Did Kasey Kahne ever win the Daytona 500? All you need to know amid his one-off NASCAR return with RCR and HMS

Kasey Kahne has never won the Daytona 500, despite competing in multiple editions during his NASCAR career. However, he had strong performances at the event, including a win in the 2010 Gatorade Duel, an important qualifying race. Now, after six years away from NASCAR, he is making a one-off return to the Xfinity Series with Richard Childress Racing at Rockingham Speedway.

At the Daytona 500, Kahne’s best finish was seventh in 2008, a race won by Ryan Newman. In 2010, he led significant portions of the race before being caught in a late wreck. While he never won the main event, his 2010 Gatorade Duel victory won him a fourth-place starting position that year.

Kahne enjoyed a successful NASCAR career, securing 18 Cup Series wins over 15 years. His major wins include three Coca-Cola 600 wins (2006, 2008, 2012) and a Brickyard 400 victory in 2017. He also won the 2008 Sprint All-Star Race and was named the 2004 Nextel Cup Series Rookie of the Year. In 2023, he was honored as one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers.

He started in the Busch Series (now Xfinity Series) before moving to the Cup Series in 2004, replacing Bill Elliott. His first Cup Series win came at Richmond in 2005. Throughout his career, he won multiple poles and top-ten finishes. His final NASCAR race was the 2018 Bojangles’ Southern 500, after which he retired due to health concerns related to severe dehydration.

Kasey Kahne is making a return to NASCAR, but only for a single race in the Xfinity Series at Rockingham Speedway. This comes after a six-year absence from stock car racing, since walking away in 2018.

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Kasey Kahne’s return to NASCAR

Kasey Kahne’s return was unexpected. While he continued to race in Sprint cars, he had not participated in NASCAR competition since his retirement. The opportunity at Rockingham caught his interest, and he decided to take on the challenge.

In an interview with Autoweek, Kahne talked about his past experiences at Rockingham. He recalled his first time at the track, arriving after an overnight drive following a Sprint car race. That moment was the beginning of his stock car racing career. Now, years later, he finds himself back at the same venue.

Kahne is set to race with Richard Childress Racing (RCR), driving a Chevrolet. He has spent time testing at the track, working with Chevrolet and RCR’s simulator programs to get back into rhythm.

Speaking about his return, Kahne told Autoweek:

“I saw the Rockingham race pop up, and I said, ‘Man, that’s a track I know and enjoyed racing at.’ I started reaching out, trying to figure out a way to get back into it and do a race.”

Despite his long break, Kahne said that the experience felt familiar. In his own words,

“It felt familiar coming in. There were familiar faces. Hanging out behind the trailer this morning felt pretty normal. When you put basically your whole life in this racing and then you take a little time off, it still feels familiar.”

The race is scheduled to be held on Wednesday, the February 19.