Kahne needs clearance for testing
By Lee Montgomery
Monday, May 01, 2006
TALLADEGA, Ala. - NASCAR officials say Evernham Motorsports driver Kasey Kahne will have to get medical clearance before he's allowed to test Tuesday at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
Kahne talked with Dr. Jerry Petty, a Charlotte, N.C., neurosurgeon, on Monday and has a Tuesday morning appointment with Petty to get clearance.
Kahne crashed early in the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway Monday afternoon, and NASCAR officials did not allow him to return to the Nextel Cup race.
"The medical people didn't think it would be good for him to get back in the car again," NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp said, adding that the driver of the No. 9 Dodge was too "shaken up" to return.
Kahne went to the infield care center after the accident and walked to his hauler in the Nextel Cup garage.
"I just got checked out, and everything is fine," Kahne said.
Hermie Sadler, also involved in the lap 9 crash, got behind the wheel of Kahne's No. 9 when it returned on lap 85.
By NASCAR rules, Kahne will get the driver points for the team's finish in the race.
