Kasey Kahne to drive Sprint Cup car in downtown Roanoke on Wednesday

MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Kasey Kahne is in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, but before the Hendrick Motorsports driver turns his first lap in the postseason, he will wheel a Sprint Cup car through downtown Roanoke.

As part of a nationwide kickoff celebrating the Chase for the Sprint Cup, Kahne will appear in Roanoke Wednesday and drive a Sprint Cup car down Jefferson Street, across Campbell Avenue and onto the Historic Roanoke City Market where he will be met by the Patrick Henry High School marching band, cheerleaders and a crowd of fans. The excitement begins at 11 a.m. local time.

The event is presented by Martinsville Speedway, which hosts the seventh race of the Chase for the Sprint Cup on Oct. 27.

Kahne, driver of the No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet SS, is seeded 11th in the 12-driver Chase field. The 10-year Sprint Cup veteran nailed down one of two Wild Card spots in the Chase by virtue of his two victories in 2013. The first 10 spots in the Chase field were awarded to the top 10 drivers in the point standings after Saturday night’s race. The final two positions went to the two drivers with the most victories on the year that weren’t among the top 10 in points.

Kahne, who finished 14th in Saturday night’s race, believes his team has what it takes to win his first Sprint Cup championship.

“I would say the majority of the season we’ve had as much speed as anybody, and if we can put that together for nine or 10 of these next 10, we’ll definitely have a shot,” said Kahne, who has 16 career Sprint Cup victories.

After driving the Sprint Cup car onto the Historic Roanoke City Market Wednesday, Kahne will be greeted on a stage in front of Center In The Square by Martinsville Speedway President Clay Campbell, Roanoke City Mayor David Bowers, and Jaclyn Roney, Miss Sprint Cup. He will accept a proclamation from Bowers, address the crowd and conduct a question-and-answer session with the fans.

“We are very excited to bring Kasey Kahne to Roanoke to visit with all the great fans in the area,” Campbell said. “We invite everyone to come out Wednesday and help us kick off the Chase and have a great time. We want the day to be a big celebration of racing in the Roanoke Valley.”

Tickets for the October Cup event are available in all areas of the grandstands. Advance tickets start at just $37 and will be on sale at the Center In The Square box office Wednesday in Roanoke. Call 877.RACE.TIX or visit www.martinsvillespeedway.com for more information on tickets.