FEUD OF THE WEEK: Ryan Newman vs. Kasey Kahne
Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne had a disagreement over their run-ins on the track at Atlanta. // LaDon George, Elmer Kappell, NASCAR Illustrated
Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne had a disagreement Sunday night at Atlanta Motor Speedway, first on the track and then in the garage.
Newman hit Kahne late in the race, damaging his car, and Kahne retaliated by bumping Newman during the final laps. The two drivers then had words in the garage after the race.
It ended relatively peacefully, but they’re our feud of the week. Why? Because both drivers were fighting for a spot in the Chase and are desperate for good results. And as the “boys, have at it” trend continues, they could find themselves battling each other again.
And what happened at Atlanta could happen again. As Kahne said following the race, even drivers who are friends can end up roughing each other up: “We don’t have an issue with each other. You get racing sometimes, and it makes you mad.”
Kahne is not known for having a temper, but Newman has displayed his on occasion. He went after Joey Logano a few weeks ago when Logano wrecked him at Michigan. Newman is an aggressive driver known for never giving an inch on the track and Kahne has become increasingly feisty recently. The future Hendrick Motorsports driver seems determined not to get pushed around.
That was evident Sunday night. Newman insists he was just trying to give Kahne a push forward and ended up turning him when Newman got tapped from behind by Kyle Busch.
Kahne got into the side of Kurt Busch, flattened a tire and busted a water line. A top-five finish and his slim Chase hopes were washed away. Kahne’s Richard Petty Motorsports team got his car repaired quick enough for Kahne to return to the track and give Newman a nudge on the final laps, a bump that cost Newman about four positions.
“He lost about four spots from me rubbing him a little bit,” Kahne said. “And I lost 25 or 30 from him rubbing me. So he got me a little better.”
What will happen next time? Newman hopes it will turn out differently.
“It was just hard racing and he was frustrated and he tried to take it out on me,” Newman said. “I asked him if next time, we can just talk about it first.”
Talking it over isn’t going to happen in the heat of the moment. Drivers who aren’t in the Chase are frustrated over a disappointing season and determined to redeem themselves with a win or a strong finish.
Newman enters Richmond, the last race before the 12-driver Chase begins, in 13th place and a longshot to make it as he is 117 points behind 12th-place Clint Bowyer. Kahne dropped to 18th in the standings, 210 points out of 12th and cannot make the Chase.
This will be the fourth time in the last five years that Newman hasn’t made it. He has two victories in that span, including a win this year with Stewart-Haas Racing.
For Kahne, it will be the third time in the last four years that he didn’t make it. He has four wins in that stretch.
Newman and Kahne are both drivers expected to make the Chase and win at least a couple of races each year. They haven’t reached those goals in the last two seasons.
If their results don’t improve, expect more frustration to settle in and less give-and-take, which could lead to more incidents such as the one Sunday night in Atlanta.
