After a seven-year break from NASCAR, Kasey Kahne’s return to the track at Rockingham Speedway on April 19 nearly stole the whole spotlight.
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Driving the #33 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Kahne qualified P4 and brought the car home inside the top 15 — a commendable feat given his long absence from the sport.
However, many believe he left plenty on the table. A Stage 1 incident left his car wounded for the remainder of the 256-lap race, likely costing him a top-five finish.
That glimpse of competitive form has sparked speculation among fans about whether Kahne might return to the Xfinity or Cup Series later this year, or if he has other plans in the pipeline.
Speaking with Shannon Spake on NASCAR Daily, Kahne shed light on his future. He said, “We have two sprint car teams and we race in the High Limit series… So, and that they start next year… Really happy to be part of that. But I want to run the entire series and try to get one of those franchises for KKR [Kasey Kahne Racing] in the future, whether I’m in the car or not.”
Kahne also hinted at the possibility of bagging in another NASCAR appearance, saying, “There’s a few open weekends, I don’t know if we could squeeze another race in or not this year on the NASCAR side. One thing I would like to do is that Rockingham race again next year.”
“That to me just made a lot of sense. It was just a really cool, fun, put-together week. So maybe doing that next year would be something that would work as well,” he added.
So, although no NASCAR races are currently set in stone for Kasey Kahne, his consistent involvement in dirt track racing has kept him sharp behind the wheel.
Now at the age of 45, he remains active through Kasey Kahne Racing and is set to compete full-time in the 2025 Kubota High Limit Racing Series. His initial exit from NASCAR, however, wasn’t by choice.
At 38, Kahne faced recurring issues with overheating and rapid dehydration inside the car, an issue he discussed on a February episode of Dirty Mo Media’s Dale Jr. Download. After spending several years away from the demanding heat and duration of a stock car cockpit, he felt the time was right to strap back in, this time with Richard Childress Racing.
Whether Kahne takes another swing at NASCAR — be it in Cup, Xfinity, or Trucks — remains up in the air. Still, a return would undoubtedly fire up the fan base. If given the green light for a Cup start, similar to how NASCAR accommodated drivers like Katherine Legge, his appearance would surely turn heads.
