(photo courtesy Leon Hammack)
Is it just me or do you think that it is odd that Rick Hendrick and Kasey Kahne announced the deal for their alignment for the 2012 Sprint Cup season after just seven races in the 2010 season? After all, Kahne can’t jump into the #5 HMS Chevy until the start of the 2012 season. So what was the rush to put this deal together and make the announcement?
Now Rick Hendrick must find a place for Kasey Kahne to be for the 2011 season. The obvious assumption is that Hendrick is working to put together a sponsorship package with Stewart-Haas Racing. Since there are only two race teams presently housed under the Stewart-Haas Racing shop, it could be packaged and put together under that banner.
It’s no secret that Petty Motorsports has struggled. It’s no secret that Kahne wants to drive for a winner, and no team has a better track record than Hendrick Motorsports. It’s a primo ride and Kahne will be a perfect fit in Hendrick’s galaxy of stars.
But again, why the big rush to make the announcement now, just seven races into the season? Especially since Kahne can’t join Hendrick until year after next.
We’ve read all the quotes from Richard Petty: he’s fond of Kasey, considers him a talented young driver, wishes him well, so on and so on … but the fact is that Kahne’s odd timing will not serve his team well. Petty Motorsports still has 29 races to run with its lame-duck driver, and that can not be good for the team.
Is there more to this story than meets the eye? Could there be some discontentment at RPM? Is the Gillette default loan problems just the tip of the iceberg? What is the future of Richard Petty Motorsports?
Or could it be that Kasey Kahne is just a very slow packer? You decide!
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
