ok, so I LOVE Kasey Kahne, he's down to Earth, cute, and a good driver, but what is up with him this year!?! Last year he had 6 wins! Now, he's lucky if he even finishes a race! Hes a really good driver, is it just a crappy Dodge or something? Please help me understand!
2007-05-11 06:24:54 · 14 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Auto Racing ➔ NASCAR
Probably that stupid "car of tomorrow". A lot of drivers are complaining about how hard they are to handle. Experience probably plays a factor in how well you do with these cars.
2007-05-11 06:32:30 · answer #1 · answered by lucygoosy2004 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
To run down the races:
Daytona~ went as well or better than expected
California~ engine failure
Las Vegas~ Wrecked near the end while running top-10. He got "aero-loose" when the air was taken off his spoiler.
Atlanta~ His team director (crew chief) will still on his suspension. Kasey was complaining of an ill-handling a race car and asked for an adjustment. Unfortunately, his interim team director didn't listen. Kasey finally got the adjustment he asked for after he went a lap down. He was one of the fastest cars on the track then. And then, Reutimann wrecked him.
Bristol~ was fast but a tire was cut down by Clint Bowyer, putting him two laps down
Martinsville~ COT race- see below
Texas~ The built a new car with a different aero package hoping to hit on something. It failed miserably.
Pheonix~ COT race
Talladega~ Ran well
Richmond~ COT race. In the first pit stop, they made a bad adjustment and made the car worse. Went a lap down. Actually got it working and was in Lucky Dog position, but sped coming off pit road, which they couldn't figure out. Kasey had the 2nd pit stall, so no one could figure out how he got up to speed so fast.
COT~The reason EMS is running so poorly in the COT races is due to the late start. Ray faught the COT concept, and did not even begin to develop the cars, while other teams were going full-force. This put them way behind, and they still can't catch up. They get the cars to work by the end of the races, but by then they are already laps down and can't get out of the hole. The COT only seems to give EMS fits at flat tracks (which 3 of the 4 COT races were on a flat track). They were fine with banking (Bristol). I would say Dover will go well due to the high-banking, but it is one of Kasey's worst tracks so don't expect much there.
As long as they don't screw up the car with their adjustments, Kasey should have a solid race. Kasey is happy with his car right now. Darlington is his second best track with a 10.5 finishing average. Michigan is the only track where his AF is better (a 9.5).
Plus, next week at Lowe's will only be the second intermediate race of the year with Kenny on top of the box. Expect to see a familiar chassis (not a new one with a different package). Lowe's will be the real test for the 9 team.
2007-05-11 18:17:48 · answer #2 · answered by jaynarie 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Two statisitcs tell a big part of it...... he is 32nd in points, however, he is 21st in "Average Running Position", which means he is doing better while on the track running, but his mechanical problems/crashes etc. have pulled him down.
Also, Hendrick teams and some other Chevy teams have pulled away from Ford and Dodge. Matt Kenseth is 5th in Average Running Position and that is the only non-Chevy in the top 11.
As a driver, he is just as capable as he was last year, maybe a bit more so with more experience being he is still young.
When the other car makers catch up with Chevy, and when the other teams catch up with Hendrick Motor Sports, you will see Casey winning races again.
WIth a bit of luck, you may see him do that even before they catch up.
2007-05-11 07:26:30 · answer #3 · answered by RealTruth 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
combination of bad luck and the cars not running well i think the new nose on the dodges messed up the balance of the dodges and the COT cars are just not up to par yet ,i hope evernham gets him some good cars soon because kasey is one of the most talented drivers out there and hes been stuck driving horrible handling cars all year
GO KASEY #9 !
2007-05-11 10:41:31 · answer #4 · answered by Billy S 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Maybe he's just having a bad year or maybe it's his car. Whatever it is, I'm sure Kasey will make a comeback. He still has half a season to do it.
Keep the faith in Kasey!
2007-05-11 10:54:47 · answer #5 · answered by GeminiGirl 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Dodge made some changes this year and they are not working. It's too bad because he's a good driver and he's getting no where right now.
My daughter is a huge fan and she has been very disappointed.
2007-05-11 07:07:52 · answer #6 · answered by QT 5 · 3⤊ 0⤋
all of the drivers go through slumps. Its just his turn. He cant be good all of the time. I think he will rebound soon, there is still alot of the season left, but if he wants to win a championship, he better start winning soon.
2007-05-11 06:42:10 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I've been wondering the same thing... Seems like his cars have been REALLY BAD this year... Can't really blame it on the COT cuz he hasn't been good at tracks running the regular car either... He usually shines on mile and 1/2 tracks, but he hasn't been anywhere near the front even on those tracks...
2007-05-11 06:39:19 · answer #8 · answered by shaggy 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I am hoping the next half of the season will be better for him. Sometimes once they start doing bad it seems to take a while to pull out of the slump.
He really is such a cutie!!
2007-05-11 06:30:31 · answer #9 · answered by sparkles9 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
hes a really good driver??? do u even watch nascar??? his attitude regarding the wreck with Stremme sucks and i have called him Kasey (the wall) Kahne every since he started driving Cup. Dodge and Kahne go hand in hand, they are both crap.
2007-05-11 08:37:08 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 4⤋