Kasey Kahne won the 2006 Samsung/RadioShack 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, scoring his third NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory in his 79th career start. Kahnes last victory came at Atlanta, three races ago. It was his second victory on a superspeedway. His career-first victory came at Richmond in May 2005.
Kahne scored his first victory and second top-10 finish both top-fives – in four races at Texas Motor Speedway.
He became the 11th different race winner in 11 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races at Texas.
Kahne scored his fifth top-10 finish in seven races this season.
Kahne climbed from fourth to third in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. After seven races in 2005, he ranked 23rd in the point standings.
Kahne led the final 27 laps in todays race.
Evernham Motorsports has won at least one race each season 2001 2006, six consecutive years.
This was team owner Ray Evernhams ninth NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory and first at Texas Motor Speedway.
Notebook Items
Tony Stewart led the most laps (99) in the Samsung/RadioShack 500 – the third time in 2006 that Stewart led the most laps in a race all in the past three races.
Matt Kenseth (second) posted his fourth top-10 finish in eight races at Texas Motor Speedway. He scored his fourth top-10 finish of the season, all top-fives and climbed from third to second in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings. One year ago he ranked 21st after seven races.
Tony Stewart (third) scored his sixth top-10 finish in nine races at Texas and climbed from eighth to fifth in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings.
Denny Hamlin (fourth) scored his second top-10 finish in two races at Texas Motor Speedway. It is his career-best finish and the highest finish by a rookie in 2006. It was Hamlins second top-10 finish in 2006 and his second in as many races at Texas.
Kevin Harvick (fifth) scored his second top-10 finish in seven races at Texas. It was his third top-10 finish in 2006.
Scott Riggs (seventh) scored his first top-10 finish in four races at Texas Motor Speedway. This is his second top-10 finish in six races this season after he failed to qualify for the 2006 Daytona 500.
Denny Hamlin was the highest finishing Raybestos Rookie-of-the Year contender at Texas Motor Speedway.
At least one of the 2006 Raybestos Rookie-of-the Year contenders has scored a top-15 finish in every race this season.
Raybestos Rookie-of-the-Year contenders Denny Hamlin (fourth) and Martin Truex Jr, (eighth) both finished in the top 10. The last time two rookies finished in the top 10 came at Phoenix in November 2005 when Kyle Busch finished first and Travis Kvapil finished 10th.
Joe Nemechek (23rd) has been running at the finish in the last 39 races, a streak that began at Bristol last April, the longest current streak.
Greg Biffle (42nd) has finished 31st or worse in four of the seven races this season. Biffle dropped from 18th to 23rd in the point standings. One year ago, after seven races, he ranked second in the point standings.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(4-9-2006)
