Kahne to Hendrick in '12; next still season uncertain

Kasey Kahne is bound for Hendrick Motorsports -- but not until 2012.

The current driver of the No. 9 Ford, who will not be returning to Richard Petty Motorsports next season, has signed with NASCAR's most successful organization with an eye toward piloting the team's No. 5 car in 2012, NASCAR.COM has learned. What Kahne will do next season is still to be determined.

Kahne

Kahne was at an appearance in San Francisco on Tuesday, and through a spokesperson had no comment. Hendrick officials also declined comment.

NASCAR limits teams to four cars, and all of Hendrick's current drivers -- Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- are signed through the 2011 campaign. Last year Martin signed a two-year extension that ends after the 2011 season, the conclusion of which opens the door for Kahne to join an organization that has won nine championships at NASCAR's highest level.

Kahne's plans for next season, though, are still unclear but various media reports have him linked to Stewart-Haas Racing, which has a technical alliance with Hendrick Motorsports. One certainty is Kahne won't be returning to RPM, which announced earlier Tuesday that the driver had informed the team he would not renew his contract.

Kahne has been with the organization, which started as Evernham Motorsports, since he entered NASCAR's top level in 2004. After a tumultuous 2009 season that saw him win two races but finish 10th in the Chase, he said he would let RPM's performance dictate whether he would remain at the only home he's ever known at the Cup level.

Evidently, seven races were enough. Kahne is 26th in points heading into this week's event at Texas Motor Speedway.

"Kasey is a very talented driver, and I have enjoyed watching him race," team co-owner Richard Petty said in a statement released by RPM. "We all wish him nothing but the best and hope he succeeds in anything he chooses to do."

"Drivers like Kasey Kahne are the very reason we got into this sport," team co-owner George Gillett added. "Kasey has helped us get to where we are today. We wish him well in his future however we have the rest of this season to race together and we're looking forward to a successful remainder of the year."

Budweiser, the primary sponsor of Kahne's No. 9 car at RPM, said in a statement that it had not yet broached the idea of potentially following Kahne to another organization.

"We have a great relationship with Kasey and he's a tremendous ambassador for Budweiser. We look forward to him continuing to pilot the No. 9 Budweiser Ford through the end of this season," said Mark Wright, vice president for media, sports and entertainment marketing at Anheuser-Busch, Budweiser's parent company. "There have been no discussions relative to our sponsorship as of yet; we look forward to having those at the appropriate time."