Checkered Countdown: Top-Five Atlanta Finishes

No.5 Kahne wins and obtains a Chase spot after a Green-White-Checkered finish (2014).

In the first 24 races of last year Kasey Kahne had not won yet and had just two top-five finishes. These statistics were very disappointing considering the level of his team, but his season took a different direction when he won at Atlanta. Entering the race weekend he still had to make his way into the Chase for the Sprint Cup and to do it he needed to win either there or at the following race at Richmond. He did indeed win in a dramatic fashion after a caution fell when he was leading with three laps to go. On pit road he lost four spots and it looked like his chances were over. During the second Green-White-Checkered though, which happened after yet another crash in turn one he eventually grabbed the lead again and never lost it.