CHARLOTTE, N.C. - So this is what all the fuss was about.

Kasey Kahne, stuck in the middle of a contentious tug-of-war last season between Ford Motor Co. and car owner Ray Evernham, has wasted no time proving he was well worth the fight.

The 23-year-old rookie shook off engine problems he had in the season-opening Daytona 500 to score consecutive second-place finishes in the next two races, a pole at Las Vegas last weekend and eighth place in the points standings.

Had the races been a few laps longer, Kahne might have a victory already: He came just inches short of beating Matt Kenseth at North Carolina Speedway last month in the fourth closest finish in NASCAR history.

"We need about 20 more miles for each of these races," he said. "But second place is pretty darned good and I'll take it."

So will Evernham, who fought to get Kahne out of his contract with Ford last season when he needed a driver to replace veteran Bill Elliott in the No. 9 Dodge.

Kahne had been carefully groomed by Ford for years and the manufacturer had no intention of losing its investment. But with only Busch series rides to offer, Kahne was able to break away from the blue oval camp and get into Dodge's flagship car.

Still, predicting his success was hard to do.

Kahne won the only Busch series race of his career in the season-finale in Homestead, Fla., last year. And in ranking the rich class of Nextel Cup rookies this season, he probably stacked up well behind veterans Scott Riggs and Scott Wimmer, Busch series champion Brian Vickers and truck series veteran Brendan Gaughan.

Kahne credits the Evernham operation for his progress in NASCAR's elite series.

"I never expected this," Kahne said. "Things have been going really smooth. I've never been in such a good situation. I've never been able to work with so many good people and figure out race cars, figure out what to do during the run.

"I think we've got lots of confidence and we're gaining more. It's fun driving for these guys and getting to work with them every week."

The effort is led by Evernham, who won three championships as crew chief for a young Jeff Gordon and has sacrificed nothing in trying to recreate that teamwork and chemistry.

But with Evernham in the owners role now, crew chief Tommy Baldwin is calling the shots and building his own relationship with Kahne.

Baldwin, who won the 2002 Daytona 500 as crew chief for Ward Burton, knows too well how fleeting the good times can be. He and Burton split midway through 2003 when they were unable to find any momentum, so Baldwin knows there could be rocky times ahead for his new team.

"We're all still learning together," Baldwin said. "We just happened to get two good finishes the last two races. This business is like a roller coaster - you've got to ride high while you're high and when you're low, you've got to learn from it.

"We're still learning from the high and we're not supposed to be here right now."

But they are, and fellow competitors are taking notice.

It's a critical time for Kahne, from Enumclaw, Wash., population 8,750. The success he's having right now could go to his head and knock the No. 9 team right off the fast track.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., who admittedly didn't handle rookie success well his first season, thinks Kahne won't be affected.

"I feel like I know Kasey pretty well and he is probably oblivious to the impact he has made this year," Earnhardt said. "That's probably good, because when I was doing so well my rookie season ... that's when maybe a little cockiness got the best of all of us.

"But with Kasey, he's with a good team and has a good mentor in Ray who can control his ego and keep his head on straight."

Kahne has tasted success before, albeit in the open-wheel ranks. He won the USAC Midget championship and was the USAC Silver Bullet Series Rookie of the Year in 2002, then was successful in the Toyota Atlantic and Formula Ford 2000 series the next year.

He jumped to NASCAR and a limited Busch schedule in 2002. Despite modest accomplishments in his short Busch stint, he caught Evernham's eye and the owner made him the heir apparent to replace Elliott, who went to a scaled-back schedule this season.

Kahne has had no qualms taking over for the former series champion, and has used every opportunity to pick Elliott's brain.

"I came into this having a huge seat to fill," Kahne said. "I was going to do whatever I could to not make mistakes and do everything I could right. So far, it's been great. But I know it can turn bad at any time."