Kahne edges Biffle to take Busch win
If Kasey Kahne tries something like the move that won him Saturday’s Busch race in today’s Nextel Cup event, Greg Biffle vowed to make him pay for it.
Biffle elected not to nudge Kahne out of contention during their late side-by-side duel in Kansas City, Kan., and Kahne edged ahead just yards from the finish line for the victory at Kansas Speedway.
The margin of victory – .03 seconds – was the fifth-closest since the series implemented electronic timing in 1993.
“If this is the Cup race, that’s the last lap and that’s what going on, it’s going to be a different outcome. I can tell you that,” said Biffle, who led 136 of 200 laps and clearly had the fastest car in the United Way 300.
Kahne, who didn’t find out until Thursday that he would drive the race for Evernham Motorsports, was unfazed.
“I doubt he’ll sacrifice his Cup car tomorrow,” Kahne said. “He’s got a lot riding on that, racing for points, and I doubt he wants to do that. If he wants to nudge, we can nudge, too.”
Points leader Martin Truex Jr., who started from the pole and led 36 laps, lost ground because of a decision to pit earlier than the rest of the field. He still finished ninth – his first top-10 finish since Aug. 26 – and widened his lead over Clint Bowyer from 26 to 49 points.
NASCAR will limit multicar teams
NASCAR plans to limit the number of teams a car owner will be able to field in the Nextel Cup series, chairman Brian France said.
“We’re going to make some adjustments in policy to balance the playing field a little better and really go after new ownership in the industry, really benefit and help the teams like the Wood Brothers, the Pettys, Cal Wells – independent teams that are finding themselves in ever-increasing difficulties to compete,” France said.
He said the limit would be phased in over the next few seasons.
“It won’t happen tomorrow,” France said. “But it would phase down from five to four to some other number.”
All of the top teams in NASCAR are multicar teams, with Roush Racing and Hendrick Motorsports leading the way with five and four cars, respectively.
Jack Roush wasn’t happy with the news.
“Responding to the meeting and anything that might have happened in it is something I can’t do because I’m ignorant of what happened,” Roush said. “And the reason I’m ignorant in this case is because I was given neither the consideration nor the courtesy of either being consulted or informed of what they’ll do or what they might do or what they’re considering doing.”
Rain sends top drivers to back
Rain soaked the track at the Japanese Grand Prix, leaving world champion Fernando Alonso and other top drivers at the back of the grid for today’s Formula One race in Suzuka, Japan.
The morning run was hampered by overnight rain, although conditions improved by the time qualifying started. But with 10 minutes left, heavy rain returned for the last four starters – Alonso, seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen and Juan Pablo Montoya.
The four drivers have won 16 of the 17 races this season. They will begin in the last half of the starting grid. Fair weather is forecast for race day.