FanHouse JasonKeller

Kasey Kahne ran the fastest lap in Saturday afternoon's final practice at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, but that doesn't mean he's up to running 267 of those on Sunday afternoon.

The Enumclaw, Wash.-driver has been battling sinus infection symptoms all weekend, and as a result, longtime Nationwide Series veteran Jason Keller will stand by on pit road for the UAW-Dodge 400 to get in the No. 9 Budweiser Dodge if need be.

From ESPN.com:

LAS VEGAS -- Kasey Kahne was suffering through a sinus infection Saturday, but the illness didn't stop him from posting the fastest lap in Happy Hour.

[...]

"After the first [Cup] practice, we knew we might do something to allow Kasey the time to get better for Sunday's race," said Mark McArdle, vice president of competition for GEM. "He's been taking fluids and getting plenty of rest."

Kahne opted not run in Saturday's Nationwide Series Sam's Town 300 in the No. 9 Gillett Evernham Motorsports car due to his condition, and instead, GEM teammate Patrick Carpentier took the wheel.

That may have been a good move considering the incredible amount of sheet metal torn up in the Nationwide race. Carpentier brought the Dodge home 8th.

Kahne, if he starts the race (which I imagine he will for points), will roll off the grid in 37th-place.

NASCAR Nextel Cup newcomer Brandon Whitt has lost his ride just three races into the season -- three races in which he failed to qualify the #72 car owned by Brian and Tony Mullet of CJM Racing (formerly Victory Motorsports).

The team had higher hopes than that for their part-time season in 2007 with Whitt, who had a modicum of success in the Craftsman Truck Series (1 win, 2 Top 5s, 5 Top 10s). They also had Richard Childress Racing engines under the hood ... and we know those know how to make their way to victory lane.

But this combo couldn't even make it into the starting lineup.

CJM will now join forces with Greg Pollex of ppc Racing to field a car in the Busch Series. They have announced Jason Keller as the driver with Todd Gordon as Crew Chief.

No future plans have been announced for Whitt.

Sigh of Relief

This is good news for all the other drivers sitting outside the top 35 in owner points. They'll all be breathing a tiny bit easier heading into Atlanta, where there will only be 15 cars vying for six open spots, instead of 16. But that's not where the relief comes in. That comes during the moment of exhale after realizing, "Damn, that could have been me."