CONCORD, N.C. — Kasey Kahne won a popularity contest, then parlayed it into a $1 million payday.
After failing to qualify for the All-Star Race, Kahne grabbed a spot in the field when the fans voted him into Saturday night’s event at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Already running on house money, he gambled on his final pit stop to steal the $1 million prize. And in holding off Greg Biffle in the final segment, Kahne became just the third driver in All-Star Race history to advance from the preliminary race into the show and then win the main event.
“We got voted in by the fans which was really, really special, and it feels good to know that we have that many fans following our team,” said Kahne, who could have raced his way in by finishing first or second in the Sprint Showdown. He was fifth, and needed the fan vote to claim the third transfer spot in the 24-driver field.
The fan vote gave Kahne a chance to run in the 100-lap shootout, which was intermittently dominated by Kyle Busch, Biffle and Dale Earnhardt Jr. But Kahne used the gamble on the final pit stop — not taking any tires — to become the first driver ever voted in by the fans to win.
Biffle, who had led the final 11 laps of the third segment, took two tires and was mired back in traffic on the restart. Biffle never got a chance to run down Kahne, who slid past leader Jimmie Johnson to lead the final 17 laps and claim the victory.
• Dale Jarrett’s final race included a slow lap around the track in a delivery truck, his father giving the invocation and some tears. Jarrett never threatened in NASCAR’s Sprint All-Star Race, finishing 21st in the 24-car field to wrap up his storied career. The 1999 points champion won 32 times, including three Daytona 500 victories.
Rahal makes grid.
INDIANAPOLIS — For Graham Rahal, driving in the Indianapolis 500 has been an almost lifelong ambition. It finally happened, thanks to the unification of the two American open-wheel series. Rahal was among 22 drivers who qualified Saturday, filling the 33-car field for the May 25 race.
• Phil Giebler was hospitalized with bruised lungs from a crash during practice.
Johnson gets No. 138.
BRISTOL, Tenn. — Pro stock star Warren Johnson added another No. 1 qualifying performance to his career stats, picking up his NHRA-record 138th in the O’Reilly NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol Dragway.
Today’s race: NHRA
THUNDER VALLEY NATIONALS
Site:Bristol Dragway in Bristol, Tenn.
TV: ESPN2, 4:30 p.m. (taped)
Last event: John Force cemented his position as the most prolific funny car driver in NHRA history on May 4, becoming the first to reach 1,000 round wins with a first-round victory over Ron Capps in the O’Reilly Midwest Nationals in Madison, Ill.Tim Wilkerson (funny car) Rod Fuller (top fuel), Kurt Johnson (pro stock), and Andrew Hines (pro stock motorcycle) claimed victories.
Last year: Force finally recorded his first win of 2007 after defeating Cruz Pedregon in the funny car final during the Thunder Valley Nationals.
Next event: O’Reilly Summer Nationals, June 1, Topeka, Kan.
On the Net:
The Associated Press
