No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge Race Facts
Golden Corral 500 - Atlanta Motor Speedway
Driver: Kasey Kahne
Team Director: Tommy Baldwin
Team Owner: Ray Evernham
KASEY KAHNE QUOTES
ON FINISHING SECOND FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE RACE
“Last Sunday in Las Vegas was a great day for the No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge team. We proved we could lead laps and run up front. But, more importantly, we proved we can overcome problems and still come out with a good finish.”
ON WINNING FIRST NEXTEL CUP POLE POSITION
“I think it says a lot for Dodge and Evernham Motorsports. We had a fast car, and I was worried with the cooling track temperature that our time wouldn’t hold up. I’m really excited that I’ll have the chance to race in the Budweiser Shootout next year in Daytona.”
ON RACING AT ATLANTA
“We tested there before we went to Las Vegas and we were really fast. Atlanta is one of my favorite tracks because it’s fast and has several different grooves. During the race, there will be cars running the high line and low line. Atlanta puts a lot of control in the drivers’ hands and there are usually some exciting finishes.”
ON BREAKING INTO THE WIN COLUMN
“To run second for two consecutive races is a great accomplishment. There is no doubt that I would have liked to have won, but I know we’ll be in Victory Lane eventually. I never expected this so soon. Things have been going really smooth. I’ve never been in such a good situation. Ray Evernham is the owner and Tommy Baldwin as the crew chief. I’ve never been able to work with so many good people and figure out racecars.”
STATS & FACTS
KASEY KAHNE AT ATLANTA
· Kasey Kahne has competed twice at Atlanta Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Busch Series. His best performance there came last fall when he started 13th and finished seventh.
ATLANTA TEST
· The No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge team conducted a one day test-session at Atlanta last week. Kasey Kahne unofficially posted a top lap of 29.85 seconds, 185.728 miles per hour, in his Dodge at the 1.54-mile quad-oval Tuesday. The speed was the second fastest among 10 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series teams participating that day. The No. 9 Dodge Squad fielded a car that sat on the outside pole in the 2003 spring race at Atlanta, running 28.991 seconds, 191.232 mph.
NO. 9 DODGE DEALERS/UAW DODGE HIGHLIGHTS AT ATLANTA
· The No. 9 Dew Crew claimed its first top-five finish at Atlanta last fall, starting fifth and finishing fourth. The team collected its first Atlanta pole position in 2002 and has fielded four cars to qualify in the top-six of the field in six races at the track.
LAST WEEKEND
· In last weekend’s UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Kahne won his first NASCAR Nextel Cup pole position by posting a speed of 174.904 mph, which set a new track record. He led 43 laps en route to his second consecutive runner-up finish.
ADDING UP THE POINTS
· Kahne’s second consecutive runner-up finish last Sunday in the UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway moved him from 21st to eighth in the NASCAR Nextel Cup point standings. He also has a 12-point lead over Scott Wimmer in the Raybestos Rookie-of-the-Year standings.
