Kasey Kahne and Red Bull Racing: Why It Will Never Work Out
Kasey Kahne left Richard Petty Motorsports before the 2010 NASCAR season ended. He was immediately put in a Red Bull Racing car, which is where he would be next year anyway.
Unfortunately, he hasn't had a good race since he's been at RBR.
These are just a few reasons why the Kahne-RBR situation will never work out.
The Sudden Move Upset His Fans
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Kahne has skills as a driver. He can race his heart out, but even with the skill he has, his fans are not happy with the sudden move to Red Bull Racing.
Kahne may not have been happy at RPM, but that does not mean he can just walk away at the end of the season. Now with Kahne going to RBR full-time next season, more fans are going to be upset because he is taking another driver out of a car.
Scott Speed becomes the big loser in this situation. He is losing his car to Kahne, all because Kahne needed a one-year ride. That does not sound fair.
Although sources say Speed's career is safe, everyone is used to seeing Speed in a Red Bull car. Putting Kahne in Speed's car is going to cause a lot of problems for fans who like them both.
The Car Still Will Not Put Him Up Front
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Kasey Kahne can drive his car. We all have seen him up front and win a few races, but lately he's been in a slump. He has not led a race much, and he has not won a race.
Kahne was up front a little at Talladega, but he immediately went back to the back of the pack. Then he was involved in the last-lap wreck along with teammate Scott Speed and A.J. Allmendinger.
Most people will blame the car for a driver having a bad finish. If that is the case, then Kahne will not run up front with a Red Bull car. The cars are not up front in a race. They may qualify well, but it never ends well for them in a race.
The chances of Kahne having a good run in a RBR car are slim to none. How is Red Bull Racing going to put a high-caliber driver up front?
It's a One-Year Deal
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When Kahne was signed to Hendrick, it was for 2012. His contract with Richard Petty Motorsports was over at the end of this season. That left Kahne's future up to Hendrick.
Hendrick put Kahne at Red Bull Racing because they wanted a driver and were willing to keep him for one year. Then he was released from RPM and went to RBR to finish out the current season. Will Kahne try to win for the RBR team or hold his skills in for Hendrick?
What are the chances of Kahne actually making the Chase in 2011? He needs to show his skills, but will he try? Personally, I think he'll just cruise around and try to keep his nose out of trouble. He'll want to finish the race, but not necessarily up front.
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Conclusion
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Let's recap this situation. Kasey Kahne has the skills to drive his way to a Sprint Cup Championship. It will not be with Red Bull Racing, though.
The fans were upset when Kahne left early. It gave them no time to prepare for the change in team and number of someone that they admired. Plus, it upset the Scott Speed fans because they lose their driver completely. He gets kicked out of his car for Kahne next season.
Even though they got Kahne out of the cars at RPM, he still cannot run a Red Bull Racing car up front. Those cars do not give him the comfort zone he needs to race at his best. He's still going to be insecure about his future until he gets to Hendrick.
That leads us to the final reason of it being a one-year deal. As I said, Kahne will remain nervous and insecure about what his future holds. When he gets to Hendrick, it may straighten out because it is, in fact, a multi-year deal.
Look for Kahne to improve his finishes from RPM while he races for RBR, but I do not think it's time to see him up front and winning races. He needs to get situated in his team first.
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