The Seattle Times: Kasey Kahne

Kasey Kahne

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Thursday, June 24, 2004 - Page updated at 12:00 a.m.



	Kasey Kahne



	Age: 24 Birthplace: Enumclaw, Wash., on April 10, 1980 Team: Evernham Motorsports Crew chief: Tommy Baldwin Jr. Car number: 9 Make: Dodge Sponsor: Dodge Dealers



	Latest statistics



	· Latest Nextel Cup results · Current driver standings

Early racing

Began his racing career at local dirt tracks in his home state of Washington at 14 racing for his father, Kelly, and won four micro-midget races in his first year. Two years later, he won 11 of 14 mini-sprint feature events en route to winning two championships. By 1998, Kasey had moved into full-sized 410-cubic-inch sprint cars. He picked up 12 victories that season.

Later racing

Owner Steve Lewis, who has employed Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart, offered Kasey a sprint, midget and Silver Crown deal that would run the full United States Auto Club schedule on both dirt and asphalt surfaces. By the end of the 2000 season, Kasey had picked up nine USAC Midget Series wins, including the famed "Night before the 500" at Indianapolis Raceway Park and the Belleville Midget Nationals, and one Silver Crown victory. Named the USAC Silver Crown Rookie of the Year and both the USAC Midget Series Champion and Driver of the Year that year . In 2001 Kasey once again won the "Night before the 500" becoming the first driver to win the event back-to-back since Jeff Gordon. Also won both the midget and silver crown event in a doubleheader at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway. Scored 10 top-five finishes, including four wins and second-consecutive Belleville Midget Nationals victory, in 11 USAC Midget Series starts during the 2001 season.

NASCAR

Moved to Busch Series in 2002 with Robert Yates Racing. Scored a season-high 10th place finish at Michigan International Speedway and finished 33rd in the final point standings. In 2003, notched his first NASCAR win at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Also had one pole, four top-five and 14 top-10 finishes in finishing seventh in final Busch Series standings. In 2004, Kasey assumed Bill Elliott's role as driver of the No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge. Running a full Nextel Cup schedule and full time on the NASCAR Busch Series (No. 38 Dodge).



Through the years



2003 · In 34 races scored four top-five and 14 top-10 finishes in the Busch Series · Won his first Busch Series race in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 15 · Earned first pole position at Michigan International Speedway on Aug. 15 · Finished seventh in the final Busch Series point standings · Won the Jim Raper Dirt Cup at Skagit Speedway. He became the first Washington native to win back-to-back titles at the Dirt Cup in Alger, Wash.	2002 · In 20 races scored one top-10 finish at Michigan International Speedway Aug. 17 2001 · Scored 10 top-five finishes, including four wins and second-consecutive Belleville Midget Nationals victory, in 11 USAC Midget Series starts · Earned two wins in one night at the USAC Midget Series/Sprint Car Series doubleheader at Irwindale (Calif.) Speedway in October · Won the "Night before the 500" Classic at Indianapolis Raceway Park, becoming the first driver to post back-to-back victories in the event since Jeff Gordon in 1989 and 1990	2000 · Won the 2000 USAC Midget Series championship and was named the Arizona Sport Shirts National Midget Driver of the Year after picking up nine victories, including the Belleville Midget Nationals and the midget division of the 4-Crown Nationals. · Finished 10th in the 2000 USAC Silver Crown Series point standings, earning Rookie of the Year. 1996 · Won 11 of 14 Mini-Sprint events to earn the Hannegan Speedway championship as well as the Northwest Mini Sprints championship

— All information on this page courtesy of Evernham Motorsports

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