Kasey Kahne speaks out after latest Hendrick Motorsports announcement

Kasey Kahne made his feelings known about returning to NASCAR for a one-off start. In an X (formerly Twitter) post, Kahne expressed gratitude for the opportunity and looked forward to seeing everyone at the track in North Carolina.

Kahne is a 44-year-old professional stock car racing driver who notably raced for Hendrick Motorsports in the Cup Series. His return will witness him drive the No. 33 Chevrolet Camaro for the Richard Childress Racing Xfinity team at Rockingham Speedway with sponsorship from Hendrick Automotive Group.

The Enumclaw, Washington native reposted RCR's announcement about his return on X and wrote:

"I’m thankful for this opportunity. See ya at the Rock!"

Meanwhile, team chairman and CEO Richard Childress has high expectations for Kahne's return to the league, saying:

“Kasey is a great driver and a fierce competitor [...] Our Xfinity Series program is top-notch, and we look forward to watching Kasey race with Austin (Hill) and Jesse (Love) for an exciting return to Rockingham Speedway. With Kasey behind the wheel, we expect the No. 33 to have a shot at winning the race.”

Kyle Busch drove the No. 33 RCR at Charlotte last year - Source: Imagn

Kasey Kahne will represent the owner and sponsor on NASCAR's return to Rockingham Speedway, dubbed "The Rock." The last time the field drove on the track was in 2013 when Kyle Larson won in the No. 30 Chevy truck.

Kahne is also no stranger to The Rock as he won a Craftsman Truck Series race around the 1.017-mile oval track in 2012.

In preparation for the race, the 44-year-old will join the test runs at Rockingham Speedway on January 28. The 250-lap Xfinity Series race at the returning track will be held on April 19.

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Former NASCAR boss shared his thoughts on Kasey Kahne's return

Rick Hendrick, Kasey Kahne's former boss at Hendrick Motorsports, shared his thoughts on the returning driver. Hendrick said he was proud to see Kahne get back on track and represent the Hendrick Automotive Group around The Rock.

In a press release, Hendrick stated:

“Kasey is a great friend and an incredibly talented driver, and we’re proud to have HendrickCars.com on board with him at Rockingham. It’s going to be exciting to see him return to NASCAR at such a special track and with a great team."

He added:

“I have tremendous respect for Richard and everything his organization has accomplished. We look forward to seeing Kasey return to NASCAR in what promises to be a memorable weekend for the sport.”

Kasey Kahne drove the No. 5 HMS in the premier series - Source: Imagn

Kasey Kahne joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2012 and ran alongside NASCAR legends Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Driving the No. 5 Chevrolet, Kahne won six of his 18 Cup races with HMS.

Kahne was released from the team after the 2017 season and moved to Leavine Family Racing. However, due to a health issue, he wasn't able to finish the full season and later retired from the sport.

The upcoming race at The Rock will follow the driver's last start in the Xfinity Series with JR Motorsports in 2017.