HAMPTON, Ga. - Of the two races remaining before the Chase for the Championship starts, Sunday night's Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway worried Kasey Kahne most.
An incredible sprint in the final 11 laps changed all that.
Kahne stole the lead from Kevin Harvick after a restart by keeping his No. 9 Budweiser Dodge on the bottom all the way around the 1.54-mile racetrack. Then he ran away for a win that likely will lock him into stock car's playoffs.
"We did it right there at the end," said Kahne, who jumped from 11th to sixth in the points standings. "Harvick was the best on the long run. I knew we had a chance when we had that caution. This is all about making the Chase. Harvick and (Juan Pablo) Montoya were good. We were better for 10 laps."
Kahne's only chance came during the side-by-side, double-file restart. Harvick was 100 yards ahead when a caution came out for Clint Bowyer's spin in the fourth turn. Although Harvick was first off pit road, Kahne used a quick spurt to get out front.
"This was a good night for us," Harvick said. "We were set up for the long runs. Congratulations to Kasey. He was good on the short runs, and it came down to a short run. I knew I wasn't going to catch him."
Teams made adjustments during pit stops and slowly found a way to stop the cars from sliding. Those who made the right adjustments quickly worked to the front. Others did a quick fade.
Richmond's race is the final chance to qualify for the Chase.
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