Former Hendrick Motorsports driver Kasey Kahne will return to NASCAR racing for the first time after his last Cup Series race in 2018. Kahne is teaming up with Richard Childress Racing and will compete in the Xfinity Series race at Rockingham Speedway. RCR will field a third car No. 33 Chevrolet for the 44-year-old driver, which will be sponsored by HendrickCars.com.

Out of all the racetracks, a return to Rockingham Speedway is indeed special. This year’s Truck Series is going to be the first one at the track after 2013. With the return of iconic racetracks like North Wilkesboro Speedway and Bowman Gray, it was about time The Rock also became open for the drivers. Although Kahne has an illustrious NASCAR career, winning crown jewel races like the Daytona 500 and Southern 500, a return to Rockingham will bring back special memories for him.

Kasey Kahne is excited about his return to Rockingham Speedway

Kahne certainly knows what it feels like to run a race at the D-shaped oval track in North Carolina. Apart from his Truck Series win at the track in 2012, he has five starts in the Xfinity Series races with Robert Yates Racing and Akins Motorsports. He also has a single Cup start at the intermediate track where he came close to winning his first-ever Cup Series race in 2004. Kahne finished second driving the No. 9 Dodge for Evernham Motorsports.

“I’m excited to get back behind the wheel of a stock car, especially at a place like Rockingham Speedway. Rockingham has been a special track throughout my career. I remember winning the Truck Series race in 2012 when the sport went back there last, so to be a part of the current return is cool. Very appreciative of the opportunity that Mr. Hendrick, Richard (Childress), and everyone at RCR have given me, along with the support of HendrickCars.com, Chevrolet, Curb Records, and Karavan Trailers. I look forward to hitting the track next week for the test.” The veteran driver said this in a press release.

Kahne’s most recent win in a NASCAR event came at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2017, driving the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy. The veteran driver has amassed a total of 18 Cup Series wins to his name and has the best finish of 4th in the driver’s standings during the 2012 season. Health concerns and demands of the NASCAR schedule forced his hand to retire in 2018. However, he looks pumped and charged to get back inside a stock car at one of his favorite racing venues.

Team Owner Richard Childress had this to say about Kasey Kahne’s return to NASCAR racing with RCR. “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.”

In order to get up to speed with the rest of the competition, Kahne will participate in a NASCAR test at Rockingham Speedway on January 28. Interestingly, this won’t be Kahne’s only racing event of the 2025 season, as he will be competing full-time in High Limit Racing.

Kahne will be back for more racing action in 2025

Trending

1

NASCAR Shoots Itself in the Foot as Daytona 500 Keeps Losing Respect From Drivers

2

“I’m Not Good…”- Brad Keselowski Discloses Stepping Away From Family Pedigree Behind Cup Team Ownership

3

Fed Up Chase Elliott Launches Sarcastic 5-Word Jab at NASCAR’s Shenanigans

4

Frankie Muniz Confirms Stance on Priorities as NASCAR Goals Clash With ‘Malcolm in the Middle’ Revival

5

“I Saw The Hurt”: Jeff Gordon Condemns NASCAR’s Controversial Rule Threatening Kyle Larson’s Indy 500 Dream

Last year Kasey Kahne ran a full schedule piloting the winged sprint car in the High Limit Racing. Although he opted to stay away from pavements, the 18-time Cup winner was drawn to dirt racing, and for the second year in a row, he will compete on a full-time basis. He does have his own team, Kasey Kahne Racing, which further shows how invested he is on the dirt side of things.

The veteran driver finished 14th overall in the points standings last year, but he was able to taste championship glory thanks to Brad Sweet. Eric Prutzman will be crew chief for Kahne, and that is indeed a big move, as Purtzman has six national sprint championships under his belt with Sweet. Five of those came at the World of Outlaws, and the sixth was the 2024 High Limit Racing title.

Co-owners Kyle Larson and Brad Sweet are trying to make major changes to dirt racing. Their series offers bigger payouts, better safety, and more security for the team. Unlike last year, the 2025 season will feature 60 events across 36 different tracks. They also concluded a successful international event in Australia, and Kyle Larson was the one who emerged victorious. So it’s fair to say this new series is making big strides to establish itself as the premier destination for all dirt racers.