Kahne to make his 500th start in Pennsylvania 400

Kasey Kahne wins the Coors Light Pole Award
last week at Indianapolis.
Credit: Andy Lyons/Getty Images for NASCAR

Kasey Kahne will make his 500th start in the NASCAR national series this Sunday in the Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway.

Since entering the sport in 2004, Kahne has had 308 starts in the Sprint Cup Series, 186 in the Nationwide Series, and five in the Camping World Truck Series.

Kahne made his full-time move to Hendrick Motorsports earlier this season and has since earned two victories – Charlotte in May and just two weeks ago at New Hampshire. His wins have put him in the first of two “wild card” positions, awarded to eligible drivers ranked 11th through 20th in the standings who hold the most wins. Kahne has five top fives and 10 top-10 finishes. In the 2011 season the driver had just one win.

Kahne has a decent track record at the “Tricky Triangle” with three top fives and five top-10s in 17 starts at the 2.5-mile tri-oval. Kahne earned his first and only victory at the track in 2008 after starting from the pole – the driver has one other pole here in 2004.

When the Sprint Cup Series visited the repaved Pocono in June, Kahne and his No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet started the 400-mile race in 10th and finished 29th after a crash. Kahne completed 139 of 160 laps.

The Hendrick driver has a combined 26 wins in the three series and will look for another win to ultimately secure a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. The Chase field will be set following the Sept. 8 race at Richmond International Raceway