No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW/Chrysler Financial Dodge Charger Race Facts
Homestead-Miami Speedway -- NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series
Driver: Kasey Kahne
Team Director: Kenny Francis
Car Director: Mike Shiplett
Engineer: Keith Rodden
Team Owner: Ray Evernham
Chassis: No. 131
Car Info: Won the fall race at Lowe’s and the Pole for Nextel All-Star Challenge.
KASEY KAHNE QUOTES
“It’s been a great year for the No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge Charger team. It has been a lot of fun. We’ve had a lot of ups and downs, but I’m excited to finish the year on a good note. We achieved our goal this year of winning races and making The Chase. Evernham Motorsports has had a team in The Chase all three years. I think until a couple of weeks ago, we had a shot at winning the Nextel Cup. That’s what every team out here wants – the Nextel Cup.
“I’m looking forward to finishing off the year strong and getting ready for next year. Next year is going to be exciting. We’re going to have the same team back. Kenny Francis (Team Director) has done an awesome job all season long on my racecars. I feel like we’ll be right back in The Chase again next year and be as strong or stronger throughout the season.
“I’m going to test the COT (car of tomorrow) Tuesday after Homestead. That will be my first time in it, so I’ll see what it’s like. I’ve heard all the stories from the other drivers, so I’ll find out for myself."
KASEY KAHNE FAST FACTS
Kahne has never started outside of the top-five in his NEXTEL Cup career at Homestead-Miami Speedway. In his two starts there, he has qualified fourth and third, respectively.
An incident that resulted in a crash ended Kahne’s day early in his first start at Homestead and relegated him to a 38th-place finish.
Last year, Kahne finished 16th after starting third.
Kahne will again carry Chrysler Financial colors on-board the No. 9 Dodge Charger for this weekend’s season finale. (see picture, right)
The 2006 season marks the third consecutive year Evernham Motorsports has had a car in the Chase for the Championship (No.19 in 2004 and 2005)
Kahne is the only six-time winner in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series this season. His wins came at Atlanta, Texas, Lowe’s (both races), Michigan, and California.
With his seventh-place finish at Phoenix, Kahne moved to ninth in The Chase standings. He is 46 points out of eighth.
Kahne has claimed the Bud Pole five times this year. He has posted 11 top-five and 18 top-10 finishes this season.
