Kasey Kahne was expected to have the run like Jimmie Johnson has recently put together. Credit: Autostock

Kahne: With luck, I could have been like Johnson

Problems at Atlanta, Texas ruined Chase comeback for No. 9 team

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Kasey Kahne looks at what Jimmie Johnson has done in the Chase and thinks, "I could have done that."

Johnson famously rallied from eighth to the points lead in just four races. Kahne, who leads the series with six victories, appeared primed for a similar rally, but crashes and engine failures squelched any hope of a dominating stretch run.

A crash at Atlanta and a blown motor at Texas ruined Kasey Kahne's Chase hopes. Credit: Autostock

Inside the Numbers Kahne's stats in the Chase Race Start Finish Rank Loudon 33 16 8 Dover 21 38 9 Kansas 1 33 10 Talladega 25 2 9 Charlotte 2 1 8 Martinsville 32 7 8 Atlanta 8 38 9 Texas 4 33 10 Phoenix 11 7 9 Chase for the Nextel Cup Next: Homestead (Season finale) Pos. +/- Driver Behind 1. -- J. Johnson Leader 2. -- M. Kenseth -63 3. +2 K. Harvick -90 4. -- D. Hamlin -90 5. -2 Earnhardt Jr. -115 6. -- J. Gordon -167 7. -- J. Burton -225 8. +1 M. Martin -273 9. +1 K. Kahne -319 10. -2 Ky. Busch -359 • Complete standings, click here SUPERSTORE •   2006 Chase merchandise! AtlantaKasey Kahne makes a hard hit into David Stremme Sign up for TrackPass now BUY THE NEXTEL i836

Kahne came into the Chase with the strongest 1.5-mile program, which made up half of the final 10 races. He did score one victory on one of those 1.5-mile tracks (Charlotte) but a self-induced accident at Atlanta and a blown motor at Texas ended his chances.

The maddening thing for Kahne is that he felt his program was good enough to reel off a Jimmie Johnson-esque string of runner-up finishes.

"There are three cars that have been better than us during the Chase, and that is the 29 [Kevin Harvick], the 20 [Tony Stewart] and the 48 [Johnson]," Kahne said. "We could have battled with them."

Kahne said that Johnson's experience slightly changed his attitude toward the Chase. There was always a perception that two poor finishes were a death knell to a driver's title hopes, but Johnson has scored three finishes of 23rd or worse.

"It looks like it is his year," Kahne said. "They have been really, really good and right there every weekend.

"If you look back six weeks ago, everybody was thinking he was out. It just shows how quickly a team can pull together and work together and get themselves right back in the middle of it."

Johnson has finished second four times in the last five races and won the other (Martinsville), but Kahne isn't surprised at the stretch run put together by Johnson.

"To run second is pretty tough at times, but the position that the team's in, I'll bet it has been a lot easier for them," Kahne said. "I think they probably really felt like a second place was a like a win a lot of times. They have done a pretty awesome job. You can't take anything away from running second."

Kahne is more surprised at the startling struggles of Matt Kenseth, who surrendered the points lead to Johnson after battling ill-handling cars at Kansas, Texas and Phoenix.

Kahne points out that Kenseth's decent results (six consecutive top-15s) despite the struggles demonstrate his talent behind the wheel.

"He has had such great racecars, and it is like, you get to the Chase and his cars are not as good," Kahne said. "There is no way it can be easy on a person. He has done a good job -- he is still second in points because they are inconsistent.

"There is no way that would be easy on you. It shows why he has been a Nextel Cup champion in the past."