NASCAR: The Five Biggest Mid-Season Surprises Of 2016
By Mike Hutton
(Dis)honorable Mention – No. 5, Kasey Kahne – Hendrick Motorsports
For one reason or another, Kasey Kahne just cannot get it together and earn the ride that he has fallen into. When his car is literally perfect and requires no changes, he will be among the front runners on that weekend. Give him any adversity whatsoever, and he pales in comparison to about three-quarters of the field.
In 2015, Kahne had an average finish of 18.1 and had only three top-5 finishes. So far in 2016, his average finish is slightly better at 16.8 and he has two top-5 finishes. In each of these years, his qualifying average was higher than his average finish, indicating that he goes backwards in more races than not. He is fourth among his Hendrick teammates in terms of average finish this year, with Chase Elliott, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. each having better results than Kahne.
In the end, it means that Kahne falls into the category, once again, of being a decent driver, but not a very good racer. Given the equipment and resources available to him, he should be performing much, much better and doing so consistently.
Next: #5 - A Legendary Team Still Has What It Takes