Discussing his abrupt departure from Richard Petty Motorsports this week, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Kasey Kahne insisted Friday morning that it was a mutual decision. He dismissed reports that he was owed money from the team and challenged anyone to question his commitment despite the late-season split. "It was time for me to move on,'' Kahne told reporters Friday morning at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, where he'll begin his tenure in the No. 83 Red Bull Toyota in Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.
"It definitely went down differently than what a lot of people people expected, including myself. It's a big change for myself. I'm been doing the same thing for six and a half years. ... and now everything's different, but I'm looking forward to it. I've been looking forward to next year and now I've got a quicker start on it.
"I think it's good for me that it happened. And I think it's good for RPM also.''
Red Bull Racing general manager Jay Frye concurred and acknowledged the timing certainly benefited them as well. Kahne was already set to run the full 2011 season with the team before taking over the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in 2012. With one of Red Bull's lead drivers, Brian Vickers recovering from a blood clot, the No. 83 was available for Kahne now.
"This is something we didn't anticipate happening, but we couldn't be happier about it,'' said Frye, who was seated alongside a smiling and Red Bull jacket-clad Kahne as the two took questions from the media
There has been a lot of speculation this week that Richard Petty Motorsports owed Kahne money and the whole operation was in dire financial straits. But Kahne said he was "all paid up" and grateful to RPM for that. He deferred all questions about RPM's future to that team.
The announcement of his departure from RPM Thursday came only days after a particularly frustrating race. The brakes on Kahne's No. 9 Budweiser Ford went out early in last Saturday night's race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. After spinning out midway through the 500-mile event, Kahne said he was sick to his stomach and left the track. The crew repaired the car and driver J.J. Yeley finished the race in it.
"People can talk, they can say what they want, but I'm definitely not a quitter."
-- Kasey Kahne Some racing insiders questioned Kahne's departure, considering he ran in his Kasey Kahne Foundation's charity 5K race early the next morning, finishing the event in 22 minutes. One driver, who wished to remain anonymous, told FOXSports.com that Kahne was behaving like a "prima donna.'' Others wondered if he quit on the team.
"People can talk, they can say what they want, but I'm definitely not a quitter,'' Kahne said.
"Anyone that questions my commitment doesn't know me very well and how much I love the sport or how much I put into racing. I feel like I do everything I need do to make myself the best I can be. We kept having problems and I was sick to my stomach (Saturday night). It was time for me to call it a day and that's what I did.
"I'm happy I did and ready to get on to this weekend.''
Kahne spent Thursday getting fitted for his new seat and spending time with his new team. He has spent his entire career at RPM, which is an evolution of the Evernham Motorsports team where he won 2004 Rookie of the Year honors. The organization has undergone four different ownership/management changes in the last seven seasons with Kahne and his car No. 9 about the only relics from Evernham's original Dodge operation.
Although Kahne earned the team's only two race wins last season, he is winless this season and failed to qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup. None of the RPM teams has really contended for a victory and Kahne is currently mired in 21st in the standings, which would be his worst ranking since a 23rd-place final standing in 2005.
While Kahne seemed to acknowledge there was some sentiment in leaving the only Cup series team's he's ever known, he is clearly ready for the next chapter in his career.
"I don't know if it's relief, but it's definitely my future and definitely something I've been looking forward to,'' Kahne said.
"I wanted to finish strong for RPM and Budweiser and Ford, they've done a lot for me and my family ... but it's about me moving on and starting my next year and them moving on and starting their next year. It's mutual and I'm glad we've done it. Let's go on from there.''
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