Kasey Kahne ends victory drought at marathon Brickyard 400

INDIANAPOLIS — Nearly an hour before the Brickyard 400 ended, Kasey Kahne told his team he was cramping. 

“Take some deep breaths,” crew chief Keith Rodden said. “Breathe.”

The day only got longer and Kahne’s body was punished more. Yellow flag after yellow flag, crash after crash. Seven cautions came in the final 18 laps.

But when the time came, as the sun was about 10 minutes from setting, Kahne was aggressive, just like team owner Rick Hendrick said he should be minutes earlier on TV.

Kahne passed Brad Keselowski on the inside line during the second overtime restart, and NASCAR ruled he passed the overtime line moments before another crash came toward the back of the pack.

“He drove in there and just kind of stuck,” Keselowski said.

And finally Kahne was in victory lane again — for the first time since Aug. 31, 2014, at Atlanta Motor Speedway, a span of 102 races and nearly three years. Kahne entered the race 22nd in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series standings and 19th in the field. 

Hours before the race, Hendrick, who last week announced Alex Bowman would take over for retiring Dale Earnhardt Jr., was asked about possible changes for Kahne, who is signed through 2018, and his No. 5 team.

“That’s another day,” Hendrick said. “The plan is to run four cars next year.” After the race, when again asked about Kahne’s future, Hendrick said, “Our plans are not set for the 5 car.”

Despite all the struggles and uncertainty about his future, Kahne persevered through the chaos of Sunday and came out on top, ensuring himself this much: He will be in the 16-driver, 10-race playoff because of his first victory on the 2½-mile layout.

PHOTOS: KASEY KAHNE THROUGH THE YEAR

The day took a toll on the drivers. There were 14 stoppages, including a nearly two-hour red flag for rain and lightning, breaks after stages and brutal crashes.

There were only 16 cars on the lead lap when the race ended under caution after the second overtime more than six hours after it began.

“It was too hot to take a nap,” third-place finisher Ryan Newman said. “It was just miserable.”

When Kahne exited his car and made his way through interviews, he had to lean back on his car as his body continued to cramp. He was late to the postrace news conference because he was taken to the medical center.

“To win in Indy is unbelievable,” Kahne said. “I wish my son Tanner was here.”

Rodden said it has seemed like every week there’s a point in which the No. 5 is the fastest car, but it never came together. Kahne said the strategy was what got them there.

But it’s hard to say it was just the strategy that put Kahne in victory lane.  

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Through 110 laps, it appeared to be a two-man race. Polesitter Kyle Busch led 87 of 110 laps and won the first two stages, leaving many to believe he would become the first to win this event three years in a row.

The only times Busch, working on a 36-race losing streak of his own, lost the lead were because of cautions. When he did, he regained it with ease a few laps later. He was asked on the NBC broadcast after his Stage 1 victory why he raced so well at IMS. “I married a girl from Indiana,” he said.

Martin Truex Jr. was the only man in Busch’s class for those 110 laps. They were often neck and neck before the two crashed on a restart. That left the door open for Kahne.

It was one of the most bizarre endings in IMS history, but he made that final pass when it mattered. Keselowski admitted he doesn’t think he would have made the move Kahne made on that final lap.

But Kahne made the move. Of all people, he likely would care the least about how he got to victory lane. He got there.

“I’m exhausted. I’m drained. I don’t have any fluids in me,” he said. “Unbelievable win.”

Contributing: USA TODAY Sports

Miller writes for The Indianapolis Star, part of the USA TODAY Network.

PHOTOS: 2017 NASCAR CUP SERIES RACE WINNERS

BRANTLEY GILBERT BIG MACHINE BRICKYARD 400

Sunday's results from the 2.5-mile Indianapolis Motor Speedway (starting position in parentheses):

1. (19) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 167 laps, 0 rating, 40 points.

2. (11) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 167, 0, 37.

3. (8) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 167, 0, 34.

4. (7) Joey Logano, Ford, 167, 0, 43.

5. (14) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 167, 0, 42.

6. (2) Kevin Harvick, Ford, 167, 0, 44.

7. (15) Daniel Suarez, Toyota, 167, 0, 30.

8. (27) Matt DiBenedetto, Ford, 167, 0, 29.

9. (26) Chris Buescher, Chevrolet, 167, 0, 28.

10. (39) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 167, 0, 27.

11. (23) Danica Patrick, Ford, 167, 0, 26.

12. (34) Cole Whitt, Chevrolet, 167, 0, 25.

13. (29) Aric Almirola, Ford, 167, 0, 24.

14. (37) Timmy Hill, Chevrolet, 167, 0, 0.

15. (3) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 167, 0, 27.

16. (17) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 167, 0, 21.

17. (5) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 166, 0, 23.

18. (24) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 166, 0, 19.

19. (28) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 165, 0, 18.

20. (22) Trevor Bayne, Ford, accident, 162, 0, 17.

21. (20) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, accident, 162, 0, 16.

22. (31) Landon Cassill, Ford, garage, 162, 0, 15.

23. (10) Ryan Blaney, Ford, accident, 162, 0, 30.

24. (35) Gray Gaulding, Chevrolet, accident, 162, 0, 13.

25. (38) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, accident, 162, 0, 0.

26. (36) Jeffrey Earnhardt, Chevrolet, 162, 0, 11.

27. (4) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, accident, 158, 0, 12.

28. (25) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, accident, 154, 0, 12.

29. (12) Kurt Busch, Ford, accident, 149, 0, 8.

30. (18) Clint Bowyer, Ford, accident, 148, 0, 7.

31. (9) Erik Jones, Toyota, accident, 148, 0, 13.

32. (40) BJ McLeod, Chevrolet, 135, 0, 0.

33. (6) Martin Truex Jr, Toyota, accident, 110, 0, 22.

34. (1) Kyle Busch, Toyota, accident, 110, 0, 23.

35. (21) Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Ford, accident, 106, 0, 2.

36. (13) Dale Earnhardt Jr, Chevrolet, accident, 76, 0, 2.

37. (33) JJ Yeley, Chevrolet, accident, 70, 0, 0.

38. (30) David Ragan, Ford, accident, 56, 0, 1.

39. (16) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, engine, 43, 0, 1.

40. (32) Corey Lajoie, Toyota, accident, 9, 0, 1.

———

Race Statistics

Average Speed of Race Winner: 114.383 mph.

Time of Race: 3 hours, 39 minutes, 0 seconds.

Margin of Victory: Under Caution.

Caution Flags: 14 for 55 laps.

Lead Changes: 10 among 7 drivers.

Lap Leaders: Ky.Busch 1-71; E.Jones 72-80; R.Blaney 81-86; Ky.Busch 87-102; M.Truex 103-110; M.Kenseth 111-131; E.Jones 132; B.Keselowski 133-151; K.Kahne 152-161; B.Keselowski 162-165; K.Kahne 166-167

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Led, Laps Led): Ky.Busch, 2 times for 85 laps; B.Keselowski, 2 times for 21 laps; M.Kenseth, 1 time for 20 laps; K.Kahne, 2 times for 10 laps; E.Jones, 2 times for 8 laps; M.Truex, 1 time for 7 laps; R.Blaney, 1 time for 5 laps.

Wins: J.Johnson, 3; M.Truex, 3; B.Keselowski, 2; K.Larson, 2; R.Stenhouse, 2; R.Blaney, 1; Ku.Busch, 1; A.Dillon, 1; D.Hamlin, 1; K.Harvick, 1; K.Kahne, 1; J.Logano, 1; R.Newman, 1.

Top 16 in Points: 1. M.Truex, 780; 2. K.Larson, 732; 3. K.Harvick, 683; 4. Ky.Busch, 673; 5. D.Hamlin, 612; 6. B.Keselowski, 601; 7. J.McMurray, 599; 8. C.Elliott, 588; 9. M.Kenseth, 566; 10. J.Johnson, 564; 11. C.Bowyer, 533; 12. R.Blaney, 516; 13. J.Logano, 515; 14. Ku.Busch, 463; 15. R.Newman, 462; 16. R.Stenhouse, 443.