Kasey Kahne won the 3M Performance 400 presented by Post-It Picture Paper at Michigan International Speedway, scoring his fifth NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory in his 87th career start.
Kahne scored his fourth victory in 2006, the most of all drivers. Kahne also won at Atlanta, Texas and Charlotte.
Four of Kahnes five victories have come from the Bud Pole. The only race that he did not win from the Bud Pole was at Lowes in May where he started ninth.
This was the fourth time a race in 2006 that a race was won from the Bud Pole. Kahne has won three and Denny Hamlin one.
This was Kahnes first victory and third top-five finish in five races at Michigan.
Kahne scored his 10th top-10 finish in 15 races this season. He has posted four straight top-10 finishes, extending a streak that began with his victory at Lowes.
Kahne climbed from fifth to third in the point standings.
Jeff Gordon led the most laps for the second time in 2006. Gordon also led the most laps at Talladega.
Race winner Kahne led four times for 19 laps including the final 13 laps in the 2006 3M Performance 400 presented by Post-It Picture Paper at Michigan International Speedway.
This is team owner Ray Evernhams 11th NASCAR NEXTEL Cup victory and second at Michigan International Speedway. His first Michigan victory was scored by Jeremy Mayfield last August.
Evernham Motorsports has won at least one race each season 2001 2006, six consecutive years.
Notebook Items
Carl Edwards (second) scored his seventh top-10 finish in 15 races in 2006 and fifth top-five of the 2006 season. It was his fourth top-10 finish in four races at Michigan.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (third) scored his seventh top-10 finish in 15 races in 2006. It is his third top-10 finish in 14 races at Michigan International Speedway. He climbed from sixth to fourth in the point standings.
Greg Biffle (fourth) scored his eighth top-10 finish in 15 races in 2006. It was his in fifth top-10 finish in seven races at Michigan International Speedway. Seven races ago Greg Biffle was 232 points behind 10th (after Talladega). With his fourth-place finish, Biffle is now 10th. Biffle has climbed from 23rd to 10th in points in the six races since Talladega. After 15 races in 2005, he ranked second in the point standings. Biffle is just two points behind ninthplace Denny Hamlin. Biffle has scored six straight top-10 finishes, the longest top-10 streak of his career. His previous best was when he scored five straight top-10 finishes between August and September 2005.
Reed Sorenson (fifth) scored his first top-five finish in his 17-race career. It was his third top-10 finish in 2006. This was his first race at Michigan.
Jimmie Johnson (sixth) remained first in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup point standings, 74 points ahead of secondplace Matt Kenseth. Johnson has scored top-15 finishes in 14 of the 15 races in 2006.
Mark Martin (27th) failed to score a top-15 finish for just the third time in 2006.
At least one of the Raybestos Rookie-of-the Year contenders has scored a top-15 finish in all 15 races this season.
Dave Blaney (30th) extended a 33-race streak of running at the finish that began at New Hampshire last July, which is the longest current streak.(NASCAR Statistical Services)(6-18-2006)
