KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- It has been a wild few weeks for Kasey Kahne.

Just before racing at Richmond last month, as he was riding the high of winning the previous week's Cup race at Atlanta, he discovered the organization that employs him -- currently called Richard Petty Motorsports -- was planning a merger with Yates Racing that supposedly will take effect next season. It was news to him at the time, even though such a merger will affect him greatly in that he no longer will drive a Dodge in the Cup Series, switching instead to a Ford.

Still, Kahne blocked out the distraction and finished a respectable 12th at Richmond. That and his solid body of work in the season's first 26 races, including a win at Sonoma as well as Atlanta, earned him the No. 5 seed amongst the 12 participants heading into the Chase.

Then he blew an engine in the first Chase race at New Hampshire, relegating him to a 38th-place finish that dropped him like a rock to 12th in the Chase standings. That brought about a pep talk from team co-owner Richard Petty.

"I told him after New Hampshire, 'Look, forget about the points. Let's go out and win races. You don't even have to look at the points deal. If you win enough races, you win the points standings. That's how I always looked at it,' "said Petty, winner of a record 200 races and seven championships as a driver.

"I know the first race in the Chase was disappointing. But we've had a good year. Kasey and the crew have confidence from that and need to stay confident." (Continued)