Kasey Kahne Wins NASCAR Chase Race #9 In Phoenix

Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Phoenix International Raceway was a big day for Kasey Kahne as he won the Kobalt Tools 500 on Sunday (11/13/11). It has even bigger implications for Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart as they came out of the race as the only two drivers who can win the Sprint Cup Championship.

Kasey started 10th in the race and had to adjust his car through out the afternoon. His pit team kept improving the car and Kasey kept getting closer and closer to the front. Late in the race, some well timed pit strategy and the now well adjusted number 4 Red Bull Toyota was able to take the lead and hold it for the final fourteen laps of the race to capture the checkered flag. The win broke a 81 race winless streak for Kasey. Carl Edwards grabbed second with Tony Stewart finishing third. Jeff Burton ended the race in fourth and Ryan Newman rounded out the top five. See the complete Kobalt Tools 500 race results here.

Looking at the bigger picture of the Sprint Cup points standings and NASCAR’s Chase to the Sprint Cup Championship, only two drivers come out of Phoenix with a shot at the 2011 Championship; Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart. The other 10 drivers in The Chase field were mathematically eliminated from a shot at the championship because of Carl and Tony’s second and third place Phoenix finishes respectively. See the complete Sprint Cup points standings here.

Carl headed into the Kobalt Tools 500 with a 3 point lead over Tony at the top of the Sprint Cup points standings. Although Carl finished one spot ahead of Tony in the race, he only retained the same the 3 point advantage following the race. The key to the “draw” in points between the two is the fact that Tony lead the most laps (160 of the 312 laps ran) in the Kobalt Tools 500. Carl’s one extra point for finishing a spot ahead of Tony was nullified by Tony’s bonus points for the most laps lead.

That means that the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship will come down to one race and two drivers going head-to-head. The race, the Ford 400. The track, Homestead-Miami Speedway. The drivers, Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart.

Be sure to tune in this Friday morning at 6:50am as Wilson joins JD & Kevin for a preview tenth and final race in the 2011 Chase to the Sprint Cup Championship as NASCAR heads to Homestead-Miami Speedway this Sunday afternoon (11/13) for the Ford 400 and crowning of a new Sprint Cup Champion.