Kahne Ruins Johnson's Streak at Coca-Cola 600
Kasey Kahne had what most call the 'sophomore jinx' last year; he couldn't buy a good finish. This year,
Kahne is a consistent top runner, and he proved yet again he now has the patience to win the 'big ones' by taking the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway on Sunday night.
"Every time you get at the end of the race, you know Jimmie Johnson is the guy you've got to beat," Kahne said. "We finally got to that point and had a car that could race him for the win."
Kahne was third in the late going but made his way past Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson to take the point.
"It was a heck of a battle," added Kahne, who scored his fourth Cup victory in 84 career starts. "My spotter told me Kenseth was coming. Jimmie
(Johnson) and the No. 99 (Edwards) were side by side and I really had nowhere to go. Finally, the high side opened. I think I got Jimmie in (turns) 3 and 4 and Carl on the bottom of 3 and 4 a lap or two later."
The win stopped Johnson's stranglehold on the Lowe's Speedway - he won the All Star race just a week earlier - and clearly made Kahne a chase threat for the end of the season dash to the Nextel Cup.
In the Carquest 300 Busch series race, Carl Edwards took the win, and with his third place in the 600, it has to be said he had a good weekend. Edwards needed a strong outing to get his season back on track.
Johnson still leads the points over Kenseth, Martin, Tony Stewart, Earnhardt Jr., Kahne (who moved up two spots with the win), Gordon, Burton, Kyle Busch, and Kevin
Harvick, who rounds out the top 10.
Results Coca Cola 600
Fin St Car Driver Make Sponsor Pts/Bonus Laps Status Winnings
1 9 #9 Kasey Kahne Dodge Dodge Dealers/UAW 190/10 400 Running $428,114
2 3 #48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Lowe's 175/5 400 Running $288,236
3 22 #99 Carl Edwards Ford Office Depot 170/5 400 Running $201,050
4 21 #6 Mark Martin Ford AAA 165/5 400 Running $166,100
5 6 #17 Matt Kenseth Ford R+L Carriers 160/5 400 Running $180,366
6 11 #31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet Cingular Wireless 155/5 400 Running $154,520
7 7 #16 Greg Biffle Ford National Guard 151/5 400 Running $134,650
8 33 #26 Jamie McMurray Ford Smirnoff Ice 142/0 400 Running $158,825
9 8 #11 Denny Hamlin * Chevrolet FedEx Freight 143/5 400 Running $111,000
10 23 #41 Reed Sorenson * Dodge Target 134/0 400 Running $119,275
11 34 #8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet Budweiser 130/0 400 Running $140,071
12 10 #66 Jeff Green Chevrolet Best Buy 132/5 400 Running $131,033
13 1 #10 Scott Riggs Dodge Valvoline/Stanley/"Cars" 129/5 400 Running $147,075
14 36 #15 Paul Menard Chevrolet Menards/Johns Manville 121/0 400 Running $95,525
15 2 #19 Jeremy Mayfield Dodge Dodge Dealers/UAW 118/0 400 Running $134,116
16 41 #7 Robby Gordon Chevrolet Jim Beam Black 115/0 400 Running $98,075
17 5 #43 Bobby Labonte Dodge Go-GURT 117/5 400 Running $134,646
18 19 #01 Joe Nemechek Chevrolet U.S. Army 109/0 399 Running $121,245
19 15 #07 Clint Bowyer * Chevrolet Jack Daniel's Country Cocktail 106/0 399 Running $101,725
20 4 #18 J.J. Yeley * Chevrolet Interstate Batteries 103/0 399 Running $132,575
21 27 #1 Martin Truex Jr. * Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops/Tracker 100/0 399 Running $115,833
22 31 #32 Travis Kvapil Chevrolet Tide-Downy 102/5 399 Running $104,908
23 30 #42 Casey Mears Dodge Texaco/Havoline 94/0 398 Running $124,933
24 14 #170 Johnny Sauter Chevrolet Haas Automation 91/0 398 Running $85,750
25 39 #45 Kyle Petty Dodge MyCokeRewards.com 88/0 397 Running $108,308
26 40 #21 Ken Schrader Ford U.S. Air Force 85/0 397 Running $114,664
27 38 #4 Scott Wimmer Chevrolet AERO Exhaust 87/5 397 Running $86,825
28 16 #14 Sterling Marlin Chevrolet Ginn Clubs & Resorts 79/0 396 Running $95,847
29 35 #178 Kenny Wallace Chevrolet Furniture Row Racing 76/0 396 Running $83,175
30 26 #38 Elliott Sadler Ford M&M's 78/5 396 Running $113,958
31 25 #40 David Stremme * Dodge Lone Star Steakhouse/Saloon 70/0 396 Running $90,900
32 29 #22 Dave Blaney Dodge Caterpillar E-Series Backhoes 67/0 395 Running $82,775
33 24 #44 Terry Labonte Chevrolet CARQUEST 64/0 393 Running $83,600
34 12 #29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet Reese's Caramel Cup 61/0 373 Running $119,461
35 18 #12 Ryan Newman Dodge ALLTEL 58/0 369 Running $127,808
36 13 #24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet DuPont 60/5 360 Accident $133,111
37 17 #25 Brian Vickers Chevrolet GMAC 52/0 331 Running $90,050
38 28 #5 Kyle Busch Chevrolet Kellogg's/"Cars" 49/0 313 Accident $99,935
39 20 #2 Kurt Busch Dodge Miller Lite 46/0 290 Running $122,858
40 42 #96 Tony Raines Chevrolet DLP HDTV 43/0 264 Engine $81,715
41 43 #74 Michael Waltrip Dodge NAPA Auto Parts 45/5 116 Brakes $81,605
42 32 #20 Tony Stewart Chevrolet The Home Depot 37/0 32 Accident $135,456
43 37 #88 Dale Jarrett Ford UPS 34/0 0 Accident $113,817
* Denotes Rookie
Kasey Kahne had what most call the 'sophomore jinx' last year; he couldn't buy a good finish. This year,
 |
| Kasey Kahne wins the Coca-Cola 600! (Photo: Autostock) |
"Every time you get at the end of the race, you know Jimmie Johnson is the guy you've got to beat," Kahne said. "We finally got to that point and had a car that could race him for the win."
Kahne was third in the late going but made his way past Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson to take the point.
"It was a heck of a battle," added Kahne, who scored his fourth Cup victory in 84 career starts. "My spotter told me Kenseth was coming. Jimmie
 |
| One happy Dodge Charger driver, Kahne raises the trophy over his head in celebration. (Photo: Autostock) |
The win stopped Johnson's stranglehold on the Lowe's Speedway - he won the All Star race just a week earlier - and clearly made Kahne a chase threat for the end of the season dash to the Nextel Cup.
In the Carquest 300 Busch series race, Carl Edwards took the win, and with his third place in the 600, it has to be said he had a good weekend. Edwards needed a strong outing to get his season back on track.
Johnson still leads the points over Kenseth, Martin, Tony Stewart, Earnhardt Jr., Kahne (who moved up two spots with the win), Gordon, Burton, Kyle Busch, and Kevin
 |
| Carl Edwards led once for 11 laps before posting a 3rd place finish. (Photo: Autostock) |
Results Coca Cola 600
Fin St Car Driver Make Sponsor Pts/Bonus Laps Status Winnings
1 9 #9 Kasey Kahne Dodge Dodge Dealers/UAW 190/10 400 Running $428,114
2 3 #48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet Lowe's 175/5 400 Running $288,236
3 22 #99 Carl Edwards Ford Office Depot 170/5 400 Running $201,050
4 21 #6 Mark Martin Ford AAA 165/5 400 Running $166,100
5 6 #17 Matt Kenseth Ford R+L Carriers 160/5 400 Running $180,366
6 11 #31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet Cingular Wireless 155/5 400 Running $154,520
7 7 #16 Greg Biffle Ford National Guard 151/5 400 Running $134,650
8 33 #26 Jamie McMurray Ford Smirnoff Ice 142/0 400 Running $158,825
9 8 #11 Denny Hamlin * Chevrolet FedEx Freight 143/5 400 Running $111,000
10 23 #41 Reed Sorenson * Dodge Target 134/0 400 Running $119,275
11 34 #8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet Budweiser 130/0 400 Running $140,071
12 10 #66 Jeff Green Chevrolet Best Buy 132/5 400 Running $131,033
13 1 #10 Scott Riggs Dodge Valvoline/Stanley/"Cars" 129/5 400 Running $147,075
14 36 #15 Paul Menard Chevrolet Menards/Johns Manville 121/0 400 Running $95,525
15 2 #19 Jeremy Mayfield Dodge Dodge Dealers/UAW 118/0 400 Running $134,116
16 41 #7 Robby Gordon Chevrolet Jim Beam Black 115/0 400 Running $98,075
17 5 #43 Bobby Labonte Dodge Go-GURT 117/5 400 Running $134,646
18 19 #01 Joe Nemechek Chevrolet U.S. Army 109/0 399 Running $121,245
19 15 #07 Clint Bowyer * Chevrolet Jack Daniel's Country Cocktail 106/0 399 Running $101,725
20 4 #18 J.J. Yeley * Chevrolet Interstate Batteries 103/0 399 Running $132,575
21 27 #1 Martin Truex Jr. * Chevrolet Bass Pro Shops/Tracker 100/0 399 Running $115,833
22 31 #32 Travis Kvapil Chevrolet Tide-Downy 102/5 399 Running $104,908
23 30 #42 Casey Mears Dodge Texaco/Havoline 94/0 398 Running $124,933
24 14 #170 Johnny Sauter Chevrolet Haas Automation 91/0 398 Running $85,750
25 39 #45 Kyle Petty Dodge MyCokeRewards.com 88/0 397 Running $108,308
26 40 #21 Ken Schrader Ford U.S. Air Force 85/0 397 Running $114,664
27 38 #4 Scott Wimmer Chevrolet AERO Exhaust 87/5 397 Running $86,825
28 16 #14 Sterling Marlin Chevrolet Ginn Clubs & Resorts 79/0 396 Running $95,847
29 35 #178 Kenny Wallace Chevrolet Furniture Row Racing 76/0 396 Running $83,175
30 26 #38 Elliott Sadler Ford M&M's 78/5 396 Running $113,958
31 25 #40 David Stremme * Dodge Lone Star Steakhouse/Saloon 70/0 396 Running $90,900
32 29 #22 Dave Blaney Dodge Caterpillar E-Series Backhoes 67/0 395 Running $82,775
33 24 #44 Terry Labonte Chevrolet CARQUEST 64/0 393 Running $83,600
34 12 #29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet Reese's Caramel Cup 61/0 373 Running $119,461
35 18 #12 Ryan Newman Dodge ALLTEL 58/0 369 Running $127,808
36 13 #24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet DuPont 60/5 360 Accident $133,111
37 17 #25 Brian Vickers Chevrolet GMAC 52/0 331 Running $90,050
38 28 #5 Kyle Busch Chevrolet Kellogg's/"Cars" 49/0 313 Accident $99,935
39 20 #2 Kurt Busch Dodge Miller Lite 46/0 290 Running $122,858
40 42 #96 Tony Raines Chevrolet DLP HDTV 43/0 264 Engine $81,715
41 43 #74 Michael Waltrip Dodge NAPA Auto Parts 45/5 116 Brakes $81,605
42 32 #20 Tony Stewart Chevrolet The Home Depot 37/0 32 Accident $135,456
43 37 #88 Dale Jarrett Ford UPS 34/0 0 Accident $113,817
* Denotes Rookie
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