No. 9 Dodge Nitro/Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge Charger Race Facts
Texas Motor 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: This is the same chassis that Kahne drove to victory in the fall race at Lowe's. It also won the pole for the Nextel All Star Challenge.
KASEY KAHNE QUOTES
“Atlanta is behind us. We had a car capable of winning, but it didn’t happen. We move forward. We have three races remaining in The Chase. The objective is to score every point possible. That is done by winning the race and leading the most laps. That’s our objective this weekend at Texas. It will be the same at Phoenix and Homestead-Miami. We’ve had a good race at Texas in the spring, starting from the Bud Pole and winning. We’re taking the car that won at Lowe’s a couple of weeks ago, so we know it has the potential to take the Bud Pole and run up front.”
KASEY KAHNE FAST FACTS
In his last race at Texas Motor Speedway, Kahne drove chassis No. 128 to victory from the Bud Pole. He led 63 laps en route to posting his second win of the 2006 season.
Kahne has four career starts at Texas Motor Speedway. He has qualified in the top-three in three of his four starts there. His average starting position at TMS is fifth.
In his first start at TMS, Kahne started third and finished second in the spring race of 2004. He led 148 laps, but finished a close second to Elliott Sadler who is now an Evernham Motorsports teammate. Kahne has finished inside the top-five twice. His only finishes outside of the top-five came as a result of engine issues that took him out of the race early.
Kahne will be running a special paint scheme this weekend promoting Dodge’s launch of the 2007 Dodge Nitro vehicle. (pictured right)
Kahne has 17 top-10 finishes this season and 19 in the top 15.
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.
Kahne is ninth in the Chase for the Championship standings, just 89 points out of sixth and 184 out of second. He is 210 behind the leader.
Kahne has claimed the Bud Pole five times this year.
