NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne. Dave Kallmann / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Kasey Kahne finishes 14th in first NASCAR race since 2018

By Samuel Stubbs | Last updated Apr 19, 2025 8:28 PM ET

Kasey Kahne's return to NASCAR competition didn't go exactly to plan, but the 45-year-old driver was still one of the stars of the show in Saturday's North Carolina Education 250 at Rockingham Speedway.

After qualifying fourth on Saturday morning, Kahne ran inside the top 10 and top five early in the race. He was swept up in a Lap 53 crash that started when William Sawalich turned Katherine Legge. Kahne suffered major right-front damage and drove the rest of the race without a majority of his right-front fender.

Despite damage, a solid P15 return to the track for @kaseykahne! pic.twitter.com/WI3BwmJKpt
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) April 19, 2025

With a car that was less-than-stellar aerodynamically, most drivers wouldn't be able to make up much ground. But Kahne soldiered on despite the damage, getting back onto the lead lap and driving back into the top 20.

When Stage 3 devolved into a wreckfest, Kahne took advantage of his competitors' misfortune, making up spots and quietly getting himself back into position for a solid finish. When the checkered flag flew over Kahne's beaten and battered Chevrolet, the No. 33 came home in 15th initially but got bumped to 14th after Jesse Love was disqualified. It's not a bad run for a driver who hadn't raced in any NASCAR-sanctioned event since 2018 and hadn't run an Xfinity Series race since 2017.

"That was definitely a handful once the car got tore up," Kahne told reporters after the race. "I think we (easily) a top-five car prior to that, maybe even better."

.@kaseykahne had a hard-fought 15th-place result today after suffering early right front damage.

“I enjoyed every bit of it”

Kahne also says he feels fine after staying hydrated throughout a long hot day. #NCELottery250 #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/8uoI1i5fxP
— Peter Stratta (@peterstratta) April 19, 2025

"I enjoyed it," Kahne said of the overall experience of being back in a NASCAR stock car. "I've been looking forward to it. It was really fun working with the RCR (Richard Childress Racing) group, going up to their shop again, just being part of a NASCAR team again. That was really cool... I enjoyed it. I don't know about more in the future, but I'm really glad I did this."

Saturday's race was the 216th Xfinity Series start for Kahne and his 751st start in the top-three series of NASCAR. The Enumclaw, Washington, native is a winner of 18 Cup Series races, eight Xfinity Series races and five Craftsman Truck Series races.

Samuel Stubbs

Hailing from the same neck of the woods as NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Samuel has been covering NASCAR for Yardbarker since February 2024. He has been a member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) since October of 2024. When he’s not writing about racing, Samuel covers Arkansas Razorback basketball for Yardbarker

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