Who said Kasey Kahne is a lame duck?
Sure he’ll be moving over to Hendrick Motorsports next year, but, his pride won’t let him slowly fade away.
Kahne won his third pole at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday night, second this year, and 22nd in his NASCAR Sprint Cup career with a speed of 186.197mph.
Although he’s 15th in the points (16 points behind Denny Hamlin -- the provisional second Wild Card) the chance to make the Chase is topmost in his mind. A win in Atlanta, and possibly Richmond, could make that happen.
“We need to win if we want to make the Chase,” Kahne said “we’re just right there on the outside looking in right now. I think we have a decent shot at winning one of these last two races. It’s definitely not going to be easy, but we run pretty well at both these tracks. Atlanta is my favorite race track and we have a great starting spot.”
His Red Bull Toyota team noted that five of 11 Sprint Cup wins have come after starting from the pole – including one at AMS in 2006.
Clint Bowyer, still in negotiations with Richard Childress Racing for a contract extension, will start outside the front row after turning a lap of 185.922 mph in a Chevrolet.
“She was loose – holy cow, it was a handful,” Bowyer said with a huge grin. “But it was a fun lap.”
Cup point’s leader, Kyle Busch, will start third with a lap of 185.841 mph. “It was just a little too loose all through the whole lap, but especially on corner exits,” Busch said. “I just couldn’t get the throttle down the way I needed (in order) to get myself going on down the straightaway.”
Kahne’s Red Bull teammate, Brian Vickers will complete the second row as Toyota drivers locked up first, third and fourth spots.
Jimmie Johnson, tied with Kyle Busch for the points lead will start 17th.
Four drivers failed to make the 43-car grid, Tony Raines, David Stremme, Geoffrey Bodine and T.J. Bell.
All eyes are out for Tropical Storm Lee, presently in the Gulf Coast which could affect Sunday night’s race.
Sure he’ll be moving over to Hendrick Motorsports next year, but, his pride won’t let him slowly fade away.
Kahne won his third pole at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday night, second this year, and 22nd in his NASCAR Sprint Cup career with a speed of 186.197mph.
Although he’s 15th in the points (16 points behind Denny Hamlin -- the provisional second Wild Card) the chance to make the Chase is topmost in his mind. A win in Atlanta, and possibly Richmond, could make that happen.
“We need to win if we want to make the Chase,” Kahne said “we’re just right there on the outside looking in right now. I think we have a decent shot at winning one of these last two races. It’s definitely not going to be easy, but we run pretty well at both these tracks. Atlanta is my favorite race track and we have a great starting spot.”
His Red Bull Toyota team noted that five of 11 Sprint Cup wins have come after starting from the pole – including one at AMS in 2006.
Clint Bowyer, still in negotiations with Richard Childress Racing for a contract extension, will start outside the front row after turning a lap of 185.922 mph in a Chevrolet.
“She was loose – holy cow, it was a handful,” Bowyer said with a huge grin. “But it was a fun lap.”
Cup point’s leader, Kyle Busch, will start third with a lap of 185.841 mph. “It was just a little too loose all through the whole lap, but especially on corner exits,” Busch said. “I just couldn’t get the throttle down the way I needed (in order) to get myself going on down the straightaway.”
Kahne’s Red Bull teammate, Brian Vickers will complete the second row as Toyota drivers locked up first, third and fourth spots.
Jimmie Johnson, tied with Kyle Busch for the points lead will start 17th.
Four drivers failed to make the 43-car grid, Tony Raines, David Stremme, Geoffrey Bodine and T.J. Bell.
All eyes are out for Tropical Storm Lee, presently in the Gulf Coast which could affect Sunday night’s race.