NASCAR Sprint-Cup Series
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CUP: Kahne Blending In At Hendrick
Kasey Kahne says his year at Red Bull helped with the transition to a new situation…
Mike Hembree  |  Posted January 14, 2012   Daytona Beach, FL
Even moving to one of NASCAR’s best teams – Hendrick Motorsports, Kasey Kahne won’t be on Easy Street.

It’s a new address, a new situation, a new approach. That’s why Kahne sounds appreciative of the very unusual season he spent last year as a fill-in driver for what ultimately became a lame-duck team – Red Bull Racing.

Kahne and his crew chief, Kenny Francis, worked there last season and had an impressive year for a team in its death throes. Now they move on together to Hendrick.

“I think last year actually probably helped me and helped Kenny and maybe gave us a little bit of a different outlook coming into this and knowing some of the things that will be different and how the car will feel and the engine will feel,” said Kahne, who joined new teammate Jeff Gordon at the top of Saturday morning’s speed chart at Daytona testing.

“I think last year helped a lot, to be able to make this year a little bit smoother transition than last. And last year we made a pretty good change there. We got going pretty quick right at the start and finished strong. But it definitely takes time because it's all different.

“The way they build the parts and pieces and the way that feels to me and the way I relay that to Kenny, that's something that takes time, and hopefully it doesn't take us too long. But there'll definitely be some things that will confuse me at times, for sure.”

Kahne said Francis, his long-time crew chief, has fit into the Hendrick motif well and that they are moving through the first weeks of making the fit work on a long-term basis. The expectation at Hendrick headquarters is that fresh input from Kahne and Francis will make the team even stronger.

“There's so many ways to go about this car and about getting around each corner and around the race track,” Kahne said. “So it's something we're always learning, they're always learning and just putting in time to figure it out. But I think they've worked really well together so far. It's been pretty awesome on my side to see how Kenny has fit right into that group, how they've wanted Kenny, how he's wanted to be part of it.

“It's really an incredible place. I was able to spend some time there over the off-season and just try to be as prepared as possible when we get here for testing and then when we get started during Speedweeks.

“It's neat, though. It's awesome to be able to talk with Jimmie (Johnson) and Dale (Earnhardt Jr.) and Jeff (Gordon) about racing and driving and things like that, and then just all the people that they have there. I don't know; it's just been kind of a different feeling more than anything than what I've had before at other race teams. It's a great opportunity, and I want to take full advantage of it.”

Mike Hembree is NASCAR Editor for SPEED.com and has been covering motorsports for 30 years. He is a six-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year Award.

DAYTONA PRESEASON THUNDER TESTING: During the Jan. 12-14 test sessions at Daytona International Speedway, fans can submit questions and comments through Twitter @SPEED (http://www.twitter.com/speed) using the #daytonatesting hashtag.
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