Kahne started the race on the last row and moved his way into the top ten. Crew chief, or team director as Ray Evernham calls them, Kenny Francis, called for a no-tire gamble for the final 25-lap segment.
Kahne was able to move around Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin, and hold off Greg Biffle who had dominated the third segment.
“The fans put us in the All-Star Race, and hopefully we made them happy. Twenty-fourth to first, that’s the best we can do,” said the victorious driver who qualifies for the All-Star event for the next ten years.
Kahne had some help from the multitude of fans that supported him. He did not win a race in 2006, nor is he a past champion, nor did he win the All-Star Showdown, nor had he won this event in the past. Other than being popular with the fans, there was no validity to him racing in the big event. Kahne has always been popular with the fans, especially the female fans. Everybody knew weeks in advance that he had the fan vote won.
The fan vote seemed to be a good idea at first. However, past winners include Ken Schrader, Martin Truex, Jr. (before he was a rookie), Kyle Petty, and Kenny Wallace. Kahne is the first driver to win the fan vote that actually had a chance to contend for the win. Still, the fan vote has worn out its welcome. An All-Star slot is a privilege earned by your on-track accomplishments, not by your fan base.
Two drivers should advance into the All-Star race. Obviously, the winner of the Showdown deserves the All-Star entry. Instead of allowing the second place driver to advance, let him try to maintain the lead for another 10-lap Sprint. If that were the case, Sam Hornish Jr and A.J. Allmendinger would have engaged in a thrilling duel. As you could tell, Hornish backed off on the final lap. The winner advances, and the second place driver has 10-laps to hold off any other challenges.
Dale Jarrett’s career officially came to a conclusion after his 21st place finish. The 1999 champion enjoyed a stellar career, and has earned a place among NASCAR’s greatest drivers, just like his father, Ned. Jarrett did not end his career on top as he would have wished, but he amassed enough success through his heyday in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s to last a lifetime. Congratulations, Dale on a spectacular career.
“It’s over – we’ve done it. It’s been great, and I wouldn’t do anything different…Once again, it was great. I’m very satisfied with the decision and the way things have gone in my career. This race is about the fans, and it was a chance for me to say thank you to them. They come here for the reason of what the All-Star race is about, and it was the perfect race,” said the three-time Daytona 500 winner.
Quote of the week
A.J. Allmendinger on winning the All-Star Showdown
"Heck, I feel I won the Daytona 500. Nobody understands how much this means to me after what we went through as a team. It may be just an All-Star challenge, but it means the world to me."
