Kahne gets back in the chase
SONOMA, Calif. — Kasey Kahne figured a spot in the Chase for the championship was an unrealistic goal just two months ago. He wasn't running well, Richard Petty Motorsports was behind in its development, and the competition was steadily pulling away.
Then came a strong five-race stretch, punctuated by Sunday's win at Infineon Raceway. It came at a road course, of all places, and snapped Kahne's 37-race winless streak.
It also moved him up two spots in the standings to 13th, just three points away from a berth in the Chase.
"The Chase is what we work for every year. We need to have a car in that Chase," he said. "We've run strong for the last six races ... top-five, top-10 material. Haven't finished there, but we've been there, and (Sunday) we did.
"I know we have a great opportunity if we keep showing up and working as hard as we have been to make the Chase."
His win brought team co-owner Richard Petty to Victory Lane for the first time in over a decade. The last time a Petty-owned car won a race was John Andretti's 1999 victory at Martinsville.
So his return trip was special, in large part because it gave a much-needed boost to struggling Richard Petty Motorsports. Caught in the financial crunch of Chrysler's bankruptcy, the team had a recent round of layoffs and companywide salary reductions, and Kahne had been openly critical of the team's slow development on an improved Dodge motor.
"I feel just as good as (Kahne) does," The King, clad in his trademark cowboy hat and sunglasses, said before he sipped on a congratulatory glass of red wine. "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 secure the storied NASCAR team. Rebranded as Richard Petty Motorsports, the four-car organization 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 while slashing salaries across the board.
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 team, who at times this year has been vocal about RPM's slow 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 hope.
