Movement has suddenly picked up in NASCAR's silly season, with former Cup Series champion Brad Keselowski now headlining the list of free agents after his surprising departure from Roush Fenway Racing. In the meantime, another announcement pertaining to a notable name came out of absolutely nowhere.
Kasey Kahne, who has run one race in NASCAR since 2018, is set to drive full-time in the FedEx Freight Truck Series for Spire Motorsports in 2027. Huh?
Kahne will turn 47 years old next April and had his Cup Series career ended by health issues that impacted his performance. He's also the owner of an all-time Truck Series record that feels worth mentioning.
Kasey Kahne's Truck Series resume suggests he might fare better than expected in NASCAR return
Kahne is one blip away from being the Marvin Burke of the NASCAR Truck Series. In six starts between 2004 and 2015, he recorded five wins. The only outlier is a runner-up finish at Pocono Raceway in 2010. He's basically the series' best driver ever (okay, we know; small sample size).
Obviously, that streak isn't going to continue in 2027. Kahne isn't the driver he was 15 years ago, and there will be an adjustment after being out of the sport for that long. But don't be surprised to see him compete with some of the series' front-runners on at least a semi-regular basis.
Kahne will be driving a fast truck for Spire, a team that doesn't currently have any full-time drivers but has seen both of its vehicles reach victory lane this year with Carson Hocevar and the late Kyle Busch. Making the Chase should be a reasonable goal for the 18-time Cup Series race winner.
Kahne has also left the door open for an opportunity to return to Cup next year on a one-off basis, likely in an extra Spire car. The organization already plans to field a part-time entry for Corey Day, so it shouldn't be difficult to add a race for the Washington native.
Kasey Kahne admitted he would be open to doing a one-off NASCAR Cup Series start – but said he will never be able to do a full season again due to his health.
— Jonathan Fjeld (@Jonathan_Fjeld) October 7, 2026
Regardless of how he fares, it's cool to see Kahne back in NASCAR and especially in the Truck Series. It's a throwback in a way to what the series' origins intended it to be, a place where veterans such as Ron Hornaday Jr., Mike Skinner, Jack Sprague, and Todd Bodine made homes for themselves after opportunities ran dry in Cup.
Kahne might not be what he once was, but there's still a home for him as long as he has the passion to race. And the Truck Series is the perfect place for it.
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