Kahne, Earnhardt struggle again
The end of the season can't come soon enough for Kasey Kahne and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Kasey Kahne wrecked out because of an accident midway through the race with driver Tony Raines and Earnhardt spun out. Kasey Kahne finished 40th and Earnhardt 43rd in the Checker Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. Earnhardt fell one spot to 14th place and Kasey Kahne dropped two spots to 19th.
As Kasey Kahne walked to the infield care center, where he was evaluated and released, he was uncharacteristically outspoken.
''I drove like an idiot all day and finally wrecked,'' Kasey Kahne said. ``I finally finished it off for us. We've only got one week left, so I'm happy about that.''
Earnhardt, who has one race left with Dale Earnhardt Inc., had his ninth DNF of the season and third in the past six races.
''I just lost it off [Turn] 2,'' Earnhardt said of his Lap 118 incident. ``I tried to save it the best I could, but I couldn't.''
HORNISH'S DEBUT
Three-time IndyCar champion and Indy 500 winner Sam Hornish Jr. finished 30th in his Cup debut for Penske Racing. He fared the best of the former-open wheel drivers preparing to run full-time next season.
Former IndyCar driver Patrick Carpentier finished 33rd for Gillett Evernham Motorsports, and former Formula One world champion Jacques Villeneuve -- like Carpentier making his second Cup start -- wrecked and came in 41st for Bill Davis Racing.
Hornish, who celebrated the announcement of his new ride at owner Roger Penske's Phoenix museum Saturday night, said he wrestled with whether to leave IndyCar on a daily basis for the past year and a half.
He characterized it as a very ''stressful decision,'' and that he didn't make up his mind until he missed his first couple of races because he failed to qualify on speed.
''This could be the biggest mistake I ever made or the best thing I ever did,'' Hornish said.
Penske said Ryan Briscoe would fill the IndyCar seat being vacated by Hornish.
The 26-year-old Australian competed on Penske's American Le Mans Series team this season and raced in one IndyCar race, the Indy 500 and finished fifth.
EDWARDS' PROBLEMS
After leading the first 87 laps, Chase driver Carl Edwards experienced engine problems and finished 42nd. Edwards started from the pole for the first time since the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2005. Edwards' finish dropped him four spots to ninth in the Chase.
''I was out there just having a blast,'' Edwards said. ``I could go just about as fast as I wanted, so you don't get that very often. It's too bad it blew up.''
MERGER TALK
George Gillett, principal owner of Gillett Evernham Motorsports, said Sunday that talks are ongoing with owner Richard Petty about a possible merger of the organizations.
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