It’s looking more and more like school is almost out for “old school” NASCAR.
And these days when you think of old school NASCAR, you think only of Richard Petty.
“The King” is one of the last men standing from the sport’s glory days, a tie to an era when stock cars were just that and competitors could prepare a car as well as drive it.
So when a Richard Petty Motorsports car hit the track, guys like me rooted for it. Although Petty’s championship days are relics of long ago, somehow, some way you hoped the team he owned could add one more trophy to the case.
Kasey Kahne seemed to be the best hope to do just that.
A marquee driver with championship potential, he was the one guy who could help bridge the past with the future when it comes to NASCAR.
But it’s not going to happen.
When the 2010 season ends Kahne is leaving RPM, and will join Hendrick Motorsports in 2012. There’s no ride for Kahne in the organization for 2011, so it’s hard to say what banner he’ll fly under then.
Petty and team officials are keeping a brave face in view of Kahne’s departure, but it’s a devastating blow.
“Kasey is a very talented driver and I’ve enjoyed watching him race,” Petty said in a statement. “We all wish him nothing but the best and hope he succeeds in anything he chooses to do.”
George Gillett, who co-owns RPM, passed out compliments as well.
“Drivers like Kasey Kahne are the very reason we got into the sport,” he said. “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 are looking forward to a successful remainder of the year.”
Kahne, the 2004 Cup Rookie of the Year and winner of 11 races overall, was clearly the bell cow of the operation.
The rest of the team consists of Elliott Sadler, Paul Menard and A.J. Allmendinger.
Sadler has just three career Cup wins while Menard and Allmendinger are winless in NASCAR’s primary league.
But it has become apparent that despite RPM’s namesake, it is a bit player.
With Hendrick Motorsports, Roush Racing and now Stewart-Hass Racing ruling the roost in Cup competition, other teams simply hope to occasionally get their foot in the door of championship contention.
Kahne, from Enumclaw, was the man for Petty’s team, but now he has lame duck status for the remainder of the season.
For younger fans, the change is probably greeted with a shrug.
Jimmie Johnson is the reigning champion four times over, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the sport’s most popular driver and guys like Tony Stewart have a rabid fan base.
When thirtysomething fans think of Petty, it’s in the context of old black and white photos and grainy race footage.
I’m not sure they care one way or another whether a team bearing his name has any relevancy in NASCAR’s present — or future.
Contact Scott Adamson of the Anderson Independent-Mail in Anderson, S.C., at adamsonj(at)independentmail.com.
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