acegear
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Joined: 22 Oct 2004
Posts: 973
Location: Enumclaw, WA
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 Posted: Tue Sep 05, 2006 8:55 pm Post subject: Kahne Takes the Double in California |
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In an amazing display of pit strategy and fuel management, Kasey Kahne led the field to the checkered flag for both races of the NASCAR weekend at California Speedway.
In the Busch Series race Kahne and Busch series regular, Paul Menard, both gambled on fuel with Kahne coimg out on top. Both drivers visited the pits with 51 laps to go and topped off their tanks, leaving the rest of the field to look forward to refueling before the end of the race. Once the other cars cycled through Kahne and Menard were at the front battling for the lead. With 2 to go, Kahne moved to the front for the final time. However, it appeared that Menard was in position to make a run at the lead on the final lap but suddenly slowed as he ran out of fuel and was left to coast across the finish line in 4th.
The next day, Kahne lined up for the start in the Nextel Cup Sony HD 500 90 points out of the Chase behind Mark Martin. Desperately needing a win to inch closer to the dance, Kahne only had only 2 races left to race his way in. However the road for Kahne was more than pit stops and fuel conservation. Halfway through the race Kahne received a speeding penalty which dropped him from the front of the field to 24th on the restart. Unfazed by the unfortunate events Kahne fought his way back towards the front when another caution came out and brought the field back together. Only taking 2 tires Kahne came out of the pits in 2nd and determined to stay near the front.
By lap 197 Kahne had taken the lead from teammate Elliot Sadler to stay out front. GBut fuel milage was a problem with most teams needing another late pit stop to take a splash of fuel for the finish. Kahnes team made the decision to come in on lap 238, 12 laps from the finish. One of the few drivers who didn't come in, rookie Reed Sorenson, took the lead on lap 241 and was 14 seconds ahead of Kahne who came out of the pits in 5th. Sorenson had come in for a 2nd time on the last caution period to top off and was thought to have just enough fuel to go for the win. Kahne began to steadily bring back Sorenson, but Sorenson stayed out front. As the final lap started, Sorenson sputtered and dramatically slowed allowing Kahne to take the lead for his 5th win of the season.
After leading the most laps and with the uninspiring showing of the rest of the Chase drivers, Kahne moves within 30 points of the 10th position with 1 race left in Richmond before the Chase begins. As a side note, Richmond is the track at which Kahne gained his first Nextel Cup win last season.
RESULTS:
1 9 #9 Kasey Kahne Dodge Dodge Dealers/UAW 190/10 250 Running $279,214
2 6 #8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet Budweiser 175/5 250 Running $206,266
3 3 #07 Clint Bowyer * Chevrolet Jack Daniel's 165/0 250 Running $167,950
4 24 #99 Carl Edwards Ford Office Depot 165/5 250 Running $142,725
5 14 #24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet DuPont 160/5 250 Running $160,061
6 8 #11 Denny Hamlin * Chevrolet FedEx Express 155/5 250 Running $107,000
7 11 #17 Matt Kenseth Ford DEWALT 146/0 250 Running $146,641
8 10 #5 Kyle Busch Chevrolet Kellogg's 147/5 250 Running $114,775
9 22 #20 Tony Stewart Chevrolet The Home Depot 138/0 250 Running $149,611
10 36 #88 Dale Jarrett Ford UPS 134/0 250 Running $140,725
11 16 #48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Lowe's 130/0 250 Running $141,986
12 38 #6 Mark Martin Ford AAA 132/5 250 Running $110,625
13 18 #19 Elliott Sadler Dodge Dodge Dealers/UAW 129/5 250 Running $133,666
14 33 #42 Casey Mears Dodge Texaco/Havoline 121/0 250 Running $129,583
15 15 #29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet GM Goodwrench 118/0 250 Running $132,686
16 7 #31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet Cingular Wireless 115/0 250 Running $120,145
17 4 #10 Scott Riggs Dodge Valvoline/Stanley Tools 112/0 250 Running $92,900
18 5 #1 Martin Truex Jr. * Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops/Tracker 109/0 250 Running $118,258
19 19 #18 J.J. Yeley * Chevrolet Imitrex/GSK 106/0 250 Running $125,900
20 31 #26 Jamie McMurray Ford Smirnoff Ice 103/0 250 Running $136,825
21 34 #41 Reed Sorenson * Dodge Diet Pepsi/Target 105/5 249 Running $98,175
22 30 #66 Jeff Green Chevrolet "According to Jim"/Best Buy 97/0 249 Running $113,783
23 29 #21 Ken Schrader Ford U.S. Air Force 94/0 249 Running $117,289
24 21 #16 Greg Biffle Ford National Guard/Charter Communications 91/0 249 Running $105,650
25 13 #01 Joe Nemechek Chevrolet U.S. Army 88/0 249 Running $115,070
26 28 #43 Bobby Labonte Dodge Cheerios/Betty Crocker 85/0 249 Running $124,861
27 1 #2 Kurt Busch Dodge Miller Lite 87/5 249 Running $135,918
28 41 #22 Dave Blaney Dodge Caterpillar 79/0 249 Running $101,718
29 27 #14 Sterling Marlin Chevrolet Ginn Clubs & Resorts 76/0 249 Running $99,108
30 17 #4 Scott Wimmer Chevrolet Lucas Oil/Forward Air 73/0 248 Running $87,400
31 37 #55 Michael Waltrip Dodge NAPA Auto Parts 70/0 248 Running $93,897
32 20 #38 David Gilliland Ford Pedigree 67/0 248 Running $112,208
33 12 #12 Ryan Newman Dodge Sony HDTV 64/0 248 Running $129,658
34 43 #32 Travis Kvapil Chevrolet Tide-Downy 61/0 248 Running $85,150
35 35 #45 Kyle Petty Dodge Schwan's Home Service 58/0 247 Running $92,150
36 32 #40 David Stremme * Dodge Coors Light 55/0 247 Running $92,100
37 42 #96 Tony Raines Chevrolet DLP HDTV 52/0 247 Running $84,050
38 39 #49 Kevin Lepage Dodge LoansDepot.com 49/0 247 Running $84,000
39 40 #178 Kenny Wallace Chevrolet Furniture Row Racing 46/0 246 Running $83,940
40 26 #44 Terry Labonte Chevrolet GMAC 43/0 246 Running $83,890
41 2 #25 Brian Vickers Chevrolet Garnier Fructis 40/0 237 Running $97,340
42 23 #100 Bill Elliott Chevrolet Burger King 37/0 224 Running $83,875
43 25 #7 Robby Gordon Chevrolet World Series of Poker 34/0 193 Transmission $83,201
* Denotes Rookie
CONTINGENCY AWARDS
Bank of America Card Services Mid-Race Leader:
Kasey Kahne,#9, Dodge Dealers/UAW, Dodge
Bud Pole:
Kurt Busch,#2, Miller Lite, Dodge
Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge:
Clint Bowyer,#07, Jack Daniel's, Chevrolet
Commit Lozenges "Commit to Win":
Brian Vickers,#25, Garnier Fructis, Chevrolet
DirecTV Crew Chief of the Race:
Gil Martin,#07, Jack Daniel's, Chevrolet
EA Sports Move of the Race:
Kasey Kahne,#9, Dodge Dealers/UAW, Dodge
Goodyear Gatorback Fastest Lap:
Elliott Sadler,#19, Dodge Dealers/UAW, Dodge
Mobil 1 Command Performance Driver of the Race:
Dale Earnhardt Jr.,#8, Budweiser, Chevrolet
Raybestos Rookie of the Race:
Clint Bowyer,#07, Jack Daniel's, Chevrolet
Sunoco Diamond Performance:
Kasey Kahne,#9, Dodge Dealers/UAW, Dodge
USG Improving the Finish Award:
Dale Jarrett,#88, UPS, Ford
WIX Filters Lap Leader:
Kasey Kahne,#9, Dodge Dealers/UAW, Dodge
STANDINGS:
1 +1 Matt Kenseth 3638 Leader 25 0 4 13 15 $5,095,040
2 -1 Jimmie Johnson 3629 -9 25 1 4 8 18 $6,935,450
3 -- Kevin Harvick 3296 -342 25 0 2 10 13 $4,332,680
4 +1 Jeff Gordon 3251 -387 25 0 2 10 12 $4,403,980
5 -1 Kyle Busch 3244 -394 25 1 1 8 14 $3,585,440
6 +3 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 3226 -412 25 0 1 8 12 $3,998,050
7 -1 Denny Hamlin* 3225 -413 25 2 2 4 13 $3,210,350
8 -- Tony Stewart 3194 -444 25 0 2 10 14 $4,945,760
9 +1 Mark Martin 3181 -457 25 0 0 5 11 $3,137,270
10 -3 Jeff Burton 3179 -459 25 4 0 4 14 $3,567,100
11 -- Kasey Kahne 3149 -489 25 4 5 8 13 $4,536,490
12 +1 Carl Edwards 2953 -685 25 0 0 8 13 $3,348,380
13 -1 Greg Biffle 2889 -749 25 2 1 5 11 $3,256,030
14 -- Kurt Busch 2746 -892 25 5 1 5 8 $3,634,670
15 +1 Casey Mears 2685 -953 25 0 0 1 5 $4,034,320
16 -1 Ryan Newman 2650 -988 25 2 0 2 7 $4,091,710
17 +1 Jamie McMurray 2634 -1004 25 0 0 3 7 $3,714,180
18 +2 Clint Bowyer* 2628 -1010 25 0 0 3 7 $2,900,360
19 -- Scott Riggs 2589 -1049 24 1 0 1 6 $2,363,040
20 -3 Brian Vickers 2588 -1050 25 0 0 3 5 $2,756,280
21 -- Elliott Sadler 2524 -1114 25 1 0 1 6 $3,491,960
22 +1 Martin Truex Jr.* 2493 -1145 25 0 0 0 2 $2,923,910
23 -1 Reed Sorenson* 2489 -1149 25 0 0 1 5 $2,544,510
24 +2 Dale Jarrett 2372 -1266 25 0 0 0 3 $3,225,590
25 -- Bobby Labonte 2341 -1297 25 0 0 1 4 $3,298,250
26 -2 Robby Gordon 2294 -1344 25 0 0 1 2 $2,328,550
27 -- Jeff Green 2233 -1405 25 0 0 0 0 $2,719,070
28 -- J.J. Yeley* 2219 -1419 25 0 0 0 2 $3,125,320
29 -- Dave Blaney 2146 -1492 25 0 0 0 0 $2,463,220
30 -- Ken Schrader 2138 -1500 25 0 0 0 1 $2,995,130
31 -- Joe Nemechek 2117 -1521 25 0 0 0 0 $2,938,970
32 +1 Sterling Marlin 1964 -1674 25 0 0 0 1 $2,342,800
33 -1 Kyle Petty 1962 -1676 25 0 0 0 1 $2,644,260
34 -- David Stremme* 1797 -1841 23 0 0 0 0 $2,407,390
35 -- Michael Waltrip 1748 -1890 24 0 0 0 0 $2,261,260
36 +1 Travis Kvapil 1686 -1952 21 0 0 0 0 $2,073,250
37 -1 Jeremy Mayfield 1647 -1991 21 0 0 0 0 $2,582,060
38 -- Tony Raines 1560 -2078 18 0 0 0 0 $1,504,650
39 -- Scott Wimmer 1484 -2154 20 0 0 0 0 $1,638,510
40 -- Kevin Lepage 1089 -2549 17 0 0 0 0 $1,472,930
41 -- Terry Labonte 1074 -2564 14 0 0 1 1 $1,313,760
42 -- Kenny Wallace 618 -3020 11 0 0 0 0 $937,908
43 +2 Bill Elliott 452 -3186 6 0 0 0 0 $765,101
44 -1 Paul Menard 446 -3192 4 0 0 0 1 $321,058
45 -1 Boris Said 415 -3223 4 1 0 1 2 $429,000
46 -- Brent Sherman* 372 -3266 6 0 0 0 0 $637,056
47 -- Chad Chaffin 333 -3305 6 0 0 0 0 $548,093
48 -- Stanton Barrett 285 -3353 6 0 0 0 0 $466,918
49 -- Hermie Sadler 251 -3387 7 0 0 0 0 $716,355
50 -- Derrike Cope 249 -3389 7 0 0 0 0 $520,009
51 -- Mike Wallace 243 -3395 3 0 0 0 0 $446,218
52 +2 David Gilliland 226 -3412 4 0 0 0 0 $386,524
53 -1 Scott Pruett 223 -3415 2 0 0 0 1 $203,530
54 -1 Kirk Shelmerdine 177 -3461 3 0 0 0 0 $445,624
55 -- Mike Garvey 138 -3500 4 0 0 0 0 $312,210
56 -- Jimmy Spencer 122 -3516 2 0 0 0 0 $122,275
57 -- Ron Fellows 119 -3519 2 0 0 0 0 $135,772
58 -- Mike Skinner 104 -3534 2 0 0 0 0 $223,708
59 -- Brandon Ash 88 -3550 2 0 0 0 0 $127,995
60 -- Todd Kluever 74 -3564 2 0 0 0 0 $144,402
61 -- Bill Lester 67 -3571 2 0 0 0 0 $135,360
62 -- P.J. Jones 55 -3583 1 0 0 0 0 $67,610
63 -- Brian Simo 40 -3598 1 0 0 0 0 $57,460
64 -- Carl Long 40 -3598 1 0 0 0 0 $101,433
65 -- Chad Blount 37 -3601 1 0 0 0 0 $84,843
66 -- Tom Hubert 34 -3604 1 0 0 0 0 $67,116
67 -- Marc Goossens 34 -3604 1 0 0 0 0 $57,537
68 -- Johnny Sauter 0 -3638 1 0 0 0 0 $85,750
69 -- Stephen Leicht 0 -3638 1 0 0 0 0 $62,275
* Denotes Rookie
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A win is a win, and second place is never good enough |
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