Comments on: If Kahne Leaves RPM; He May Have Four Options

By: The Lead Lap | Report: Kahne Signs Multi-Year Deal With HMS

The Lead Lap | Report: Kahne Signs Multi-Year Deal With HMS — Tue, 13 Apr 2010 21:04:57 +0000

[...] Racing, which has an affiliation with HMS, for a year before moving to the No. 5. A while ago, I wrote that there were four potential seats for him, if he did leave Richard Petty Motorsports. SHR was one of those teams, but I never thought he [...]

By: Tommy

Tommy — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:48:58 +0000

Excellent article, I will take note. Many thanks for the story!

By: Lead Lap

Lead Lap — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:04:15 +0000

@SmokeScrn14 I do think MWR is capable of winning. Winning a race is winning a race. It doesn’t matter if you win by .001 seconds of by one lap; it doesn’t matter if you win due to rain, to fuel strategy, or to a dominant car. In the end all that matters is that you crossed the finish line first, and hoisted the trophy in victory lane. So, even though it was under a rain shortened race, Reutimann won, and that’s all that matters. The team was competitive, and has more resources than a small team. They may not be on par with Hendrick Motorsports, but I think they have a shot at winning at least one race this season.

@Neagle I think Kahne wants to leave. I don’t think he would come out and publicly say that at the beginning of his final season under contract with them. Why burn the bridge now? I also think he will consider staying with the team, if the performance is there. But, the real question is, how good would the team need to be for him to stay? If he were still with the same team, Evernham Motorsports, that he started with, then it probably would not need to be great, just solid. He’d feel like he should consider loyalty. But, since Evernham took on the Gilletts, then the team merged with Petty Enterprises, and now Robert Yates Racing, he might not feel loyal, since those weren’t the teams that hired him. Only Kahne knows what he will do. I think right now he’s saying the right things to the media. But ultimately, I think he will leave.

As always, thanks for reading, and thanks for commenting.

By: Neagle

Neagle — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 23:53:45 +0000

What do you make of the stories that Kahne is considering staying with RPM?

By: SmokeScrn14

SmokeScrn14 — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 18:37:48 +0000

Is Michael Waltrip Racing really capable of winning now?

Reutimann did win a race last season, but it was rain shortened. So, can you really say that they’re capable of winning now?

By: Lead Lap

Lead Lap — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 14:59:54 +0000

There’s a small chance that Kahne will return to RPM, but I don’t think its likely, at least at this point.

The switch to Ford may prove successful, leading Kahne to reconsider staying with the team. But, with Dodge’s struggles of late, Dodge teams haven’t been as competitive as Chevy and Ford.

And even there, Chevy has the slight advantage. Kahne could have some loyalty to Ford, but I don’t have reason to believe he does. So, I think he’ll look at his best chance to win.

If everything stays the same as it was last season — even with RCR’s struggles — you have to believe they give Kahne a better opportunity to compete for wins/the championship than RPM.

By: Stoli

Stoli — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 06:04:35 +0000

Why don’t you think Kasey will return to Richard Petty Motorsports?