Kahne to drive Budweiser car

STATESVILLE, N.C. -- Kasey Kahne is the new beer man, picking up Budweiser on Tuesday as the primary sponsor for his No. 9 Dodge.

The sponsorship was announced at Gillett Evernham Motorspots, where Kahne entered the event on the famed Budweiser Clydesdales.

Bud became the most valuable sponsorship in NASCAR when it teamed with Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2000. But Earnhardt is leaving DEI for Hendrick Motorsports at the end of this season, and he'll announce a new sponsor today.

­-- AP