Have you ever been labeled as something, that you weren’t, and when you tried to escape that title, it followed you where ever you went? Well, after last weekends Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motorspeedway, when Kasey Kahne didn’t finish the race because he wasn’t feeling well, was given the label “quitter”.
When adressing the media from Martinsville Speedway, Kasey made the statement "I'm definitely not a quitter. I've done a lot for that company for a long time.” He also went on the record saying "Anyone that questions my commitment doesn't know me.
This is my question though, how is he a quitter? He’s given one organization 6 ½ years, and he’s given them all they wanted, most of the time more then what they’ve wanted, and he’s given his all, so to lable him has a quitter infuriates me. You gave him sub-par equpiment and expected him to win the chase, that’s impossible to happen. He may have refused to get back in the car, Saturday, but it was with good reason. You may doubt that he was actually sick all you want, but there is no doubt in my mind that he was. A person can only take so much, and it was his breaking point on Saturday night, so even if he wasn’t sick can you really blame him? For the second time in 3 weeks, they’ve had break failure. Last time I checked brakes are pretty important, in a race.
People say that Kasey “Ran” out on his team and teammates, but don’t you think the management at RPM, ran out on him, as soon as they found out that he wasn’t coming back next year? I think they did. It wasn’t long after his announcement that he was leaving RPM at the conclusion of the 2010 season, that he started receiving sup-par equipment. Take the Dover race for example, he had a broken shifter, I’m pretty sure that’s necessary to have that in proper working order, simply because it’s how you change gears, throughout the race. He led the first 23 laps that day, and he had a fast racecar, but he ended the day 2 laps down. That’s just one example.
Take the Pocono race for example, Kasey ran in the top 5 all day, and he should have finished there, but “teammate” AJ, had other plans. When on the last restart Kasey dropped to the bottom of the track, to pass some cars, out of no where, here comes AJ, to block him. Kasey clearly had the better car all day. Why AJ felt the need to take Kasey out like that, is still unknown. My theory is that AJ couldn’t have Kasey stealing the spotlight. Here’s a little newsflash for you King Ding-A-Ling, Kasey will always be better then you. However, AJ went on to finish 10th that day, and Kasey was a very disappointing, 28th. AJ, has never even apologized for the accident that he caused, taking out 10 other cars with it. RPM would go on to do NOTHING at all about it because after all it was just another “racing accident.” No it wasn’t. He could have really hurt someone, or killed them with his little stunt, then again what do you expect?
I don’t think that RPM, knows how much of an asset Kasey really was to them. How much money he actually brought into that company. He was most of the companies income, because had it not been for him, Budweiser would have never in a million years sponsored one of their cars. It’s not just speculation, it’s a proven fact. I hate to be the one to break it to you, but its true. How AJ even has a cup ride is far beyond me. I remember the year where, he wrecked every race that he was in, most of the time he never even finished a race, and yet they leave Reed Sorenson go? What sense does that make? None at all if you ask me, Reed was a way better driver then AJ Allmendinger, look at how strong he ran in the 83, of Brian Vickers.
As a Kasey Kahne fan, I felt that RPM never stood behind Kasey. I can recall several times where you could go on facebook and see all the Kasey Kahne bashing that they did, and NOTHING was ever done about it, but yet whenever someone said something about AJ, it was deleted and they were blocked. Seriously? What the hell? If you’re going to back up one of your drivers you should do it for all of them.
So now I have a question, can you really blame Kasey for wanting out? I know that I can’t. I’m glad that he’s out, and on to Red Bull Racing, where we know that he’s going to be treated right. His fans are relieved that he’s out of that mess, that’s for sure.
I’m sure the bashing is about to begin, or it already has, because he left RPM, and Budweiser, before the end of his contract. However, he has agreed to fulfill all of his sponsorship obligations throughout the term of his contract. RPM wanted him gone, and he wanted to be gone so it was the best for both, that the parted ways. He wants the best for them. A true gentleman in my opinion.
Kahne was released a day prior to all the speculation about the future of RPM, did that play a part in the decision for the two parties to part ways? Perhaps, not that we’ll ever know, but honestly, I don’t really care what happens with RPM. Ask your selves this, when was the last time, the financial stability of a NASCAR race team questioned, without it being true? It’s not every day that it happens, but none the less, I honestly do not care about RPM, as a whole anymore, perhaps I never did. I’ve said this in several other posts and I’ll say it again : I don’t care who he drives for, who his sponsors are, what kind of car he drives, the only thing that matters to me, is that he is racing. I’m a Kasey Kahne fan, and a proud one at that.
Quitter? I think not.
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