Kasey Kahne to Step Back From Full-Time Driving, Focus on Family First

It’s no secret that I’ve always been more of a fan of drag racing than I have NASCAR, but I have always tried to keep up with the world of round track so I can at least carry on a competent conversation about the sport. Hearing that Kasey Kahne was joining the likes of Dale Earnhardt Jr and Jeff Gordon and stepping out of the driver’s seat, at least on a full time basis, was a bit of a surprise, but after seeing this video with he and his son Tanner, I can certainly understand the reason behind the decision.

Becoming a father has a way of shifting one’s priorities and that seems to be exactly what’s happened with Kahne, and I can’t say I fault him at all for making the decision that he feels is best for his young family. He and wife Sam have much more important things to think about now than winning races, after all.

I made the decision to walk away from racing when my son was two as well, and while I do miss being behind the wheel, I don’t regret the decision to park my car and focus on my family. While my racing was nothing remotely close to the national stage upon which Kahne has raced for the past decade and a half, but I could tell it was going to be all but impossible to give both he dedication it required to do them successfully, so I decided to focus on what matters most.

For now, Kahne will continue to race the Leavine Family Racing Camaro on a part time basis, keep himself on the big stage while allowing himself time to focus on Tanner and his family. The move away from driving full time will also allow Kahne to focus more of his efforts on his own spring car team that competes in the World of Outlaws. Kahne summed his decision up pretty cleanly by saying “the highs didn’t outweigh the lows, and the grueling schedule takes a toll on your quality of life. I need to spend time doing the things I enjoy and love.”