Kasey Kahne Ragu/Ultimate Chargers Dodge Charger Fast Facts
Las Vegas Motor Speedway -- NASCAR Busch Series
Driver: Kasey Kahne
Team Director: Trip Bruce
Car Director: Todd Devnich
Engineer: Mike Wolf
Team Owner: Ray Evernham
Sponsors: Ragu
Chassis No. 23: Brand new car built in the off-season and tested at Las Vegas in January.
Kasey Kahne Quotes:
“We had a great test at Vegas with our Ragu/Ultimate Chargers Dodge. This is a new car and I am ready to get back on the track. We led a lot of laps at Daytona in February and I believe we would have been a contender for the win, just got caught up in someone’s wreck. This weekend I want to finish what we started in Daytona. Our Busch program at Evernham Motorsports is so strong that it’s really fun to come over and race. I saw Boris have an awesome weekend with the No. 9 Team down in Mexico last weekend and I don’t want to miss out.”
Trip Bruce Quotes:
“We should probably be satisfied with the second-place run we had last week in Mexico, but to be honest it’s disappointing. We had a piece of paper fly up on the grill, which got the engine too hot and costs us some horsepower on the last few restarts. I think Boris (Said) would have won it if not for that. The race at Mexico did help us put California behind us, and also raised us from 40th to 19th in owner’s points, only 50 out of the top 10. When we finally made it back home and through customs it was 4:30 in the morning on Monday, so I gave the guys the day off. This is our toughest travel stretch right now.”
“Now we are focused on Las Vegas. We have a new car that tested extremely well there in January. Kasey (Kahne) did such a great job of driving for us at Daytona before being caught up in someone else’s wreck. The guys on this Ragu/Ultimate Chargers team want to get him up front again this weekend so he can compete for the win.”
QUICK FACTS
When Kasey Kahne last drove the Ragu/Ultimate Chargers Dodge, he started third and led 14 laps at Daytona (Feb. 2006) before a multi-car wreck took him out on Lap 94.
Saturday’s race marks Kahne’s fourth NASCAR Busch Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. His best run at the track came in 2004 when he started third, finished second and led 11 laps.
So far in the three Busch races of 2006, the No. 9 driver has led each event for a total of 42 laps.
The No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge Charger pit crew will pit the No. 9 Ragu/Ultimate Chargers Dodge Charger in Saturday’s Busch race.
Last weekend at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez, the No. 9 team won the pole award and finished second with driver Boris Said.
