Kahne takes another shot at berth in Chase

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Kasey Kahne has been on the Chase for the championship bubble before -- twice, actually -- and failed to race his way into NASCAR's title-crowning format both times.

He'll be back on the bubble this weekend at Richmond International Raceway, where he's the only driver still mathematically eligible to crack the top 10 and compete for the Nextel Cup title. Currently 11th in the standings, he's only 30 points out of the final qualifying position. A perfect race Saturday night could vault him all the way to third in the points.

"There's definitely going to be some nerves going into the race," Kahne admitted. "There's a lot relying on what we do on Saturday night."

But Kahne has been in this position before. As a rookie in 2004, he actually arrived in Richmond in the Chase at ninth in the standings. But a nudge from Dale Earnhardt Jr. spun his car and led to a 24th-place finish that eliminated him from the postseason.

He was a long shot to make it last year, and his eighth-place race finish ultimately wasn't nearly good enough to get him in.

So what's to say that this year will be any different?

Kahne has five victories this season, including last weekend's win at California.

Even though Kahne scored his first career win at Richmond in early 2005, he's never felt entirely comfortable on the .75-mile oval.

"Richmond to me is just another race track ... not one of my favorites to go to," he said.