2014 Driver Reviews: No. 15 Kasey Kahne

After doing exit interviews for Sprint Cup Series drivers in 2013, we’re turning the tables. We want the drivers to sell themselves. So here are the resumés for all full-time Sprint Cup Series drivers in 2014. Then, at the end, we’ll provide a summation of the driver’s season in 150 words or less.

Name: Kasey Kahne

NASCAR Experience: 11 years in the Cup Series and 17 wins. 11 years!

Most recent team: Hendrick Motorsports

Most recent season finish: 15th

2014 accomplishments: A win at Atlanta, a third at Kansas and a fifth at Michigan.

Most memorable moment: Winning at Atlanta counts, right? Or do you want transparency? Because Jeff Gordon’s Brickyard restart would count.

Strengths: Has won at every type of track in the Cup Series outside of Daytona and Talladega.

2015 goals: Not be the fourth car at Hendrick Motorsports and the seventh car out of eight overall in the Hendrick/Stewart-Haas organization.

FTM’s Take: Kahne’s entry is pretty short this year because it was a very nondescript season, especially when it came to his three other Hendrick teammates. He made the Chase via the Atlanta win, but if he hadn’t won there, there would have been no complaints about Kahne potentially missing the Chase. Three top fives and seven top 10s aren’t exactly world-beating statistics.

Will the return of Keith Rodden help in 2015? Rodden spent the season as Jamie McMurray’s crew chief after being an engineer on Kahne’s team. He’s now going to be Kahne’s crew chief. If Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon hold on to the form they displayed in 2014, Kahne is going to have to make a massive leap to me in their stratosphere next season.

Previous reviews: No. 16 Aric Almirola, No. 17 Kyle Larson, No. 18, Jamie McMurray, No. 19 Clint Bowyer, No. 20, Austin Dillon, No. 21 Paul Menard, No. 22 Brian Vickers, No. 23 Marcos Ambrose, No. 24 Martin Truex Jr., No. 25 Tony Stewart, No. 26 Casey Mears, No. 27 Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 28, Danica Patrick, No. 29, Justin Allgaier, No. 30, David Gilliland, No. 31 Cole Whitt, No. 32 David Ragan, No. 33 Michael Annett, No. 34 Reed Sorenson, No. 35 Alex Bowman