Kasey Kahne Announces Retirement from Full-Time Racing Following 2018 Season

Kasey Kahne announced on Wednesday that 2018 will be his final full-time season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Kahne had just made the move to Leavine Family Racing from Hendrick Motorsports after last season and as today's announcement has come out, it will be a one and done for him.

Kahne made his NASCAR debut in the XFINITY Series at Rockingham in 2002 with Yates Racing. The next season, he picked up his first career victory in the season finale at Homestead with Akins Motorsports. Following that season, Kahne moved to Evernham Motorsports where he tallied an impressive 13 top five's, 14 top ten's, and four poles. He also picked up his first two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victories at Darlington and Homestead that season.

Kahne broke through and earned his first career victory at Richmond in 2005 but it was the following year that Kahne really broke out earning six victories. That season Kahne finished eighth in the championship points standings which, at the time, was his best finish in the standings. Following the 2010 season, Kahne left his Evernham ride for a year at Red Bull Racing where he picked up the teams second and final victory at Phoenix.

Following his time at Red Bull Racing, the Hendrick Motorsports era of Kahne's life began in 2012. His first year at Hendrick would be the best season of his career as he earned his best career finish in the points standings of fourth. Following 2012, Kahne fell into a slump only picking up four victories in five years with the No. 5 team lacking performance. On August 7th, 2017, Hendrick Motorsports announced that Kahne would not return to the organization in 2018.

Kahne moved to Leavine Family Racing to pilot the No. 95 Chevrolet replacing Michael McDowell. So far this season, Kahne is facing one of the worst seasons of his career only earning one top five at Daytona in July. In the statement, that you can see below, Kahne noted that "racing in cup full time for a few more years was just something I couldn't commit to." (Koelle,2018)

Photo Credit: Christian Koelle/CCK Photography