Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Kahne can rise to a Championship title

Who do you 'want' to win the Chase this season? 
My top pick is Kasey Kahne

Kahne finding out he won the pole in Martinsville, VA
My first race of the season and fourth in the media

Sitting on Jeff Gordon's pit box
Martinsville April 1st, 2012
After a complicated start to 2012, a Championship title would be an amazing accomplishment to wrap up the year.
Kahne was excited to start the season in a new ride, with a new sponsor, with new teammates and a new boss. He had waited a long time for this opportunity and it didn't start out so good. From the crashing in practice at Daytona, to the wreck in the Great American race -  to wreck after wreck in the following races.
 In Las Vegas, he won the pole and broke the fastest (speed) record. He finished that race in 19th position. In Bristol, he wrecked early in the race and had to finish 37th. In Martinsville, he won the pole then 256  laps in to the race his engine blew up and ended his day. He spent the rest of the race sitting in his teammates (Jeff Gordon's) pit box with hopes that one of the Hendrick Motorsports drivers would win the race, marking it their 200th victory (as a team). It didn't happen, Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished second and Ryan Newman finished first.

It wasn't until the Texas race  - the Saturday after Easter weekend that the No. 5 team turned things around. He started the Samsung Mobile 500 in fifth position and finished seventh. The next day, he flew to Rockingham, North Carolina to race in the Turner Motor Sports Rockwell Tools truck at the legendary NASCAR track we all know and love as "The Rock." Because he was not there to qualify the truck - he had to start the race in the rear of the field - and he won that race.
Victory for Kahne in Rockingham
North Carolina
That was the first time I was in victory circle for a race and it was his win. In a book I'm writing with a pre- title "Confessions of a writer," I'll tell you what being a part of that as a journalist was like.
From my point of view, that's when things turned around for Kahne. Maybe it was because of his off weekend (during Easter)  where he traveled to Ohio with his own team Kasey Kahne Racing to race in the dirt in the sprint cars.
Maybe it was because it was his 32nd birthday - whatever it was - his luck turned right around. He went on to finish in the top 10 three times after the Texas race. Then in Darlington he tied for the pole with a speed of 179.566 miles per hour and a lap time of 27.386 seconds with his teammate Jimmie Johnson. Greg Biffle from Roush-Fenway Racing locked in a faster time - breaking the HMS front line start up- knocking Kahne the second row for a  third position start. That's alright, we all know it's not where you start - it's where you finish. The timing and the stars seemed to be in line that weekend. Luck was lingering in the air. Someone on the HMS team had to win the 200th that night and Johnson did just that.

The next weekend in Charlotte, Kahne wrecked his car during the qualifying run for the All-Star Race - that meant he had to start last and he went on to finish ninth over-all. For the second Charlotte race, he won the Coca Cola 600. Luck continued for him after that - and his second win came in at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where once again, the entire HMS team drove strong, hanging on to the top five spots. At one point - the teammates were in line in numerical  number (5, 24, 48, 88). It was obvious that an HMS driver would win and - Kahne took the checkered flag. It was his first victory in NH.

Post race interview at NH
first NH win - 2nd win of 2012
I believe Kahne can win the 2012 title because he showed me - and the NASCAR community he can outwit bad luck. He can hold hisself accountable when need be, and he controls his emotions. He is one of the biggest movers in standings. In April, he was 31st in points and moved to 11th before the Chase. After one race - he's moved from 11th to fifth. Now that he's off to NH,  also known as The Magic Mile, he's confident and motivated to win again - and if he did it would be considered a 'season sweep.' I'd consider it epic. On a lighter, more comical note, the infamous Red Rocks Cafe in Birkdale Village - a restaurant that he and many NASCAR drivers like to frequent and a place where the food and drinks are named after drivers and writers in the business, Kahne is named after the twin lobster entree. I believe a second win in NH is due and near. Realistically, his chances are strong, in 17 starts at the track in a Cup car, Kahne has started second four times and had seven top ten finishes including a win.

It's exciting to see all four Hendrick teammates in the Chase line-up especially since he said at the beginning of the year he told the media he'd like to see all four guys in it - and the teams delivered. With the kind of year these men have had - it would be poetic to see one of them hoist the Cup in Miami this November.




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