Elevation Motorsports Group For Budweiser Racing, Press Release
Budweiser Racing Team Notes of Interest
· Kasey Kahne will make his fifth career start in the Daytona 500 and his ninth overall start at Daytona International Speedway this weekend.
· Kahne’s best finish at Daytona is seventh and he earned the finish during the 2007 Daytona 500.
· In nine starts at the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway, Kahne has only one DNF. Kahne was unable to finish in his very first Daytona 500 due to an engine failure. It was also his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start.
· Kahne has two top-10 finishes at Daytona. He finished seventh in the Daytona 500 last season and then followed it up with a ninth-place finish during the track’s July race.
· The World Famous Budweiser Clydesdales will be on display in the vendor display area located outside Turn Four at Daytona throughout the duration of Speed Weeks.
Kasey Kahne Discusses Racing in the Daytona 500
How important is it to get a good finish in the Daytona 500?
“I think you hear a lot of people refer to it as just one race out of the 36 we will run all season but I think it’s important to start the year off right and with a good finish. It’s obviously a big race – our biggest race – and it’s a good feeling to be able to leave Daytona with a good finish rather than leaving with a DNF or a bad performance. I’ve been at both ends leaving Daytona and I can tell you it gives you a lot of confidence to be able to leave here with a good finish.”
Did teams that competed in the Budweiser Shootout gain an advantage over the ones that didn’t?
“It doesn’t really give you an advantage for qualifying but we learned things that are going to help us in the qualifying races and then again on Sunday in the 500. The car handled pretty well in the Shootout but we know we learned some things that we’ll use when we get into race trim for the qualifying races and the 500. The biggest thing was getting that information because it gives us a better starting point when making preparations for race trim.”
How do you feel about your Daytona 500 car?
“It drove well during the qualifying lap but that’s just a small part of everything that goes on here in Daytona this week. The real test will be when we get into drafting practice on Wednesday and then in the qualifying races on Thursday. We felt pretty good with the way our car drafted when we tested and we did some things since then that should improve the car. We saw how sensitive the cars were with just 23 cars in the Shootout so I’m sure it will be a little more interesting when we have 43 cars on the track at the same time. I had fun racing these cars in the Shootout Saturday night and I think it was exciting for the fans so hopefully we’ll see more of that excitement on Thursday and Sunday.”
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Elevation Motorsports Group For Budweiser Racing, Press Release
Budweiser Racing Team Notes of Interest
· This weekend’s Auto Club 500 marks Kasey Kahne’s ninth career start at the two-mile California Speedway.
· Kahne swept the weekend’s events during the fall race at California Speedway in 2006, winning in the former NASCAR Busch Series on Saturday night then scoring the win in the Sprint Cup Series race the following night.
· Kahne has finished no worse than 13th at California Speedway during the races in which he finished. He has two DNFs at California as a result of an engine failure (spring 2007) and an accident (spring 2005).
· Kahne has finished in the top 10 during each of the four fall races that have taken place at California Speedway.
· Kahne has led at least one lap during five of the eight races in which he has competed at California for a total 267 laps led.
· Kahne has an average starting position of seventh place at California Speedway.
Kasey Kahne Discusses Racing at California Speedway
What are your thoughts on California Speedway?
“I like California. We’ve always been able to run pretty well there which is probably one of the reasons I enjoy racing there. I know we had engine problems in this race last year but we started second and had a pretty good run going. We led 20 laps and then lost the engine a little past halfway. It’s a great track though and I am ready to get started at these types of tracks. We felt pretty good about the test we had in California and Las Vegas. We learned a lot and hopefully that works to our favor this weekend.”
Do you compare the racing at California to any other tracks?
“It’s hard to compare tracks to each other. I think California was built to be like Michigan but they’re pretty different tracks. California doesn’t have a lot of banking but it is a pretty fast track. I think, like every track, getting the car to handle in the corners is the biggest thing. It’s a two-mile track and the front and back stretches are pretty long. I do think it is a track that can be tough on engines, as we discovered last year but it is a track I enjoy so I’m looking forward to it.”
Does this race at California set more of the tone for the season?
“I think you have a better idea of where you are after this race. Daytona is such a different race. California is more like the type of tracks that we’ll race at all year. We only have restrictor-plate races four times a year so I think this weekend’s race is a good test for the work that has been done in the off season and will give us a better idea on where we still need improvement. I do felt like we had a good test at California. We weren’t the fastest car there but we learned some things that should help us, especially in the race.”
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Pete Pistone
Senior Editor
RacingOne
Posted Tuesday, March 4, 2008
Kahne has three straight top-10 finishes.
LAS VEGAS - Kasey Kahne was determined not to have a lost weekend in Las Vegas.
But when the flu and a sinus condition hit him, it turned out to be a tough few days in the desert.
But Kahne was able to feel healthy enough to take the wheel in Sunday's UAW-Dodge 400 at LVMS and at the end of the day, he was feeling pretty well.
Kahne finished sixth on Sunday and is the only driver to have three top ten finishes to start the Sprint Cup Series season.
“My eyes hurt, but they’ve hurt all weekend,” Kahne said. “It’s a good start for us. The guys did a really good job. The car was a little tight. It may have been my own fault on one of the adjustments. I thought it would help."
“It did at times, but throughout the last half of the race it didn’t. I think we could have been a little better if I hadn’t made the suggestion.”
The start to the year is also a welcome relief for Kahne, who struggled mightily in 2007.
"The team has done a really good job," he said. This team is back to where it was. Our cars weren't right last year, something was wrong with them. It showed. We had a great run at Daytona and California."
Kahne points to a renewed relationship with Kenny Francis as a key to the rebound.
"Focusing on one car, the car we're racing and the Gilletts coming aboard," Kahne added as positives in 2008. "You know, we've changed the structure at the shop and I think that's really helped. Just having Kenny Francis there and working with him and the people he's put on our team. We had a great team and we have a great team. Once your car starts handling, all the communication stuff comes back."
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Elevation Motorsports Group For Budweiser Racing, Press Release
Kasey Kahne, No. 9 Budweiser Dodge Charger
Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway
Budweiser Racing Team Notes of Interest
· Kasey Kahne makes his ninth career start at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend.
· Kahne is currently fourth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver point standings. With three top-10 finishes in the first three races, Kahne is off to the best start of his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career.
· Kahne scored a win at Atlanta during the spring race in 2006 after starting from the pole. He led 85 laps in route to the win.
· In eight starts at Atlanta, Kahne has one win, four top-five and five top-10 finishes.
· Kahne has an average start of 10th and an average finish of 17th at Atlanta.
Kasey Kahne Discusses Racing at Atlanta Motor Speedway
How does it feel to be fourth in the point standings at this point in the season?
“It feels really good especially after the year we had last year. This is the best we’ve ever started a season and I think it speaks a lot in regards to the changes that we made within the team during the last several months. Our cars have been great, mine and Kenny’s (Francis, crew chief) communication is great. The pit crew has been doing a great job and I think we’re only going to get better. Last week’s race in Las Vegas is proof that we’ve made some pretty big gains this off season. We started pretty far back and even lost a lap but we were able to get back to finish sixth. I don’t think that’s something we could have done last year. Now we just need to get a win. We have a lot of momentum going right now and I’m just looking forward to getting to the race track every week.”
What is it that you like about Atlanta?
“It’s probably my favorite race track. It’s a fast track and it’s wide enough so there are multiple grooves for racing. I like the fact that it lets the driver figure out where the car is handling best. It makes it a little more challenging but it’s also a lot of fun.”
Everyone knew you weren’t feeling well last week so how do you feel after last week’s race and the test at Phoenix?
“I feel good. I actually didn’t feel bad after the first couple days, but I was really tired. I can get by on six to eight hours of sleep and feel good. I was getting 10 and 11 hours of sleep last week and I still felt tired. I think getting more sleep is helping and I’ll be ready to go this weekend – looking forward to it.”
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Kasey Kahne Food City 500 Bristol NSCS Race Preview
Elevation Motorsports Group For Budweiser Racing, Press Release
Kasey Kahne, No. 9 Budweiser Dodge Charger
Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway
Budweiser Racing Team Notes of Interest
· Kasey Kahne makes his ninth career start at Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend.
· Kahne earned his best Bristol finish during the track’s most recent NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event which took place in August 2007. Kahne finished second after starting from the pole and led 305 laps in route to the second-place finish.
· The laps Kahne led at Bristol during the track’s 2007 fall race were the first he had led at Bristol in his Sprint Cup Series career.
· In addition to the second-place finish at Bristol, Kahne has one other top-10 finish. He finished 10th during the 2006 spring race.
· Kahne has qualified in the top 10 at Bristol six out of the eight races in which he has participated at Bristol for an average starting position of 10th.
· Kahne will be available for interviews with motorsports media members at Bristol Motor Speedway this Friday, March 14 at approximately 11:15 a.m. Kahne will be in the infield media center for interviews.
Kasey Kahne Discusses Racing at Bristol Motor Speedway
How much of a question mark does Bristol present this weekend?
“I don’t know if it’s a question mark or just a gamble. It’s a tough track obviously just because a lot of times what happens there is out of your hands as a driver. I’ve gotten involved in accidents running in the back and I’ve gotten into accidents while running in the top 10. Trouble can find you anywhere on that track so that’s probably the biggest unknown when you go into a race at a place like Bristol.”
How different is racing at Bristol than anywhere else the Sprint Cup Series races?
“It’s pretty different. There aren’t too many other places we race where you can leave with a top 10 and have a race car that’s pretty beat up and maybe even been wrecked. I really don’t know of another track you can compare it to though. It’s a short track like Martinsville but it is really fast which you can kind of compare to some place like Dover with the concrete. It’s just a different track to race. I’ve probably gotten more comfortable racing there during the last couple years and it’s a place I look forward to racing just because you really never know what to expect, which makes it fun and challenging.”
What are your hopes for the next couple races with Martinsville and Bristol both being short tracks?
“Ideally we are contending for the win at Bristol this week. We had our best Bristol race there last fall and hopefully, we’ll see more of that this week. I’d say we’d be disappointed if we aren’t competing for the win or at least be in position to do that. At Martinsville, I’d be happy to leave there with at least a top-10 finish. We’ve had a couple good finishes there but I think it’d be good if we were able to leave there with a solid finish.”
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Kasey Kahne’s fast start to the 2008 season took a bit of a wrong turn last weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where he spun during the Kobalt Tools 500 and later finished 28th.
That was easily his worst finish of the year, as he posted top-10 finishes in his first three races. But Kahne and the No. 9 Gillett Evernham Motorsports team are headed to Bristol Motor Speedway for this weekend’s Food City 500, and that should be good news for them.
Kahne had the best race of his 2007 season at Bristol last August, leading 305 laps before finishing second.
“Ideally we are contending for the win at Bristol this week,” Kahne said. “We had our best Bristol race there last fall and hopefully, we’ll see more of that this week. I’d say we’d be disappointed if we aren’t competing for the win or at least be in position to do that.”
Kahne and team director Kenny Francis seemed to get a good handle on the repaved Bristol track with NASCAR’s new car. Kahne led only 374 laps all season, so most of them came that night in Bristol.
Still, Kahne isn’t sure whether to classify the 0.533-mile track as a “question mark” or a “gamble.”
“It’s a tough track obviously just because a lot of times what happens there is out of your hands as a driver,” Kahen said. “I’ve gotten involved in accidents running in the back and I’ve gotten into accidents while running in the top 10.
“Trouble can find you anywhere on that track so that’s probably the biggest unknown when you go into a race at a place like Bristol.”
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Kasey Kahne Daytona 500 Race Preview
Kasey Kahne California NSCS Race Preview
woohoo yeah Kasey
Kasey Kahne Food City 500 Bristol NSCS Race Preview
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