by Richard Childress Racing announced Friday morning that Kasey Kahne will return to NASCAR national series competition, driving for the team in the Xfinity Series’ return to Rockingham Speedway on April 19.
Kahne will drive the No. 33 RCR Chevrolet in the 250-lap race (4 p.m. ET, The CW, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio), with primary sponsorship provided by Hendrickcars.com. The event will mark 44-year-old Kahne’s first start in NASCAR since 2018.
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Kahne, who was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023, is scheduled to participate in an organizational test Tuesday for the Xfinity and Craftsman Truck Series at the 1.017-mile Rockingham track. The Trucks and ARCA Menards East Series will share the bill with the Xfinity Tour in April as Rockingham hosts its first NASCAR event since 2013.
Kahne was a Truck Series winner at Rockingham in 2012 during the track’s brief revival nearly a decade ago. The venue, which hosted NASCAR’s Cup Series from 1965 to 2004, underwent renovations to prepare for its return to the national series.
Kahne stepped away from Cup Series racing in 2018, citing health concerns amid the demands of the NASCAR schedule. He returned to Sprint-Car competition shortly after his retirement on stock cars and continues full-time this year on the High Limit racing circuit.
More: Kahne through the years
Kahne has won 18 times in a Cup Series career that began in 2004. His last victory came in the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, driving the No. 5 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports.
