ROCKINGHAM, N.C. — Kasey Kahne drove to the infield tunnel at Rockingham Speedway, and positive sufficient, his NASCAR 75 Biggest Drivers credential nonetheless labored. “Tremendous easy,” the 44-year-old veteran mentioned, his entry for preseason testing granted.
Kahne made the rounds, taking a tour across the infield Tuesday morning whereas the 1.017-mile observe was being prepped. He’ll be making his first NASCAR national-series begin since 2018 when the Xfinity Collection returns to Rockingham within the spring, however being again in a stock-car storage didn’t appear to be a very long time gone.
“A number of acquainted faces. It didn’t really feel like I hadn’t been right here in six years, I do know that,” Kahne mentioned from Rockingham’s media middle. “Even simply hanging out within the trailer, behind the trailer for the primary half-hour, hour this morning ready to get going, it simply felt fairly regular. It didn’t really feel too totally different. So I assume whenever you put principally your complete life into simply racing and NASCAR for that a few years main as much as it, after which 16 years within the sport, to take a bit little bit of day without work and are available again, it nonetheless feels fairly acquainted.”
Kahne and the remainder of the Xfinity Collection roster shall be again for the N.C. Schooling Lottery 250 on April 19 (4 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), marking NASCAR’s first national-tour occasion since 2013. Xfinity groups will share the weekend with the Craftsman Truck Collection, which can run the Black’s Tire 200 on April 18 (5 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The 2 sequence alternated 45-minute apply periods throughout Tuesday’s organizational take a look at, which can spill into Wednesday due to observe drying wants that scrubbed testing time within the morning.
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Kahne was a winner throughout Rockingham’s temporary, two-year revival practically a decade in the past, prevailing within the Truck Collection’ return race right here in 2012. He’s saved his hand in racing since his most up-to-date NASCAR begin, working a profitable dash automotive workforce and rising his participation on the driving facet. He mentioned he’s saved in contact with a few of his contacts from the NASCAR world, and the Rockingham date on the 2025 schedule piqued his curiosity find a trip.
That chance got here by way of with that Kahne will drive the No. 33 Chevrolet, a 3rd Richard Childress Racing entry, within the 250-lap occasion.
“I noticed this Rockingham race pop up, and I used to be like, ‘Man, that’s a observe I do know, and I’ve loved racing at over time,’ so I began reaching out and attempting to determine a approach to get again into it and do a race,” Kahne mentioned. “It felt like 4 or 5 years possibly since I’d raced, and it’s extra like six and a half is what they’d mentioned, so it’s been some time.”
His departure from the Cup Collection roster felt abrupt, coming midstream with 11 races left within the 2018 marketing campaign. However Kahne mentioned the calls for of racing on the big-league stage of NASCAR every week had taken a gradual, bodily toll that mounted as his remaining season crept alongside.
“The rationale it was time was my physique was simply telling me it was time,” mentioned Kahne, who received 18 instances in a Cup Collection profession that started in 2004. “My dehydration was so unhealthy by the point I received to the middle a part of the 12 months. I imply, the previous couple of Cup races I ran, yeah, it was as unhealthy as I’ve ever felt in my life. After the races for the subsequent two or three days, even into the subsequent race, we simply couldn’t determine it out, couldn’t get it fastened. It was a large number. It wasn’t an excellent approach to finish. It wasn’t what I used to be wanting or anticipating, nevertheless it was the way in which it went. Simply form of had a brief, fast ending to my Cup run. I’ve watched loads since, and I’m simply glad to get a possibility to do that race in April.”
What’s but to be seen is that if Kahne’s Rockingham go is a one-off. Requested if one other alternative on the Cup Collection or one other NASCAR stage is likely to be within the playing cards, Kahne hedged, preserving the give attention to the reborn 1-mile observe in entrance of him.
“I do not know. I simply wish to do that one race, work with this group,” Kahne mentioned. “It’s been truly actually cool, and went collectively actually fast, however they’ve given me an amazing alternative and a variety of actually good folks at RCR. So I’ve actually loved it so far, end off this take a look at and see the place that’s, do the race and see how issues are going at that time limit.”
