Kasey Kahne looking at another team after 2010 Cup season
Richard Petty Motorsports' Kasey Kahne is 10th in the Chase For The Sprint Cup standings heading into Sunday's Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. // Mark Sluder, NASCAR Scene
HOMESTEAD, Fla. – Kasey Kahne gave his strongest indication yet on Friday that he may leave Richard Petty Motorsports after the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup season.
During comments about the still-unsettled merger between RPM and Yates Racing – a transaction that figures to drag into the offseason – Kahne said he will look at changing teams after his contract expires at the end of next season.
“I got to the point where I’ve got one year left, and I want to do everything I can to do the best job I can for Richard Petty Motorsports in my final year, and it’s up to them what happens,” he said. “They do their thing, and I’ll do mine. All I can do is what I can do.”
Asked if that meant he would “definitely look elsewhere” for a ride in 2011, Kahne answered, “Yeah.”
Pressed further, Kahne would not say he would leave the team for sure, but said all the ups and downs “have made it difficult for me to say I’m going to be here for 10 more years.”
Kahne joined the organization when it was Evernham Motorsports. Then majority ownership was sold to the Gillett family, and it became Gillett Evernham Motorsports. Now the organization has the proposed merger with Yates and a move to Fords in the works.
“Come January, I can start looking around, I can talk to other people,” he said. “I would imagine the Gilletts are going to talk to me at that point. But as of right now, the Gilletts haven’t talked to me.
“But I don’t really know what’s going to happen. Truthfully, I don’t know what’s going to happen right now.”
Kahne said his No. 9 team has done a good job despite all the turmoil, and while he’s pleased with the way his cars are running right now, it’s a positive to end the season so officials can determine the team’s future.
“It’s definitely different, and because things aren’t done and because we don’t have a ‘for-sure’ yet, I think the season needs to get over with for the management side of things,” he said. “[Then they] can figure out exactly what we’re doing and get us pointed in the right direction and prepare for 2010.”
