NASCAR
Kasey Kahne to Miss Remainder of Final Season Due to Heat Exhaustion Issues
Prior to Leavine Family Racing announcing their new driver for 2019, their original driver for 2018 had some hard news to break. Via Twitter, Kasey Kahne told the racing world that he is not medically cleared for the rest of this year. In what will be his final full-time season in NASCAR, heat exhaustion will force Kahne to an early retirement.
Kasey’s Health Scare
During the Southern 500 earlier this year, Kasey was having issues regulating his heart rate and was severely dehydrated. These chronic issues were only exemplified in the very hot and lengthy Darlington race. Kahne stated that the dehydration issues are still an unsolved problem in long NASCAR races. As a result, his physicians have not allowed him to return for the rest of the season. This news comes after a test Kahne had earlier this week at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Career Highlights For Kahne
At 38 years old, Kasey Kahne has made 529 starts in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. 2004 saw Kasey win Rookie of the Year honors in the Cup Series. In his 15-year career at the top level, Kahne scored 18 wins. These wins came for Evernham Motorsports, Richard Petty Motorsports, Red Bull Racing, and most recently Hendrick Motorsports. In addition, Kasey has 8 wins in the Xfinity Series and 5 wins in the Truck Series. Kasey also has 3 wins in the Coca-Cola 600, most recently in 2012. Kahne’s final career win in the Cup Series came last year, in the Brickyard 400.
After a rough 6-year run in the Hendrick Motorsports 5 car, 2018 was the first year for Kahne in the LFR 95 Chevrolet. Since Indiaianpolis, Regan Smith has been Kahne’s substitute in this ride. Regan’s best finish so far this year is 12th, while Kasey’s highest result was 4th-place at Daytona in July.
On August 16th, Kasey announced that 2018 would be his last season competing full time in the Cup Series. He said that he wants to spend more time with his family, and more time dirt racing. Health issues now have also been a deciding factor for his NASCAR retirement.
What Racing is Next for Kahne?
In his Twitter message, Kahne said that he looks forward to racing a sprint car again. Kasey has raced sprint cars for much of his career, and owns a World of Outlaws team. Due to the shorter races and open cockpits, he will not have any hydration or heat exhaustion issues in this form of racing.
Earlier this year on the Dale Jr. Download, Kahne stated that he is not opposed to running certain NASCAR races again in the future. While his health in a lengthy stock car race is still questionable, his NASCAR career may not entirely be over.
Kasey Kahne is one of the most popular drivers in the sport. His early retirement is a startling reminder of the physical toll drivers take on their bodies. Kasey certainly made the right decision in seeking medical help, as he currently faces no other underlying health issues. However, legions of fans will miss seeing Kasey race in NASCAR this season and beyond.
