JOLIET, IL – JULY 09: Kasey Kahne, driver of the #9 Budweiser Ford, looks on in the garage during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series LIFELOCK.COM 400 at the Chicagoland Speedway on July 9, 2010 in Joliet, Illinois.
(Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Ever since the announcement that Kasey Kahne was joining the Hendrick stable in 2012, the question has been what he’d occupy his time with in 2011. Various ideas were floated: a third Stewart-Haas car, taking over for Mark Martin despite the latter’s protests that he had a firm contract with Hendrick he would fulfill. As it turns out, the answer is none of the above.
In what on the surface is an oddball arrangement, Kahne will drive for Red Bull in 2011. Although the assorted announcements from all parties are their obligatory happy-spin selves, more than a few questions remain unanswered:
- Setting aside the obvious promotional angle (“Kandy Kahne goes from beer bloat to blazing energy!”), how much capital is Red Bull willing to invest in what ostensibly is a one-year deal?
- How much sweet-talking was needed to keep the Pepsi people pleased, given that a Hendrick driver will be flying the colors of a competitor? Remember, Pepsi makes Mountain Dew AMP, presently being represented by Dale Earnhardt Jr.
- Unless Red Bull is planning a switch to Chevrolet next year, it’s difficult to accept Chevrolet doing the happy dance over who is certain to be prominently featured in their advertising come 2012 driving a Toyota next year.
- Who will be Kahne’s teammate at Red Bull? Brian Vickers’ return is at best uncertain, while Scott Speed appears headed toward the unemployment line. There are available names — Elliott Sadler, Marcos Ambrose — but do they fit the Red Bull marketing brand of hip X Gamers?
Stay tuned.
(Cross-posted at Examiner.com)
