Kasey Kahne

Because 3 years of getting the testing car at Hendrick, and because Hendrick wanted the 20 year old. And as we can see from their performance this year was not about him but rather declining cars.
Rick wants sponsor money and the sponsors were leaving KK. It is as simple as that, nothing to do with a test car. Rick is not going to send 20 million dollars out the door to run a test car.
KK had everything he wanted when he came to HMS and they even hired Francis to keep him happy. The poor showing is all on KK, he has only himself to blame for his current status.
After this season he may leave Nascar because he won't have Rick paying his salary.
 
Rick wants sponsor money and the sponsors were leaving KK. It is as simple as that, nothing to do with a test car. Rick is not going to send 20 million dollars out the door to run a test car.
KK had everything he wanted when he came to HMS and they even hired Francis to keep him happy. The poor showing is all on KK, he has only himself to blame for his current status.
After this season he may leave Nascar because he won't have Rick paying his salary.
KK did not have everything he wanted, he has discussed it several times. He ask Rick for a specific person to help with suspension and was told no. I believe Hendrick knew if he didn’t get Byron in a ride somebody else would. So after this year he has a sponsor, cheaper driver, and KK will either be out of Nascar or will be with a lesser team the rest of his career. Byron will be with Hendricks as long as he keeps a sponsor. But so far his rookie season is not nearly as successful as KKs rookie season.
 
When KK first came to Hendrick, the 5 car was the fastest car in the stable, did KK forget how to drive or did something else change? I believe he was punished for wanting Rodden, Francis was a far better cc than Rodden.
 
When KK first came to Hendrick, the 5 car was the fastest car in the stable, did KK forget how to drive or did something else change? I believe he was punished for wanting Rodden, Francis was a far better cc than Rodden.

He stated out pretty good in the 5. Kahne was 4th overall in 2012 to Johnson's 3rd and it went downhill from there. JJ won the cup the next year, Kahne finished 12th.
 
Yes the first year was the best for KK, just wonder what the change was. Janus stated when Francis came to Hendrick it boosted the intermediate program.
 
Kahne had one 6 win season way back in 06, from then on no matter who he drove for it was 0,1 or 2 wins a season to present. I don't see a change myself. He has pretty much lived between top 10 to top 20 area his whole career.
 
Travis Mack seemed to be doing a swell job, so what is the deal here?
 
Scrambled thoughts:
I think his drive at Indianapolis was great last year. He got up on the wheel and drove a hell of a race. Then there are more often times when he will find trouble, inconsistent is the most fitting term that comes to mind.
There is a little bit of mystery, he is really on, or really off.
 
Swell. 20th or worse every race.
Bear in mind that the team we are speaking of is still quite young, and it was changed a lot for this season. They are not known for running in the top ten or top fifteen regularly, and yet we have seen KK run in the top ten quite a few times, especially at some of the short tracks!
 
It would be one thing if we were talking about his time at HMS. This is different. Yes, a 20th place finish for LFR is rather swell, like a win for HMS.
 
Bear in mind that the team we are speaking of is still quite young, and it was changed a lot for this season. They are not known for running in the top ten or top fifteen regularly, and yet we have seen KK run in the top ten quite a few times, especially at some of the short tracks!
It would be one thing if we were talking about his time at HMS. This is different. Yes, a 20th place finish for LFR is rather swell, like a win for HMS.
Yep that's how I've been looking at it. I'm not expecting LFR to compete for wins outside of plate races. I've had a good time watching the time build through the year and enjoyed their successes.
 
Yep that's how I've been looking at it. I'm not expecting LFR to compete for wins outside of plate races. I've had a good time watching the time build through the year and enjoyed their successes.
They have had some good runs together. There have been several races in which it looked as if Kahne would actually grab a top-ten finish in the LFR Chevy. That may not sound like much, but considering the team's best finishes are expected to come at restrictor plate tracks, like you said, it is a little impressive to me. His runs at Bristol, Dover, and Charlotte are what all spring to my mind.
 
They have had some good runs together. There have been several races in which it looked as if Kahne would actually grab a top-ten finish in the LFR Chevy. That may not sound like much, but considering the team's best finishes are expected to come at restrictor plate tracks, like you said, it is a little impressive to me. His runs at Bristol, Dover, and Charlotte are what all spring to my mind.
Yep Kasey drove up to 7th place at Charlotte before fading late, Bristol was a top 10 run before a mechanical failure, Pocono mechanical failure, Talladega and Daytona typical plate crashes.
 
So why the CC change?? Did KK complain he couldn't run better because of the CC?
 
He clearly thinks they can be running top 20 with what they have.
Bob Leavine was making some very ambitious comments regarding his expectations going into this season with Kasey Kahne - it kinda sounded outlandish to me, and maybe he is still having delusions of grandeur. I dunno.
 
Bob Leavine was making some very ambitious comments regarding his expectations going into this season with Kasey Kahne - it kinda sounded outlandish to me, and maybe he is still having delusions of grandeur. I dunno.

I believe LFR and JTG Daugherty both formed a technical alliance with Hendrick this offseason, which I'm sure raised expectations for both teams. Unfortunately Hendrick themselves have struggled quite significantly with the new car so it hasn't really worked out for anyone yet.
 
Bob Leavine was making some very ambitious comments regarding his expectations going into this season with Kasey Kahne - it kinda sounded outlandish to me, and maybe he is still having delusions of grandeur. I dunno.
I always imagined this year for LFR being like Regan Smith's last year with Furniture Row, they were starting to put good runs together that really started to take off when Kurt Busch came there. I think this year was a building year towards more success down the line like Furniture Row has had.
 
I believe LFR and JTG Daugherty both formed a technical alliance with Hendrick this offseason, which I'm sure raised expectations for both teams. Unfortunately Hendrick themselves have struggled quite significantly with the new car so it hasn't really worked out for anyone yet.

No doubt and both use RCR engine packages, but Hendrick chassis.
 
I thought they used RCR engines and chassis, but got setups and engineering support from Hendrick? These alliance things are getting confusing with engines from one place, chassis from another, and engineering from who knows where.
 
I believe LFR and JTG Daugherty both formed a technical alliance with Hendrick this offseason, which I'm sure raised expectations for both teams. Unfortunately Hendrick themselves have struggled quite significantly with the new car so it hasn't really worked out for anyone yet.
With the way you put it, there may be hope for the LFR crew yet. When the "secret" behind getting the Camaro to perform closer to its maximum potential is discovered, we may see LFR and KK make strides through the standings.
 
With the way you put it, there may be hope for the LFR crew yet. When the "secret" behind getting the Camaro to perform closer to its maximum potential is discovered, we may see LFR and KK make strides through the standings.
I doubt that. KK has had great equipment for years and since leaving Dodge his numbers don't equal his team mates from any team he drives for. I know there is a big money difference but I think he will be happier in his own cars.
 
I doubt that. KK has had great equipment for years and since leaving Dodge his numbers don't equal his team mates from any team he drives for. I know there is a big money difference but I think he will be happier in his own cars.
On the dirt tracks, you mean? Probably so.
 

The issue he has is dehydration in long races, an open ****pit and short dirt race his doctors have said should not be an issue for his health. He has said he plans to race for from now on
 
^^^^Yeah he is already going to run a limited schedule in the WOO next season along side Pittman and Sweet.
 
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