Kasey Kahne set for first NASCAR start since 2018 at Rockingham

When Kasey Kahne takes the green flag for Saturday's NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Rockingham Speedway, it will have been 2,421 days since the 45-year-old from Enumclaw, Washington, last raced in a NASCAR-sanctioned event. 

The 2018 Southern 500 at Darlington was the last NASCAR race Kahne ran, as health issues pushed him out of the car 11 races before he was set to retire from full-time NASCAR competition. 

On Jan. 24, it was announced that Kahne would make his NASCAR return at Rockingham in the Xfinity Series, driving the No. 33 for Richard Childress Racing. It's fitting that Rockingham, which is making its return to the Xfinity Series schedule after a 21-year hiatus, is the site of Kahne's return to NASCAR. 

But Kahne's return to the track isn't just an opportunity for the veteran driver to have some fun — Kahne legitimately has a chance to win. The 18-time Cup Series winner was elite at Rockingham while 'The Rock' was on the NASCAR schedule. In 2004, Kahne narrowly lost the final Cup Series race at the track to Matt Kenseth in his only Cup Series start at the 1.017-mile track. 

Kahne never had much luck at Rockingham in the Busch Series (now the Xfinity Series), having an average finish of just 23.4, but history could be on Kahne's side regarding a Rockingham return. 

In 2012, Rockingham held its first NASCAR race since 2004, welcoming the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series to the facility. Kahne won that race — his fourth Truck Series win in his fifth Truck Series start — driving for Turner Scott Motorsports. 

Kahne will have a strong RCR Chevrolet underneath him, and with a 50-minute practice-session on Friday afternoon (3:05 p.m. ET, the CW App) to get acclimated to the car, he has as good a chance as anyone of winning Saturday's race at a track most of the field has never been to before. 

The North Carolina Education Lottery 250 will go green shortly after 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, with coverage on the CW, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Qualifying for the race will take place at 11:30 a.m. ET on Saturday, with coverage on the CW App.