Kasey Kahne was winner of 2010 Sonoma Raceway race

Kasey Kahne is 100/1 to win Sunday at Sonoma.

Toyota / Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway

No. 95 Procore Camaro ZL1 Notes:

· JOIN THE PROCORE CREW: Become a member of the No. 95 crew today at www.procore.com/95crew to get your free, collectible Kasey Kahne hero card, as well as exclusive merchandise and content throughout the season thanks to our partner, Procore.

· KAHNE BY THE NUMBERS: In 14 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career starts at Sonoma, Kasey Kahne has an average start of 14.9 and an average finish of 17.9. He’s completed 1,526 of 1,547 (98.6 percent) career laps, and has led for a total of 41 laps. Kahne has earned two poles, one win (2009), two top-five and six top-10 finishes at the 1.99-mile road course.

· NEW CHIEF AT THE HELM: This weekend the No. 95 Procore team will be led by interim crew chief, Jonathan Leonard. Leonard has served as the team’s lead engineer during the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series leading up to this weekend and had also served as the team’s interim crew chief for the final five races of the 2017 season with driver Michael McDowell.

· RACE INFO: The Toyota / Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway (1.99-mile road course) begins at 3:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 24th. The race will be broadcast live on FS1, Sirius XM Channel 90 and PRN Radio.

Kahne’s Career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Stats at Sonoma:

Date Event: S F Laps Status
06/27/04 Dodge / Save Mart 350 30 31 109/110 Running
06/26/05 Dodge / Save Mart 350 26 41 92/110 Running
06/25/06 Dodge / Save Mart 350 6 31 110/110 Running
06/24/07 Toyota / Save Mart 350 8 23 110/110 Running
06/22/08 Toyota / Save Mart 350 1 33 111/112 Running
06/21/09 Toyota / Save Mart 350 5 1 113/113 Running
06/20/10 Toyota / Save Mart 350 1 4 110/110 Running
06/26/11 Toyota / Save Mart 350 6 20 110/110 Running
06/24/12 Toyota / Save Mart 350 15 14 112/112 Running
06/23/13 Toyota / Save Mart 350 15 6 110/110 Running
06/22/14 Toyota / Save Mart 350 30 6 110/110 Running
06/28/15 Toyota / Save Mart 350 26 8 110/110 Running
06/26/16 Toyota / Save Mart 350 19 9 110/110 Running
06/25/17 Toyota / Save Mart 350 21 24 109/110 Running

From the Driver’s Seat:

Kasey Kahne: “Sonoma is a really fun track, but it can also be a tough track. Making your tires last, as well as turning in Turn 4, Turn 7, and Turn 10 are some pretty key things to focus on there. Getting off of Turn 11 is also really important, but having forward drive and keeping your tires on the car throughout the race are some of the important things we focus on at Sonoma. The restarts at Sonoma can be challenging because there’s a lot that goes on there usually with a preferred line, but it also kind of relies on the cars that are around you and how they’re able to take off up the hill and those first few corners. Everything matters at Sonoma, but the restarts are a place where you can either gain a lot, or lose a lot depending on where you’re at. You have to get off of Turn 10 really well in order to get into Turn 11 well and out brake everyone else in order to get to the inside line in that corner. A lot of times, you’ll see guys covering up that line since the field really backs up to you going into Turn 11. When you have a car that brakes really well and pulls all four tires down to suck down into the track, that’s a fun spot to try to pass and get an advantage.”

From the Pit Box:

Jon Leonard: “This weekend is obviously our first road course race of the season. It has a lot of similarities to Martinsville with a very short track feel. Lots of brake usage, and lots of slow, low-grip corners throughout the course. Tire falloff is substantial, so tire strategy always comes into effect at Sonoma. The stages for this weekend are 25-50-110, but we can go 40 about or so laps on fuel. Cars typically pit under green much sooner than that due to such large falloff, and the opportunity to stay on the lead lap since the lap times for leaders is so long. Focuses for this weekend will be to keep it mistake-free and to keep it simple. Kasey has won here before, so he knows what he ultimately needs out of his race car. Letting him lead us in the right direction and being able to give him something he can compete with are going to be our priorities. Keeping brakes and fenders on our Procore Chevy are going to be a key to survival. The game plan for the race on Sunday will vary depending where we are running, but a top-10 will generally have a different approach than a top-20 of course. Just like any racetrack, Sonoma is all about track position, and finding ways to constantly improve track position will be important.

As for transitioning into the crew chief role, I’m excited and thankful for the opportunity. I’ve had a little experience at it before (with five races at the end of 2017 with Michael McDowell), so I can appreciate and understand what is expected and needed. A lot of my role will stay the same – set-up preparation, history analysis, and practice decisions from an engineering standpoint. Most changes are more evident at the shop pre and post-event: car/spec changes and decisions, part/component selection. A lot more work on the front and back-end of the weekends – and looking ahead – compared to mostly just week-of preparation. At the end of the day, all the decisions are going to be connected to my name. It’s not always going to be easy, and I’m sure it won’t always be right, but being able to own your mistakes, and grow from them is what is important. Being able to be a leader and bring this group together (including Kasey) will bring us success. I’m also lucky to have a great second engineer who I trust and can step into a lot of my former engineering role to help with some of my responsibilities both at the shop and at the track. Ben (Lynch) and I work well together and have a very similar background. I’m really looking forward to what this No. 95 team can achieve for the rest of the season. We have a good bunch of guys who want to compete with the big boys – and that’s what we’re here to do starting this weekend.”

About Procore Technologies:

Procore Technologies, Inc., is a leading provider of cloud-based applications for construction. Procore connects people, applications, and devices through a unified platform to help construction professionals manage risk and build quality projects, safely, on time, and within budget. The company has a diversified business model with products for Construction Project Management, Construction Financials, Quality & Safety, and Field Productivity. Headquartered in Carpinteria, California, with offices around the globe, Procore has more than 2.5 million users managing billions of dollars in annual construction volume. For more information about Procore, visit procore.com.

Kasey Kahne using special 10 year anniversary All-Star Race paint scheme

Kasey Kahne is 80/1 to win second All-Star Race.

CONCORD, N.C. (May 15, 2018) – Leavine Family Racing (LFR) and Dumont GROUP will debut a special throwback-inspired paint scheme aboard Kasey Kahne’s No. 95 Camaro ZL1 for the Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Kahne’s Dumont JETS Camaro ZL1 is sure to bring back memories for his fans who helped vote him into the 2008 All-Star Race thanks to the Sprint Fan Vote. Kahne is the only driver who has won the fan vote for the event and then gone on to win the million-dollar payout in the non-points event.

“It was so awesome that the fans voted us into the All-Star race back in 2008,” recalls Kahne. “It really was special to get voted into the race, and then to have a great car to be able to drive our way to the front in order to make strategy calls that put us in position to win. Our paint scheme for this weekend looks so similar to that scheme we ran in 2008’s event, that it’s been cool to see it in the shop as the guys have been getting ready for this weekend. I’m looking forward to racing it this weekend, and hopefully, the paint scheme can bring us the same result we had ten years ago.”

Dumont JETS will be featured as a primary sponsor for the first time in NASCAR. The full-service aircraft charter, sales, maintenance and parts organization began its partnership with LFR at the start of the 2018 season. Dumont JETS has associate partner branding for the season aboard the No.95 and will also have a primary paint scheme at Dover in October.

“Dumont JETS is excited to have our first primary paint scheme in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series this weekend at the All-Star Race,” said Kevin Wargo, Director of Dumont JETS and Dumont GROUP. “We know that fans will enjoy the throw-back scheme as much as we do! We have enjoyed working with Leavine Family Racing and Kasey Kahne, and are looking forward to continuing the partnership on and off the track.”

This year’s Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race will be comprised of four stages: Stage 1 ends on Lap 30; Stage 2 ends on Lap 50; Stage 3 on Lap 70; and Stage 4 on Lap 80. NASCAR Overtime will be in effect for all stages of the event, and stages will not end under a caution. Along with a slightly different format for this year, the rules package the cars will run will be different as well.

Restrictor plates will be used, which typically are currently only run at superspeedways. A six-inch-high spoiler (with two 12-inch “ears”), a 2014-style splitter on the nose of the cars, as well as aero ducts are also part of the package competitors will be running. This new package for the weekend was created to promote more passing on the track, as well as to tighten the competition. NASCAR ran a similar package on the XFINITY Series cars at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2017 and the race saw a record number of lead changes.

Kahne has competed in 14 All-Star races so far during his career and has earned one win, two top-five finishes, four top-10 finishes, and one pole award in the non-points event. He’s completed 1,121 of 1,313 (85.3 percent) career laps and has led for a total of 69 laps in All-Star Race competition.

The Monster Energy NASCAR All-Star Race will take place on Saturday, May 19 at 8:00 pm ET. The race will be broadcast live on FOX Sports 1, Sirius XM Channel 90 and MRN Radio.

About Dumont GROUP:

Dumont GROUP is a full-service aircraft charter, sales, maintenance and parts organization headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware with a FAA approved 135 certificate, and EASA and FAA approved 145 MRO at the New Castle Airport (KILG) and Central Illinois Regional Airport (KBMI) in Bloomington, Illinois. Dumont GROUP’s divisions include Dumont JETS, Dumont MRO, and Volo Direct. For more information, please visit www.dumontgroup.com.

About Leavine Family Racing:

Leavine Family Racing is an organization competing in the NASCAR Premier Series focused on growing competitively and providing results-driven partnerships for its sponsors. The single-car team was founded in 2011 by Bob and Sharon Leavine, two individuals who are passionate about NASCAR and started the team to make a positive impact on the sport and community.

Kasey Kahne, a fourteen-year veteran of NASCAR and 18-time winner in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, pilots the No. 95 Camaro ZL1 for the team. In alliance with Richard Childress Racing, the team operates out of their Concord, N.C.-based race shop with a veteran group of racing personnel driven by their desire for progress.

For more information, please visit www.LFR95.com.
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ROBERTS' TAKE ON KAHNE THIS WEEK: Kasey Kahne (80/1) - He had moments in both plates races this season where he looked competitive, but still finished 34th and 17th. I expected more from him when all things were equal with his underfunded Camaro. He's had four wins in 28 Charlotte starts, which doesn't include his 2008 All-Star Race win, the reason he's qualified for this race. In 58 starts with the plates on, he never won and had only six top-fives. He's definitely the worst value on the board in a race where anyone can win.

Kasey Kahne grabs first win since 2014 at Brickyard

Kasey Kahne had 100/1 odds to win at Brickyard.

SPEEDWAY, Ind. — In semi-darkness, as the sun set behind the frontstretch grandstand at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Kasey Kahne did all he could to dispel the shadow overhanging his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season and his racing career.

With a phenomenal restart in the second overtime of Sunday’s Brantley Gilbert Big Machine Brickyard 400, Kahne cleared race leader Brad Keselowski through the first two corners and crossed the overtime line on the backstretch before NASCAR called the record 14th caution of the race.

That ended the event with Kahne in the lead, and when he took the checkered flag under yellow a lap and a half later, the driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet had his first victory since an eleventh-hour win at Atlanta in August of 2014 that propelled him into NASCAR’s postseason.

Kahne was breathless with exhaustion in Victory Lane, the result of withering heat inside the cars in a prolonged race that featured three red flags, one for rain and lightning and two for incidents. But the implications of the triumph weren’t lost on him.

"The career is big, for sure—but the win and the history here," Kahne said. "To win at this track is unreal. We used to always be really close. We lost to Jeff (Gordon) and we lost to Tony (Stewart); just some fast cars back then.

"Today, strategy got us here. This Farmers Insurance Chevrolet was great once I got out front. I just had to get there. I’m exhausted. But, an unbelievable win. The team just kept working. We had great pit stops."

The pit stop that mattered most occurred on Lap 150, when Kahne came to pit road moments before a vicious wreck on the frontstretch eliminated the cars of Clint Bowyer, Kurt Busch and Erik Jones, all of whom had been running in or near the top 10 throughout the afternoon.

Kahne had fresh rubber and stayed on the track when the cars ahead of him came to pit road for tires on Lap 151. Suddenly at the front of the field, Kahne battled Keselowski on three successive restarts before the decisive second overtime.

Kahne status in the No. 5 car has been grist for the rumor mill this season. Asked Sunday morning about plans for the ride next year, team owner Rick Hendrick would say only "That’s another day," during a press conference heralding Alex Bowman as the successor to Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet.

Asked post-race what the victory does for Kahne’s future, Hendrick replied, "It puts him in the (playoff)."

But the uncertainty that surrounds Kahne’s status in the No. 5 did nothing to diminish his accomplishment at the vaunted Brickyard.

Keselowski had taken the lead during the first overtime restart, but a huge wreck on the frontstretch—triggered when Trevor Bayne turned sideways after a push from Michael McDowell as the cars approached the start/finish line—aborted the attempt.

For the second overtime, Keselowski chose the outside lane, leaving Kahne on the bottom in a racing groove covered with Speedy Dry fluid absorption material. But Kahne pulled off a magnificent restart and powered into Turn 1 at full steam.

"Well, the one before just didn’t work," said Kahne, who picked the outside lane and lost the lead on the short-lived restart for the first overtime. "Everything went wrong. On the final one, everything went right. And once I got to Turn 1, I had good power and was able to clear him off (Turn) 1. I’m exhausted. And, it’s pretty crazy."

Keselowski, who was trying to give team owner Roger Penske a first Brickyard 400 victory, gave credit where credit was due.

"Kasey did a heck of a job today and drove a hell of a race," Keselowski said. "I’m happy for him. I thought we were in the right spot. You had seen the same thing all day when you’d get somebody on the outside, and in the corner you got real loose.

"He drove in there and it just stuck. I don’t know. I may have had the wrong lane there or made the wrong call. I’m not sure. The car was on edge and then some."

By the time Kahne took the checkered flag, the two fastest cars in the race had long since been eliminated—in the same wreck. Polesitter Kyle Busch, who led a race-high 87 laps, was racing side-by-side with Martin Truex Jr. after a restart on Lap 111 when Truex’s No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota got loose underneath Busch’s No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, causing a collision that crippled both cars.

Ultimately, it was Kahne who seized the opportunity their exit presented.

Notes: The victory was the first for Kahne’s crew chief, Keith Rodden… Kahne visited the infield care center for treatment after Victory Lane ceremonies in which Kahne looked drained. … Jimmie Johnson, with his eye on a record-tying fifth Brickyard victory, spun in Turn 3 while battling Kahne and Keselowski for the lead on Lap 159, causing the caution that set up the overtimes that eventually took the race seven laps past its scheduled distance.

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Race - Brantley Gilbert Big Machine Brickyard 400

Indianapolis Motor Speedway

Speedway, Indiana

Sunday, July 23, 2017

               1. (19) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 167.

               2. (11) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 167.

               3. (8) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 167.

               4. (7) Joey Logano, Ford, 167.

               5. (14) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 167.

               6. (2) Kevin Harvick, Ford, 167.

               7. (15) Daniel Suarez #, Toyota, 167.

               8. (27) Matt DiBenedetto, Ford, 167.

               9. (26) Chris Buescher, Chevrolet, 167.

               10. (39) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 167.

               11. (23) Danica Patrick, Ford, 167.

               12. (34) Cole Whitt, Chevrolet, 167.

               13. (29) Aric Almirola, Ford, 167.

               14. (37) * Timmy Hill(i), Chevrolet, 167.

               15. (3) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 167.

               16. (17) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 167.

               17. (5) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 166.

               18. (24) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 166.

               19. (28) Ty Dillon #, Chevrolet, 165.

               20. (22) Trevor Bayne, Ford, Accident, 162.

               21. (20) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, Accident, 162.

               22. (31) Landon Cassill, Ford, Parked, 162.

               23. (10) Ryan Blaney, Ford, Accident, 162.

               24. (35) * Gray Gaulding #, Chevrolet, Accident, 162.

               25. (38) Joey Gase(i), Chevrolet, Accident, 162.

               26. (36) Jeffrey Earnhardt, Chevrolet, 162.

               27. (4) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, Accident, 158.

               28. (25) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, Accident, 154.

               29. (12) Kurt Busch, Ford, Accident, 149.

               30. (18) Clint Bowyer, Ford, Accident, 148.

               31. (9) Erik Jones #, Toyota, Accident, 148.

               32. (40) * BJ McLeod(i), Chevrolet, 135.

               33. (6) Martin Truex Jr., Toyota, Accident, 110.

               34. (1) Kyle Busch, Toyota, Accident, 110.

               35. (21) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, Accident, 106.

               36. (13) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, Accident, 76.

               37. (33) * JJ Yeley(i), Chevrolet, Accident, 70.

               38. (30) David Ragan, Ford, Accident, 56.

               39. (16) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, Engine, 43.

               40. (32) Corey LaJoie #, Toyota, Accident, 9.

Average Speed of Race Winner:  114.384 mph.

Time of Race:  03 Hrs, 39 Mins, 00 Secs. Margin of Victory:  Caution.

Caution Flags:  14 for 55 laps.

Lead Changes:  10 among 7 drivers.

Lap Leaders:   Kyle Busch 1-71; E. Jones # 72-80; R. Blaney 81-86; Kyle Busch 87-102; M. Truex Jr. 103-110; M. Kenseth 111-131; E. Jones # 132; B. Keselowski 133-151; K. Kahne 152-161; B. Keselowski 162-165; K. Kahne 166-167.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  Kyle Busch 2 times for 87 laps; B. Keselowski 2 times for 23 laps; M. Kenseth 1 time for 21 laps; K. Kahne 2 times for 12 laps; E. Jones # 2 times for 10 laps; M. Truex Jr. 1 time for 8 laps; R. Blaney 1 time for 6 laps.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 18,78,21,4,22,20,1,42,48,88

Stage #2 Top Ten: 18,78,21,77,4,20,22,11,2,1

Kasey Kahne finished fourth in past two Dover spring races

Kasey Kahne is 50/1 to win Sunday at Dover.

Kasey Kahne on racing at Dover
“Dover is a really challenging track. On the long runs there is a lot of rubber that builds up on top of the track and you have to watch for spinning your tires. It’s a very physically demanding track and we’ve run pretty good there the last few races, so I’m looking forward to it.”


GREAT CLIPS AT DOVER: After taking a few weeks off, Great Clips will be the primary sponsor on the No. 5 Chevrolet SS driven by Kasey Kahne this weekend at Dover International Speedway. The longtime Hendrick Motorsports partner will adorn the car for 10 races this season. Kahne most recently drove the Great Clips Chevy at Bristol Motor Speedway, where he finished 20th.

KAHNE AT DOVER: The Enumclaw, Washington, native has started on the outside pole position three times at the “Monster Mile.” In his NASCAR Cup Series career, Kahne has started inside the top-10 eight times at the concrete track. In both of Kahne’s last two spring race starts he’s finished fourth. With the exception of last year’s fall race, the 37-year-old hasn’t finished outside of the top 10 in the last two years at the Dover, Delaware, track.

DOVER LOOP DATA: According to NASCAR’s loop data since 2005, Kahne is third in green-flag passes with 986 and sixth in fastest laps run with 363. He ranks eighth in quality passes with 483. Quality passes are the number of times a driver passes another car that is running in the top 15 while under green-flag conditions. He is ninth in laps spent in the top 15 at the one-mile oval.

TESTING AT NEW HAMPSHIRE: Before heading to Dover this weekend, Kahne and the No. 5 team are representing Hendrick Motorsports at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway test on Tuesday and Wednesday. The New Hampshire test marks the first of the season for Kahne and the No. 5 team.

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2017 Season 20th in standings 12 starts 0 race wins 0 stage wins 0 pole positions 2 top-five finishes 3 top-10 finishes 7 laps led     Career 480 starts 17 wins 27 pole positions 91 top-five finishes 172 top-10 finishes 4,614 laps led     Track Career  26 starts 0 wins 0 pole positions 3 top-five finishes 8 top-10 finishes 90 laps led

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Kasey Kahne is in do or die mode at Richmond

Kasey Kahne is 40/1 to win Saturday night and make Chase.

No. 5 HendrickRideAlong.com Chevrolet SS / Kasey Kahne

Driver: Kasey Kahne 

Hometown: Enumclaw, Washington
Age: 35 

Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina

‘RIDE ALONG’ WITH NO. 5: Sister companies Hendrick Motorsports and Hendrick Automotive Group have partnered for a two-race sponsorship built around the Hendrick Ride Along Sweepstakes. The program started at Darlington Sept. 4-6 and will continue through Richmond International Raceway’s event Sept. 12.

RICHMOND CLINCH SCENARIO: Entering the final race of the regular season, seven competitors are within reach of a Chase berth despite being winless in the 2015 season. Four drivers -- including Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon -- control their Chase destiny even without earning a win at Richmond. Three additional drivers can clinch a Chase berth without a win, but will need help in the form of poor finishes from winless drivers ahead of them in the points and/or a repeat winner. Kasey Kahne fits that category along with Clint Bowyer and Aric Almirola.

FIRST CUP WIN: At Richmond in May 2005, Kahne earned his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win. After starting from the pole position, Kahne led a race-high 242 of 400 laps and took the checkered flag more than 1.6 seconds ahead of Tony Stewart. Kahne is one of three active drivers — and one of just 22 drivers all-time — who have won from the pole at Richmond in 118 Cup races. He has an average start of 14.1 at the 0.75-mile track.

LOOP STATS AT RICHMOND: According to NASCAR's loop data statistics, Kahne ranks sixth in fastest laps run (378 laps), seventh in green-flag passes (1,071 passes) and ninth in green-flag speed (116.068 mph) among all drivers in the past 10 years at Richmond.

SHORT TRACK STATS: Kahne has collected two of his 17 career Cup wins and three of his 27 pole positions on short tracks.

HENDRICKRIDEALONG.COM: The Hendrick Ride Along Sweepstakes adorning the hood of Kahne’s Chevrolet at both Darlington Raceway and Richmond International Raceway is a part of Hendrick Automotive Group’s promotion to win a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to ride in a stock car with Kahne. The all-expenses-paid trip to Charlotte, North Carolina, includes the ride along, travel, accommodations and a full behind-the-scenes tour of Hendrick Motorsports. Fans can register between Sept. 2 and Oct. 31 by visiting www.HendrickRideAlong.comor visiting their local Hendrick Automotive Group dealership.

HENDRICK AUTOMOTIVE GROUP: Encompassing 97 dealerships from the Carolinas to California, Hendrick Automotive Group is the largest privately held automotive retail organization in the United States. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, the company employs more than 10,000 people in its dealerships, collision centers and accessories distributor installers in 13 states. For more information, please visit www.HendrickAuto.com.

Kasey Kahne on racing at Richmond
“My first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory came at Richmond, so I always look forward to going back. It is the ideal short track -- wide, fast, smooth, very competitive and there's plenty of room to set up the pass. We ran really well in the spring at Richmond. I think we can come back with that setup and run well. The pressure is definitely amped up more than usual."

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2015 Season 17th in standings 25 starts 0 wins 1 pole position 2 top-five finishes 6 top-10 finishes 48 laps led     Career 421 starts 17 wins 27 pole positions 85 top-five finishes 152 top-10 finishes 4,589 laps led     Track Career  23 starts 1 win 1 pole position 4 top-five finishes 8 top-10 finishes 281 laps led

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Kasey Kahne heads into Daytona 500 searching for first restrictor-plate win

Kasey Kahne is 25/1 to win Daytona 500

No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet SS / Kasey Kahne
Driver: Kasey Kahne
Hometown: Enumclaw, Washington
Age: 34
Resides: Mooresville, North Carolina​

2015 Season TBD

Career 396 starts 17 wins 26 pole positions 83 top-five finishes 146 top-10 finishes 4,541 laps led

Daytona Career  22 starts 0 wins 0 pole positions 2 top-five finishes 7 top-10 finishes 30 laps led

DAYTONA LOOP DATA: In the last 20 races at Daytona, Kasey Kahne ranks third in green-flag passes (4,093), ninth in average running position (16.951), ninth in quality passes (2,446), 10th in laps in top 15 (1,818) and tied for 10th in fastest laps run (71).

SUPERSPEEDWAY STATS: Kahne has a combined five top-five finishes and 12 top-10s in 42 starts at the restrictor-plate tracks of Daytona International Speedway and Talladega Superspeedway. Four of Kahne’s 17 career wins happened on tracks two miles or longer — the Fontana, California, oval, Michigan International Speedway and Pocono Raceway.

DAYTONA CHASSIS: Crew chief Keith Rodden has selected Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 5-856 for Sunday’s Daytona 500. Notably, Kahne drove the car to finishes of eighth place and 12th place in two races at Talladega in 2014. He also piloted the chassis at Daytona in July 2014.

USAF THUNDERBIRDS: On Feb. 18, Kahne will ride with the United States Air Force Thunderbirds in Daytona Beach, Florida, and be available to members of the media after his flight.

- Hendrick Motorsports

Driver Chassis Selections for 2013 Dover AAA 400

Kasey Kahne is using winning Bristol chassis this week at Dover

#2-Brad Keselowski: Primary Chassis for Dover is PRS-866 which is a brand new chassis. The Backup Chassis is PRS-838 which last raced at Darlington and finished 32.

#5-Kasey Kahne: Crew chief Kenny Francis has selected Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 5-769 for Sunday s Dover race. Kahne has raced this car six times this season, notably reaching Victory Lane at Bristol on March 17. During those six starts, he has averaged a 5.67 starting spot on the strength of outside pole positions at Phoenix and Bristol and a fourth-place start at Richmond. Kahne also lined up eighth in this car on July 14 at New Hampshire. Most recently, he finished second driving this car at Bristol in August. Kahne has one top-five finish, five top-10s and has led 90 laps in 19 Sprint Cup starts at Dover. He earned his best finish of fourth at the track in October 2011. Kahne has eight starts inside the top 10 at the one-mile concrete oval.

#9-Marcos Ambrose: The #9 Stanley team will bring chassis No. 848 this weekend. The team raced this chassis at Phoenix earlier this year.

#14-Mark Martin: Chassis No. 14-722 debuted in June 2012 at Pocono as Tony Stewart took Chassis No. 14-722 from its 22nd-place starting spot to finish third in the Pocono 400. It returned to Pocono in August for the series second visit to the quirky, 2.5-mile triangle where it had a similar outing, as Stewart rallied it from its 28th-place starting spot to finish fifth in the rain-shortened race. While Chassis No. 14-722 didn t race again in 2012, it was tested extensively in the wind tunnel and on the track. It tested at Nashville Superspeedway Sept. 25-26 and at Kansas Oct. 17-18. With 2013 Chevrolet SS bodywork covering it, Chassis No. 14-722 returned to racing in March at Bristol for the Food City 500. After qualifying eighth and practicing well, Stewart declared he had the best car he d had in years at Bristol. But just nine laps into the 500-lap race around the .533-mile oval, Stewart s left-rear tire deflated. Stewart spun and impacted the SAFER Barrier on the outside of turn one with the left side of his racecar. Stewart was OK, but his racecar was not. After lengthy repairs, Stewart returned to the track and finished 31st. Chassis No. 14-722 was rebuilt and saw track time at Dover during a test May 14-15. That test paid off when the car returned to Dover in June, where in its fourth career start and second of 2013, Chassis No. 14-722 won after rallying from its 22nd-place starting spot. The car returned to the concrete for a third straight time when it raced at Bristol in August. There, Mark Martin began his interim driving duties with the #14 team, qualifying 11th and finishing 20th. Martin and Chassis No. 14-722 are together on the concrete again with this weekend s race at Dover.

#15-Clint Bowyer: Primary chassis 777 made it s MWR debut at Indianapolis and finished 20th. It also ran at Atlanta where it led 48 laps before an engine issue ended the night prematurely. In 15 Sprint Cup starts at Dover, Bowyer has one top-five and eight top-10s. He has an average start of 17th and average finish of 13th. He has led 34 laps. He has five consecutive top 10 finishes, including one top-five, at the Monster Mile.

#16-Greg Biffle: and the Matt Puccia led #16 3M Filtrete Ford Fusion team will bring primary chassis RK-844 which last ran at Atlanta and finished 15th. Backup chassis RK-859 last ran at Indy and finished 24th. In his 22 Sprint Cup career starts at Dover, Biffle has earned two wins, six top-five and 10 top-10 finishes. Filtrete was on board the #16 in Texas last year when Biffle picked up his first win of the 2012 season. This is the second race this season with Filtrete on Biffle s Ford, the first was the All-Star race in Charlotte.

#17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: and the #17 Ford EcoBoost team will be using primary chassis RK-815 which last ran at Darlington finishing 18th. The backup Chassis RK-827 last ran at Charlotte and finished 14th in May. Stenhouse Jr. has two Sprint Cup starts at the Monster Mile, both of which he has finished 13th or better.

#22-Joey Logano: Primary Chassis is PRS-865 which is a brand new chassis. The Backup Chassis is PRS-839 which has been a backup at several races but never raced

#27-Paul Menard will pilot chassis No. 414 at Dover International Speedway this weekend. This #27 CertainTeed/Menards Chevrolet SS previously ran this season at Auto Club, Darlington, Kentucky and Bristol, with a best finish of sixth coming at Bristol. Menard has 12 starts at Dover International Speedway. His best start of third came in 2011 and best finish of seventh came in 2010. The Wisconsin native has completed 4,742 of 4,800 laps attempted (98.8 percent) at the Delaware track.

#29-Kevin Harvick: will pilot chassis No. 425 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable in the AAA 400. Harvick drove this Budweiser Chevrolet to Victory Lane after the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, and most recently picked up a 10th-place result with the RCR-prepared machine at Kentucky Speedway in June. Since the 2001 season, Harvick has made 25 Sprint Cup Series starts at Dover International Speedway. Throughout the years, the California native has collected three top-five and 11 top-10 finishes. He has an average starting position of 19.7, an average finishing position of 15.6, has completed 98.6 percent (9,861 of 10,004) of the laps contested and has 145 laps led to his credit.

#31-Jeff Burton will race chassis No. 429 this weekend at Dover International Speedway. This #31 Caterpillar Chevrolet SS is a new addition to the Richard Childress Racing stable and will turn its first laps this weekend at the one-mile facility. This weekend's 400-mile event marks Burton's 40th start at the Dover, Del. facility and 684th-career Sprint Cup Series entry. Burton has garnered one win, eight top-five and 15 top-10 finishes at the one-mile track and has led 136 laps. Foley CAT and Cleveland Brothers will be featured on the deck lid of the No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet SS for Dover International Speedway's weekend event.

#39-Ryan Newman will pilot Chassis No. 39-682 at Dover. This chassis last raced at Darlington in May 2012, when Newman fought an ill-handling racecar for much of the evening but was still in pursuit of a top-15 result with five laps to go. However, a late-race incident pushed Newman back to 23rd once the checkered flag fell. Since then, Chassis No. 39-682 was outfitted with a new front clip and a Chevrolet SS body, and then was utilized for a test session at Texas in April. Chassis 39-682 will see its first laps of the season this weekend at Dover. Sunday s AAA 400 will mark Newman s 24th Sprint Cup start at Dover. Newman has three wins (June 2003, September 2003 and 2004), six top-five finishes and 11 top-10s at the Monster Mile. Additionally, the 35-year-old driver has led 842 laps, has an average starting position of 9.3 and an average finish of 13.1 at the high-banked, concrete mile oval..

#43-Aric Almirola:: The #43 Smithfield team has prepared chassis No. 855 for Dover. The team competed with this chassis at Kentucky Speedway and Atlanta Motor Speedway this season.

#48-Jimmie Johnson: will drive chassis No. 797 at Dover, which last raced at Michigan in August finishing 40th and at Dover in June finishing 17th. Chassis No. 784 serves as the backup.

#55-Brian Vickers: Primary chassis is 778, which has not raced. Vickers owns one top-five and two top-10 finishes in 14 starts. He has led seven laps on the mile oval. His highest finish came in May 2011 when he started 15th and finished fifth..

#88-Dale Earnhardt Jr.: crew chief Steve Letarte and the #88 team will unload Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 88-745 this weekend at Dover. Earnhardt has averaged an 8.75 finish running this chassis this season. Most recently, he recorded 10th-place results at Bristol in August and Dover in June. Prior to that, he raced this car to a ninth-place finish at Darlington in May and a sixth-place finish at Bristol in March. In 27 Cup starts at Dover, Earnhardt has one win, five top-five finishes and nine top-10s. He has led 368 laps and completed 99.1 percent of all laps he's attempted (10,705 of 10,804 total) at the Monster Mile.

#99-Carl Edwards the #99 Fastenal blue team will bring RK 808 to Dover, which last ran in Pocono in August where it came to an 11th-place finish. The backup chassis is RK-821, which last ran at Atlanta. In 18 starts at Dover, Edwards has one win, eight top-five and 12 top-10 finishes. Edwards scored his only Cup win there in Sept. 07. He has an average start of 15.2 and an average finish of 8.6. Fastenal returns to the track with supplier brands BlackStone, WIDIA, Fluke and Holo-Krome on the hood, TV panel, deck lid and B-post.

- compiled by Jayski.com

Michigan Practice Notes: Kahne tops charts at over 200 mph in first session

Kasey Kahne (15/1) was fastest during Friday's practice session

Kasey Kahne was fastest in Friday's practice session at Michigan International Speedway, laying down a lap at 200.619 mph. Kahne was one of four drivers during the 90-minute session top top 200 mph and should be considered one of the favorites to win the pole for Sunday's Quicken Loans 400.

There is plenty to like about Kahne at Michigan beyond simply being fast in qualifying trim. He's been runner-up at Las Vegas, Kansas and Charlotte, and he's using the same chassis that ran at Kansas and Charlotte. Being runner-up in nothing new for Kahne, especially at Michigan where it's happened three times. He won there in 2006 and finished third in the fall last season.

Kurt Busch continued his remarkable run of being fast in practices by posting the second fastest lap at 200.239 mph. Aric Almirola (200.028 mph) was next next, followed by Kevin Harvick (200.011) and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (199.922).

Busch is a two-time Michigan winner, and it's not a surprise to see Almirola show some speed since he's using a seventh-place Texas chassis. Harvick is a past winner (2010) and also won on the last 1.5-mile fast track raced on, at Charlotte. Earnhardt Jr.'s last two wins in the Cup series have come at Michigan, including this race last season. He's using that same winning chassis this week.

Mark Martin (199.861 mph) was next with sixth quickest lap, then came Martin Truex, Jr. (199.595), Jimmie Johnson (199.523), Austin Dillon (199.490) and Carl Edwards (199.369).

Martin, a four-time Michigan winner, will be the only Toyota running on maximum horse power this week, while the five other Joe Gibbs and Michael Waltrip Racing drivers -- considered Chase contenders -- will be running about 12-15 horsepower less than normal to lessen the chances of expiring engines. Last week at Pocono, Toyota ran about 22-24 horsepower less than what we had seen through the first third of the season, and it showed in practice and race day.

David Ragan ran the most laps (28), while no driver ran as many as 10 consecutive laps. 

We'll get a look at average times on Saturday when every team will be exclusively in race trim. Chances are, Jimmie Johnson -- attempting to get his first Michigan win ever -- will be one of those fast drivers along with his two Hendrick teammates. We should also expect the Roush duo of Edwards and Greg Biffle to perform well on long runs during their final practices.    

Michigan Practice 1 Speeds

Friday's Driver Quotes:

JIMMIE JOHNSON ON IF HE'S READY TO CHECK-OFF MICHIGAN ON HIS WIN LIST?
“I’ve been ready for a long time. We’ve been so close here. But, when it happens, it will make it all that sweeter for us. The exciting thing is we’ve been plenty fast here over the years. But getting to the final lap and seeing that checkered flag has been a little more difficult than I could imagine.”

GREG BIFFLE ON HOW THIS IS A BIG WEEKEND FOR ROUSH AND FORD, AND IF THERE EXTRA INCENTIVE TO WIN THIS RACE? “Definitely and coming off our second-place run at Pocono last week, we definitely didn’t probably have a second-place car, but I’m gonna say we were close to it. We hopefully feel like we’ve learned a few things last week that we can apply here today with the amount of practice we have. Hopefully, we can continue to learn and make our cars a little bit better, which we need to continue to do. This is one of my favorite places – a fourth and a win here last year – so we can hopefully do at least the same this year, if not better.”