Kahne Doing Double Duty at Bristol

Kasey Kahne looks forward to what he knows will be two tough days of racing at Bristol Motor Speedway when he competes in the Scotts Turf Builder 300 March 20 and the Food City 500 March 21.

The way Kahne sees it, making 800 circuits around the World’s Fastest Half-Mile just gives him twice the chance to stand in one of the most unique Victory Lane’s in the sport.

“There’s nothing like it,” said Kahne. “Any time you win a race at Bristol, it’s special because that place is so tough. But when you win, you get to drive into Victory Lane up on top of a building and you’ve got all the fans all around you… it’s just really special.

“I’ve been able to do that in a Nationwide race (in August, 2007) and it was pretty special. But I haven’t done it in a Cup race yet and that would be even more special. I’d really like to be able to be on top of that building celebrating on Saturday and Sunday.”

Kahne has come close to making that goal a reality as he has come through with three top 10 showings over the past six races at BMS. Last March he finished fifth, preceded by a seventh-place effort in 2008 and in the August event of 2007, Kahne was runner-up, after starting from the pole.

“I feel like we’re ready to win a Cup race at Bristol,” he said. “I really like racing there and I feel like I’ve got a good feel for that track now. It would be something else if we could go in there and win both races. That would be a great, great weekend.”

Among the other Sprint Cup drivers included in the Scotts Turf Builder 300 field are defending champion Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski. All are former Nationwide Series winners at BMS.

Over the last decade of Nationwide racing at Bristol Motor Speedway, there have been 15 different winners in 20 events. The only repeat winners during that time span are Kevin Harvick with five victories and Matt Kenseth with two. Harvick’s five wins makes him the all-time leading winner at BMS in the Nationwide Series.