So Who Are The NASCAR Wild Card Contenders Going Into Richmond??

Headed to Richmond, we have a few drivers poised to snag a wild card spot in the Chase for the Cup.  As it stands, if nothing changes, Kasey Kahne and Kyle Busch are those wild cards.  But it's Richmond!  Anything can change there.

And though they're all desperate to get into the Chase, of this bunch, I think Carl Edwards is the most dangerous.  His rep precedes him and if he's looking at the checkered flag over the roof on only one car in his way, my bet is that car is going to get man-handled coming out of turn 4 if Edwards has the car for it.

It should be a pretty fun night this Saturday night... well, at least for the fans of the sport.

I wonder if everyone will warm up their "helmet tossing" arms before getting into their cars?

All NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers eligible to capture a Wild Card spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup includes:

·         Kasey Kahne, driver of No. 5 Quaker State Chevrolet
·         Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota
·         Jeff Gordon, driver of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet
·         Marcos Ambrose, driver of the No. 9 MAC Tools Ford
·         Ryan Newman, driver of the No. 39 Quicken Loans Chevrolet
·         Joey Logano, driver of the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota
·         Carl Edwards, driver of the No. 99 Kellogg's Ford
·         Paul Menard, driver of the No. 27 Menards-Moen Chevrolet

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The Chase for the Cup: Four Locked In, Others Licking Their Chops!

Going into Atlanta, four drivers are locked into NASCAR's Chase for the Cup...

1. Greg Biffle,
2. Jimmie Johnson,
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.,
4. Matt Kenseth.

Unless something goes horribly wrong, spots five through ten will or could include Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer, Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart.

Those outside the top-10, looking at the two wildcard spots (11th and 12th) include those in the 11th to 20th spots, with wins:

(W1) Kasey Kahne (2)
(W2) Kyle Busch    (1)
Jeff Gordon    (1)
Marcos Ambrose    (1)
Joey Logano    (1)

As you can see, Kahne and Kyle Busch right now are the two wildcards set to be in the Chase, if nothing changes as far as the number of wins or points gained.  Kasey Kahne seems locked in.

Now Kahne is a few points outside of 10th.  (16)  If Stewart falters and Kahne does well over the next two weeks, then he'll be in the top-10 and the landscape for the Chase can change a bit, but Tony has 3 wins, so he may very well have a wildcard locked up, regardless.

What's amazing is that Carl Edwards is not in this list.  He's 12th in points, but with no win.  Look out drivers if Carl has a chance to win and improve his lot in life, you know he'll do what it takes!

The other aspect to look at are those Michael Waltrip Racing teams, both in the top-10, getting ready to lock themselves into the Chase.

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RANK		DRIVER	PTS BEHIND	WINS
1	-	Greg Biffle	Leader	2
2	-	Jimmie Johnson	-11	3
3	-	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	-15	1
4	-	Matt Kenseth	-26	1
5	-	Martin Truex Jr.	-52	0
6	-	Clint Bowyer	-55	1
7	-	Brad Keselowski	-59	3
8	-	Denny Hamlin	-75	3
9	-	Kevin Harvick	-82	0
10	-	Tony Stewart	-103	3
W1   11	-	Kasey Kahne	-119	2
12	-	Carl Edwards	-137	0
W2   13	-	Kyle Busch	-142	1
14	-	Jeff Gordon	-158	1
15	-	Ryan Newman	-161	1
16	-	Marcos Ambrose	-170	1
17	-	Paul Menard	-175	0
18	-	Joey Logano	-211	1
19	-	Jamie McMurray	-251	0
20	-	Jeff Burton	-272	0

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Press Teleconference Call with NASCAR Kasey Kahne

Last week NASCAR held a press teleconference with Kasey Kahne and the press.  In the teleconference, Kasey chatted about his upcoming time in the No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet with Hendrick Motorsports, working with Kenny Francis, the idea of points swapping, and a few other tidbits.  Check it out...

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On Coming Into the Fold of Hendrick Motorsports:

 

The last year Kasey spent driving for Red Bull, was a year of anticipation of where he was headed.  Finally sitting in the No. 5 car at the Daytona testing it started to feel real.

Kasey Kahne thinks that being in the same garage as the 24 team is "really good."  (He's such an understater!)  He calls it fun to chat with Jeff Gordon and seeing how they sometimes look at the same thing in different ways is enlightening.  He feels that working with Gordon is a great opportunity.

Kasey is pretty excited about coming to Daytona with a team that has a great record at the track and is excited about qualifying.  Kasey Kahne's first impressions of Hendrick Motorsports was "very very impressed," with a lot going on.

With his contract with HMS, he has a short-term form of stability and it's something he hasn't had to date.  Up to this point in time, he's learned a lot and now is the time to take advantage of what he's learned and the situation he's in now.

Kasey Kahne Recovering From Knee Surgery

-Kasey Kahne had impromptu knee surgery yesterday, Friday, February 10th, 2012, after having seen a doctor for swelling of the knee the day before.  The surgery was to fix a torn cartilage in his left knee.

My first thought while reading the news was, how perfect... brand new driving gig in the Hendrick No.5  and you have to have knee surgery just before you hope in the car?  Wow.   But never fear gang.

Hendrick Motorsports says they're not getting a backup driver for Kasey Kahne and that he'll be ready for Daytona in the upcoming week.

If you recall, he's had knee surgery before.  In 2011 he was back at racing within the week of cartilage surgery.

These drivers are pretty tough cookies with having their surgeries and getting back in the game pretty fast.  Or broken ankles or what not.

This should be interesting.

[Fox News:  Kasey Kahne Knee Surgery ]

Coca-Cola 600 is A Wrap for Kahne

It was a long day for the race fan if you were watching both the Indy 500 and the Coca-Cola 600. Egads.. that's a lot of nap time if you sleep during the middle 2/3rds of a race.

In the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's the expected attrition came and went.

Dale Earnhardt Jr lost a tire while he was the fastest car on the track and got rammed by J.J. Yeley while he was slowing up in the outside wall, but still recovered to a decent finish of 5th.

The big one was Tony Stewart who had built a 5 second lead over the next car of Kasey Kahne but with 3 laps to go, lost his right front tire and Kasey Kahne adopted the lead to take the win for the Coca-Cola 600 in his No 9 Budweiser Dodge.

With Kahne winning this and the All-Star shoot out, this makes him the sixth driver ever to win both events.

Kahne won, followed by
Greg Biffle,
Kyle Busch,
Jeff Gordon,
Dale Earnhardt Jr.,
Jeff Burton,
Matt Kenseth,
Elliott Sadler,
Carl Edwards and
David Reutimann to round out the top 10 spots for the marathon.

For more results see the Unofficial results | NASCAR

By the way: Scott Dixon won the Indy 500. Danica Patrick's race was ended when she was taken out in the pits with 29 laps to go when Ryan Briscoe pulled out of his pit stall hitting her car. (Oops) (Dallas News)

Image from NASCAR.com

Kasey Kahne Pleads Not Guilty

Gillett Evernham Motorsports driver Kasey Kahne has filed a written plea of not guilty to a charge of misdemeanor battery stemming from an alleged pushing incident with a security guard Nov. 16 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

The not guilty plea was filed Thursday and cancels the arraignment scheduled for Tuesday.

See the details at scenedaily

Kasey Kahne, the Brutal Guard Beater

Give me a break... the guard that Kasey Kahne supposedly shoved is now suing Kahne for $15k for severe physical injuries. Yea, the big brute of a guy, Kahne, in that unknown driver's suit, who no one recognizes at all.. eesh.

So I get knocked down and I can sue someone? Nice... I'd be a millionaire by now if I were of that mind.

On the serious side: Hutchinson claimed Kahne used profane language and then pushed his brother's foot off the accelerator pedal of the golf cart, attempting to drive past. The guard claims Kahne then got out of the golf cart and "without saying another word shove(d) me with great force from which I landed on my back and left shoulder on the entrance pavement."

Kahne's brother, Kale, disputed the events in his statement to police. Kale Kahne said his brother did not have a credential because he'd just finished practice.

foxsports

Kasey Kahne Having Some Cop Trouble

Kasey Kahne is under investigation by the Homestead Police Department for pushing a track security guard down Friday before the Truck race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

A conflict ensued between Kahne and the guard after Kahne could not provide the proper credential for his brother, Kale Kahne, in order to enter the drivers' motorhome lot inside the speedway, according to Police Capt. Tom Foglia.

After the incident the security guard complained his blood pressure had escalated. An emergency vehicle was called and the security guard was taken to the infield care center.

You know Kasey, the new Jimmy Spencer!!

Source: nascar

Budweiser to Kasey Kahne

by Bruce Simmons
Ok, it's not new news, but it is now OFFICIAL news and I would be remiss to not post it:

BUDWEISER TAPS KASEY KAHNE AS NEXT DRIVER OF ITS LEGENDARY RACE CAR

Labonte, Waltrip, Elliott and Earnhardt. In addition to being among the most celebrated names in motorsports, these drivers share in the proud tradition of racing for one of NASCAR's most successful sponsors – Budweiser.

Today, Budweiser announced Gillett Evernham Motorsports driver Kasey Kahne will become the next world-class racer to take the wheel of the iconic red Budweiser car when the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season kicks off in February.

"The fan in me is thrilled because driving for Budweiser is the kind of opportunity you dream of when you break into this sport. I'm excited about getting behind the wheel of a car that's been driven by some of the best this sport has seen," said Kahne, who has seven wins, 31 top-fives and 46 top-10s in three and a half years on the Cup circuit. "We'll be out to win races and championships, and everyone involved with our organization feels we can do that."

See the entire announcement over at evernhammotorsports

The splash page over at http://www.kaseykahne.com/ also has a visual clue...
and if you go over to the Budweiser Website, I RECOMMEND checking out the wallpapers.
(The site didn't have any Kasey stuff on it yet.)

Kasey Kahne and Budweiser

Kasey Kahne said a deal with sponsor Budweiser would be "awesome," but that nothing has been signed yet.

Kahne said he'd love to get a deal done with Bud. The Anheuser-Busch brand is parting ways with Dale Earnhardt Jr. after this season. See the whole article at Scenedaily

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Additionally, the ever insightful & well connected Terry Blount over on ESPN reports that:

"As expected, Budweiser will become the primary sponsor for Kasey Kahne and the No. 9 Dodge in 2008, sources confirmed Thursday."

Gillett Evernham Motorsports officials will make the announcement Tuesday at 10 a.m. ET at team headquarters in Statesville, N.C.

The deal for Budweiser to sponsor Kahne has been in the works for more than two months. GEM officials first had to make sure Dodge representatives were OK with the change. The Dodge dealers sponsor two GEM cars -- Kahne and the No. 19 driven by Elliott Sadler.

The entire post is at ESPN

So basically, he stays in red!! I think this is a cool combination and after Jr., there weren't that many options that could have rivaled the Jr / Bud combo, but this is it!!

Budweiser to Pepsi, Earnhardt to Kahne

By Bruce Simmons, the Fan Reporter

First, the collective NASCAR world was mesmerized as Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced that he is leaving his long time team of DEI, headed by his step-mother, Teresa Earnhardt and going to Hendrick Motorsports, headed by Dale’s long time friend Rick Hendrick.

Then, the statement, "We have agreements in place with sponsors for the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, which prevent us from having a relationship with Budweiser," from team owner Rick Hendrick, was the second shock we, the fans had to endure through the transition of where Dale Earnhardt Jr has been, and where he has chosen to go.

Following that announcement, Dale Jr. announced his dissolution of his own personal contracts with Budweiser, showing the power of the potential new sponsor maybe.

After Budweiser, who could possibly take their place on Jr.’s hood? The most popular rumors right now are that Pepsi-co is lined up with one of their products to adorn his hood, and that feels like the right replacement to me.

In reality, at the moment, it is all conjecture as to who Jr.’s new sponsor for 2008 will be, but whenever it is announced, the consumer rush to refill their memorabilia coffers with new hats, die-casts, jackets, etc. will be on in a big way! Hopefully though, for you tattoo wearers, I’d say hold off on any new numbers or sponsor tats for a while.

As far as Budweiser goes, they’ve sponsored Darrel Waltrip in the mid 80’s, Kenny Schrader in the 90’s and Jr. from 99 to 2007. Where Budweiser goes next can be a milestone for the driver they decide to go with, and present rumors seem to point to Kasey Kahne. He basically already drives a red car, and Dodge has made statements to the affect that any deals Gillett Evernham Racing might make for a primary or shared sponsorship would be ok with them.

If true, I think Kasey Kahne and Budweiser can be a great match. Another good looking driver and more great television ads to come. I think this match can also be agreeable with the NASCAR fan base. Admit it, after Jr., we are expecting a modern, hip new rep for Bud to bring them to victory lane. That will be another milestone we are looking forward to also.

Evernham, Dodge, Sponsor Rumors

So to feed the fuzz of rumors and conectures running about, here's a quote from one article:

Mike Delahanty, senior manager of the Dodge Motorsports program, confirmed on Saturday at Pocono Raceway the manufacturer's long-term intent to remain in the series and an extension of Petty Enterprises' deal with Dodge. He also said its flagship Evernham Motorsports cars might have a different look next season.

Cerberus Capital Management, an investment group, this week finalized its agreement to split the Chrysler brands away from DaimlerChrysler, but Delahanty said Dodge's motorsports involvement would not be affected, with the plan for four teams to run 10 cars next season.

Delahanty declined to go into the details of rumors that connect Ray Evernham's team to possible deals with commercial sponsors such as Budweiser or a Masterfoods brand such as Snickers -- but said the No. 9 and 19 Dodges, which have carried Dodge Dealers and UAW sponsorship since the newest program began in 2001, might look different next season.

www.nascar.com

Then on another front, in regards to Kasey Kahne and Budweiser (That does sound like a nice combination to me! The color of the car won't change much!) Kasey is quoted to say: "I've been in some conversations, so I'd say it's closer if they bring a driver into conversations," Kahne said Saturday at Pocono Raceway. "And it went really well. But as far as anything signed, there's nothing signed that I know of."

www.scenedaily.com