Kasey Kahne Sprint All-Star Race Preview

ALL-STAR WINNER: In nine NASCAR Sprint All-Star Races at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, Kasey Kahne has one win and three top-10 finishes. In 2008, Kahne became the first driver to win the event after being voted into the race by the fans. The 33-year-old driver has competed in the race every year since joining the NASCAR Sprint Cup circuit in 2004 and earned the pole position for the 2006 exhibition event. BACK-TO-BACK WINS: Kahne and six other drivers have won the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and have gone on to win the 600-mile race at Charlotte the following weekend: Darrell Waltrip (1985), Davey Allison (1991), Dale Earnhardt (1993), Jeff Gordon (1997), Jimmie Johnson (2003), Kasey Kahne (2008) and Kurt Busch (2010). CHASSIS CHOICE: Crew chief Kenny Francis has selected Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 5-763 for Saturday’s event. Most recently, Kahne drove this chassis at Fontana, Calif., on March 24, and he finished ninth. He also tested this chassis at Charlotte in December 2012 and January 2013. ALL-STAR LOOP DATA: According to NASCAR loop data recorded during the last eight All-Star events, Kahne ranks fifth in green-flag passes (245), sixth in fastest laps run (36), sixth in fastest on restarts (176.669 mph) and ninth in laps led (27). NO. 5 PIT CREW: Qualifying for the All-Star Race will include three laps with a mandatory four-tire pit stop on Friday, The No. 5 pit crew includes: jackman Trey Burklin (Charlotte, N.C.); gas man Chris Fasulka (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.), rear-tire carrier Ben Fischbeck (Waynesville, Mo.), front-tire carrier Michael Oxendine (Lumberton, N.C.), front-tire changer Johnny Roberts (Titusville, Fla.), and rear-tire changer Kip Wolfmeier (Kingdom City, Mo.). HENDRICK IN THE ALL-STAR: In 28 All-Star Races (83 entries), Hendrick Motorsports has scored seven wins, 30 top-five finishes, 44 top-10s and led 605 laps. Most recently, Johnson won the 2012 event after leading 16 laps to earn a record-tying third all-star victory. All four Hendrick Motorsports drivers are eligible for this year’s All-Star Race. KASEY KAHNE, DRIVER, NO. 5 FARMERS INSURANCE CHEVROLET SS (ON HIS 2008 ALL-STAR WIN BEING ONE OF HIS FAVORITE RACING MEMORIES.): “One of my favorites was being voted into the All-Star Race by the fans in 2008 and going on to win the race. If it wasn’t for the fans, I wouldn’t have even made the race so that victory was all about them.”