Kahne posts first victory in 38 races

SONOMA, Calif. -- Kasey Kahne gave struggling Richard Petty Motorsports a much-needed boost Sunday, holding off Tony Stewart at Infineon Raceway to snap a 37-race winless streak.

Kahne was met in Victory Lane by Richard Petty, who made his first trip as a car owner in more than a decade. A Petty-owned car had not won a race since John Andretti's victory at Martinsville in April, 1999.

"I feel just as good as he does," said Petty, clad in his trademark cowboy hat and sunglasses. "It's great, man. It's great."

Petty's race team teetered on the verge of collapse at the end of last season and needed a January merger with Gillett-Evernham Motorsports to stay in business. The team was rebranded as Richard Petty Motorsports and kicked off the season with a strong showing at the Daytona 500.

But it's been a rough ride, since. Team manufacturer Chrysler is in Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and funding to RPM has slowed to a crawl as Dodge restructures. The team laid off nine employees earlier this month and made companywide salary cuts, and it's been plagued by whispers of financial instability the last several weeks.

Just Saturday, majority team owner George Gillett agreed to sell the NHL's Montreal Canadiens in a deal that should help him fight any solvency issues.

It's made for a frustrating season for Kahne, the star of the four-driver team, who at times this year has been vocal about RPM's progress. His criticism prompted team officials to push out a new Dodge engine, and the improved motor had given Kahne hope that there's reason for optimism.

Now he has his first victory on a road course -- a remedy for any disgruntled driver.

"I learned how to drive on dirt," Kahne said. "So to come out and win on a road course ... it feels great. I can't believe it."

Stewart finished second and was followed by Marcos Ambrose, who blew a motor in Saturday's practice that forced him to start at the back of the field.