.

Scott Speed's spin with two laps to go set up one final restart, and under a NASCAR rule started three races ago, Kahne and Stewart were side-by-side on the restart. Kahne zipped to the front from the outside, then pulled down in front of Stewart to firmly take control.

It was Kahne's first win since Pocono last June.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Kahne Edges Stewart at Sonoma, Snaps Drought for Petty originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 21 Jun 2009 21:56:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse Warmup: Pocono 500

Geoffrey Miller — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 11:15:00 EST

Filed under: Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart, Sprint Cup

The Essentials

Race: Pocono 500

Where: Pocono Raceway
Time: Sunday 5:45 p.m./EDT
TV/Radio: FOX Sports, PRN Radio
Twitter: In-race updates at FanHouseRacing
Forecast: 75 degrees, Partly Sunny
Distance: 200 laps (500 miles)
Pole Winner: Tony Stewart
2008 Winner: Kasey Kahne

The Storylines

Kyle Busch played his own version of Guitar Hero Saturday night at Nashville Superspeedway in Nationwide Series victory lane, and needless to say, his antics left a lot of people shaking their heads.

The novelty of a Nashville win is the custom-painted Gibson Les Paul guitar trophy, and Busch decided he was going to smash the thing up in true rock star fashion. And so he did -- jogging to the front of the car and then taking a hold of the neck and smashing it into the ground.

The guitar merely splintered, and Busch tried again -- still doing minor damage. Later we learned that Busch had planned the smash for a while as a way to split up the trophy for his guys in the shop, but in the moment, watching it felt wrong and it still does.

Instead of a nod to the guys who build the No. 18 team, it looked and felt more like another attempt for Kyle Busch to grab attention on himself. There's a lot of words you could use to describe the moment, but the one that feels the best to me is that it was just wrong.

Tony Stewart "ran out of talent" during the first practice on Saturday morning for Sunday's race, and he'll head to a backup car for the race.

The No. 14 got loose off turn two, spun sideways and slid across some grass, then an access road, and then more grass. The second trip to the lawn dug Stewart's splitter deep in the mud, ripping it off and badly damaging the the entire nose of the Chevrolet.

He had planned to start from the pole, but will drop to the back because of the back-up car. One would assume he's one guy that's very, very happy to see double-file restarts -- especially if the race sees an early caution. Instead of being strung out one-by-one, the distance behind the leader on the green flag would be cut in half.

Speaking of double-file restarts, the new rule is one of the best moves we've seen from NASCAR in a long time. Broken down easily, it amounts to allowing drivers fight for position with cars that matter, instead of racing around cars on a restart that have no bearing on the running order.

There's going to be a couple of snafus with it in the first few weeks, but it should turn out to work quite well.

TNT again has NASCAR's television coverage for the "Summer Series" as they have dubbed it. The six-race stretch sits between the FOX and ESPN portions of NASCAR Sprint Cup coverage.

A few things to take note of: the start time for TNT is nearly always an hour and change ahead of the actual green flag, there's extra camera views on NASCAR.com with RaceBuddy, and Kyle Petty is the best part of the whole broadcast.

And oh yeah, play-by-play guy Bill Weber will sport more than a few interesting suits.

The Prediction

Geoffrey Miller: Tony Stewart

Enjoy the race, y'all.

FanHouse Warmup: Pocono 500 originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 07 Jun 2009 11:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sprint Cup N's & Q's: Autism Speaks 400

Geoffrey Miller — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 08:48:00 EST

Filed under: Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Sprint Cup

Since we're a little late on this week's edition of Sprint Cup Notes & Quotes, we're gonna do both a rewind of last weekend's festivities at Dover and a bit on Wednesday night's Prelude to the Dream. Capisce? Capisce.

Prelude to the Twitter - Can't be in or around the booming metropolis that is Rossburg, Oh., (Pop: 224) for Wednesday night's Prelude to the Dream at Eldora Speedway? No problem, FH has you covered with live twittering from the fourth row up behind the start/finish line just for you! Follow us here: www.twitter.com/FanHouseRacing

Rain, for the love of Pete, go away - What happens when you invite 20-plus NASCAR drivers to compete in a charity race at a half-mile dirt oval? Well, they bring rain -- just as they have for three of the past four NASCAR event weekends.

Today's forecast and radar doesn't look great, but the track is ready to do all it can to get the surface race ready. In fact, last season's edition likely saw more rain the day of and the crew got the surface ready to race on. Remember, you can't exactly use a jet dryer on a dirt track, but the flipside is that a little bit of moisture in the surface is OK.

The good news is that the rain is expected to blow through the area by mid-afternoon. If you're going to the race or just have nothing to do at work today, click over to the track website for updates throughout the day.

Stremme's likin' Indy - Goodyear has been back at Indianapolis Motor Speedway once again this week working on tire combinations to avoid the series of 10 or 12 lap sprint races that was last year's Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. The weather's been hot and sticky in the Circle City with rain each night, but that's just how Goodyear needs it to be.

When the race gets underway in July, conditions will be much the same. Knowing that, the words from Penske Racing's David Stremme are definitely music to a fan's ears. Here's what he told ESPN.com:

"They brought a tire that has really even wear," Stremme said. "We got to a full fuel run [about 30 laps]. Goodyear has done their homework."

Let's just hope it stays that way for the final test later this month at the 2.5-mile oval when over 12 teams will take to the track.

Jimmie Johnson says no thanks to dirty air - Wanna know how good Autism Speaks 400 winner Jimmie Johnson's car was on Sunday at Dover? Just look at how he came back from the pit road snafu.

Unlike most times this season, the car in the lead didn't pull away from the field with the clean air hitting his nose. The two tire stop for Greg Biffle and Tony Stewart might have been to blame for that, but for Johnson to fly though the field and pass at least 10 or 12 cars in the final 35 laps or so was impressive.

That car was hooked up both in traffic and out front -- something you don't see much these days. Of course, Johnson wasn't about the let a race he dominated to fall to the wayside. He's certainly no Denny Hamlin.

Kyle Busch post-race comment counter - This week's tally for NASCAR's most highly regarded star of the future? Oh-for-three.

Busch didn't make a single comment to media or PR folks after not winning the Truck, Nationwide and Cup Series races this week. Take from that what you will.

Kasey Kahne a happy man - We all know that Kahne hasn't exactly been pleased with the performance of his Richard Petty Motorsports race team this season in large part due to the fact that they hadn't implemented the new Dodge engine.

Well, he finally got it for Dover and nailed down a sixth-place finish.

"The new motor had plenty of power which made the car fun to drive," said Kahne. "We've made some really big gains in the past few weeks."

Sprint Cup N's & Q's: Autism Speaks 400 originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Wed, 03 Jun 2009 08:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Capps Representing Drag Racers in Stewart's Prelude to the Dream

Holly Cain — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:07:00 EST

Filed under: Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, Sprint Cup

You'd think Ron Capps' day job driving a nitro-powered Funny Car 300 miles per hour in National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) competition would be enough to satisfy his need for challenge and excitement.

"There's not a whole lot that can compare to that but when you go through Turn One at Eldora and Jeff Gordon's on your wheel or you're trading paint with Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart, it pretty much rivals what we do in a Funny Car,'' said Capps, who leads the NHRA's Funny Car championship standings and is coming off his fourth win of the season Sunday in his NAPA-sponsored Dodge Charger Funny Car.

As far as Capps is concerned, Wednesday night's HBO pay-per-view all-star race, the Prelude to the Dream on the dirt high-banks of Eldora Speedway, is just as much fun for the racers as it is the fans cheering them on -- all in the name of big buck charity donations which will go to U.S. military themed charities this year.

And Capps wouldn't dream of missing out.

The event is the brainchild of two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart, who invites the best drivers from all racing disciplines to test themselves in 800-horsepower dirt late-model cars. No reporters in the infield, no driver entourage, just a gritty, pedal-to-the-floor, dirt-flying, commercial-free good time with nothing but egos on the line.

In the first four years of the race, Stewart has raised more than $2 million for children's charities -- primarily The Petty family's Victory Junction Gang Camps. This year the money raised through HBO's pay-per-view will go to four different military organizations including the Wounded Warrior Project, Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, Operation Homefront and The Fisher House.

And with a Who's Who of Racing lineup featuring Stewart, Capps, four-time NASCAR champ Gordon, three-time defending Cup champ Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman, Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch among others, it's likely the pay-per-view subscriptions -- and ultimately the charitable funds -- could reach an all-time high.

Stewart has never had much trouble getting his fellow racers to participate in the event. And Capps, quickly discovered this "exhibition" was as high stakes -- pride and ego -- as if it counted toward a season title.

"I realized the some of the guys were building and bringing their owns cars and then I found out these guys were testing at dirt tracks too," Capps said with a laugh.

"You talk about competition level rising. They are there to win."

Although late models on a dirt track is the polar opposite of what Capps is accustomed to, he's fared very well in his four starts with a pair of top-10 finishes including an impressive fourth place effort his second time out. And this year, he's tested a couple times himself.

"I've got to represent the NHRA and not look like a doofus out there," Capps said. "I'm representing drag racing and I want to make everyone proud."

"Just this week at our race in Topeka (Kan.) I had more people asking me whether I'd be going to Eldora again. The cool part is the shoulder pats from the other drivers and fans that tuned in. They love it. I love it."

The race begins at 7 PM TV and the suggested price of HBO's pay-per-view is $24.95. It is available to cable customers with a digital box on their TV, DirectTV customers and DISH Network subscribers. In some markets customers can begin ordering Monday, June 1.

Capps Representing Drag Racers in Stewart's Prelude to the Dream originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FanHouse Warmup: All-Star Challenge

Geoffrey Miller — Sat, 16 May 2009 15:07:00 EST

Filed under: Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Lowes Motor Speedway, Sprint Cup

The Essentials

Race: Sprint All-Star Challenge

Where: Lowe's Motor Speedway
Time: Saturday 7:00 p.m./EDT
TV/Radio: SPEED, MRN Radio
Twitter: Updates at FanHouseRacing
Forecast: 63 degrees, 80% chance of rain
Distance: 4 segments, 100 laps (150 miles)
Pole Winner: Jimmie Johnson
2008 Winner: Kasey Kahne

The Storylines

The last time rain affected the All-Star event at Lowe's Motor Speedway, Jeff Gordon walled his primary No. 24 in a 2001 first-turn crash thanks to rain on the track and later won the event in his backup. While that's a legendary story, the rain isn't -- and it might take center stage tonight.

The forecast isn't even close to being good for tonight's activities with the National Weather Service calling for a 80 percent chance of rain in the area, with showers and thunderstorms primarily occurring between 8 p.m. and 1 a.m. Sunday doesn't look a whole lot better with a 70 percent chance of rain.

I realize that several of our FanHouse Warmup posts have warned about rain without any later consequence, so perhaps acknowledging Mother Nature is the key to success. Let's hope that pattern holds true.

If you've been in the same zip code as a television with SPEED channel, you'll know how much they've been hyping tonight's race on the network with hour upon hour of special programming and what not related to the All-Star event.

Unfortunately for all of the exciting programming related to past All-Star events, don't be surprised to see another low drama affair tonight at LMS -- just as Kasey Kahne's win was a year ago.

The Car of Tomorrow hasn't been a great race car on the intermediate tracks, the tire while slightly softer than a year ago still isn't great for side-by-side racing at the track and too many teams are probably treating the race as a test session for next week's Coca-Cola 600.

Here's to hoping for the best, though.

NASCAR isn't divulging what drug caused Jeremy Mayfield's indefinite suspension a week ago at Darlington, and I argued earlier this week that the drug of choice shouldn't matter.

Many drivers feel the other way, but the single best idea about the issue came from ThatsRacin's Jim Utter. In his race preview post, Utter made the point that Mayfield has said he violation happened as a result of a combination of presciption and over-the-counter dugs, but he's yet to declare what those were.

Perhaps, Utter surmised, there's a reason he hasn't divluged.

Getting tired of Kyle Busch's habitual post-race 'woe-is-me'ing? I'd imagine so, and if you missed it Friday night, the 24-year-old was back at it again after a truck race in which he both finished 2nd and caused a big wreck on the backstretch to take out a pair of lead trucks.

Busch complained about how his Toyota was underpowered to that of eventual winner Ron Hornaday Jr. and then ended the radio portion of his post-race interviews by saying "These tires suck!"

I understand emotion, and I understand being unhappy -- but the dramatics Kyle puts on after every race that doesn't go well are getting old and getting there fast.

Hear about the new name for Charlotte's fall race? It's a darned mouthful. Instead of the Bank of America 500, it'll now be called the 'NASCAR Banking 500 only from Bank of America'.

The executives involved say it has nothing to do with the recent pull back of financial sponsors from numerous sporting events, but come on, don't kid around. I don't care what side of the aisle you're on when it comes to public policy -- it's absolutely stupid for these companies to be forced to pull back marketing efforts in an effort to save face publicly.

People aren't going to hate or love NASCAR racing anymore than they already do because Bank of America is a major sponsor.

The Predictions

Geoffrey Miller: Kyle Busch
Holly Cain: Tony Stewart

FanHouse Warmup: All-Star Challenge originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 16 May 2009 15:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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