Notebook: Kahne says split from RPM good for both parties

Notebook: Kahne says split from RPM good for both parties

By Reid Spencer
Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service


MARTINSVILLE, Va.—Putting a happy face on his early departure from Richard Petty Motorsports, Kasey Kahne said the split was good for both parties.
Kahne termed the parting a “mutual release” that grew from conversations between the driver and Richard Petty Motorsports principals on Monday. Kahne will finish the NASCAR Sprint Cup season in the No. 83 Red Bull Toyota. Aric Almirola is taking Kahne’s place in the No. 9 RPM Ford at Martinsville.
“It was a mutual release, and for me, I think it was a good thing for both sides,” Kahne said Friday at Martinsville Speedway. “They’re happy about it, and we’re happy about it. It made sense for RPM to start working on their things for next year and for myself to get with the Red Bull guys at this point.”
Kahne will drive for Red Bull next season as a stop-gap measure before taking the wheel of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in 2012. Mark Martin will complete his tenure in the No. 5 Chevy next year, with Kahne as his heir apparent.
Kahne’s refusal to return to the No. 9 Ford after it had been wrecked and repaired Saturday night at Charlotte hastened his departure. Kahne defended his decision to abandon the car, in which relief driver J.J. Yeley completed the race.
“Anyone that questions my commitment doesn’t know me very well and doesn’t know how much I love this sport and how much I put into racing,” Kahne said. “I don’t think there’s anybody out there that puts as much in it as I do throughout the week. Some guys may; some guys may not.
“I feel like I do everything I do to make myself the best I can be, and we kept having problems. And I was sick to my stomach. It was time for me to just call it a day, and that’s what I did. I’m happy I did it and ready to go on to this weekend.”
Odds are Greg Biffle would have made a different choice. Asked whether the old-school days when drivers would drive until they dropped were a thing of the past, Biffle said, “I’m going to have to be physically restrained not to get back in that car. I will have tears in my eyes if I can’t drive it. That’s all there is to it.
“That’s what they pay me to do. I take pride in that, to do my best, whatever it is. … I wasn’t in Kasey’s shoes, so I can’t criticize whether he was physically able to get back in or not. That’s Kasey’s call, but I would be there, too. I would be scratching and clawing.”
Odd men out?
Red Bull Racing has a numbers problem. The organization doesn’t plan to field more than two Cup cars next year, but there are three drivers under contract to the team.
It’s the same story for the crew chiefs.
One thing is certain. Kahne will drive one of the Red Bull cars next year, and crew chief Kenny Francis, who will remain at RPM until season’s end, will join him for 2011.
Still uncertain is the status of Brian Vickers, who is undergoing treatment for blood clots in his legs and lungs, and that of Scott Speed, who drives the No. 82 Red Bull Toyota. Vickers is confident he will return to the No. 83 car next year. If that happens, Speed is out of a ride.
Speed insists he’s under contract for next year, but Red Bull general manager Jay Frye said there are performances clauses in Speed’s contract. Frye declined to specify the performance standards.
“Our plan right now it to have two cars,” Frye said. “We’re monitoring Brian’s health, and it appears to be on course and doing great. We’re also monitoring Scott and his performance, where he’s at and what’s going to happen next.
“We’re going to end up having, at this point, two cars and possibly three drivers. At that point, decisions will have to be made. It’s not necessarily the case that decisions have been made yet.”
Similarly, with Francis on Kahne’s pit box, there won’t be room in a crew chief job for either Ryan Pemberton or Jimmy Elledge, who currently fill that role on the No. 82 and No. 83, respectively.“Over the next couple of weeks, we’re going to evaluate where we’re at with people,” Frye said. “There’s nothing imminent on anything right now. We’re excited that Jimmy is working with Kasey this weekend. … We’ve got some really, really good people, and it’s our job to find places and roles for them within the organization.”
As seen in the garage
There were plenty of double-takes when Kahne strode down pit road before Friday’s practice—in a Red Bull uniform. His past collided with his future when a fan handed Kahne a die-cast replica of the No. 9 RPM Ford to sign.
Kahne smiled and obliged.
Harvick has a plan
Asked whether he needed to hit a home run—in the sense of winning a race—to get back into championship contention, Kevin Harvick came up with a better plan to erase his 77-point deficit to Chase leader Jimmie Johnson.
“Or just hit him!” Harvick suggested. “No, I’m just kidding—kind of.”