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Few individuals had an impact on the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series the way a 24-year-old driver from Enumclaw, Wash., did in 2004. At the start of the season, he was just a rookie. By the end of the season, Kasey Kahne was a household name. Whether it was his hard-charging style on the race track or the year-long media frenzy which included being named one of "America's Top 50 Bachelors" by People Magazine, Kahne's popularity skyrocketed over the course of the season.

Kahne was elated to be Ray Evernham's choice to replace legendary Bill Elliott in the No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge in 2004. Kahne's credentials were impressive in the open-wheel ranks, but he had limited experience in the world of NASCAR racing. Evernham saw the talent, similar to earlier years when another youngster emerged on the NASCAR scene from the open-wheel ranks. Evernham teamed with that driver - Jeff Gordon - to win three championships and 47 races in NASCAR's premier series.

Evernham wasn't the first to notice Kahne's talent. Steve Lewis, who once employed Gordon and Tony Stewart, offered Kahne a sprint, midget and Silver Crown deal for the 2000 season. In his first season, he garnered the USAC Silver Crown Rookie of the Year awards, and both the USAC Midget Series Champion and Driver of the Year honors. And, for the first time in his career, he was racing on both dirt and asphalt surfaces.

The following year, Kahne ran the Atlantic Series and a partial USAC schedule with occasional stops with the World of Outlaws, Gumout Racing Series and All-Star Circuit of Champions winged sprint car associations.

Kahne moved to the NASCAR scene in 2002, running a limited Busch Series in preparation for a full Busch schedule in 2003. He ended the '03 season in exciting fashion, notching his first NASCAR win at Homestead-Miami Speedway. In addition to his win, he had one pole, four top-five and 14 top-10 finishes en route to a seventh-place finish in the NASCAR Busch Series standings.

In his first season at Evernham Motorsports in 2004, Kahne finished second an incredible five times. He had 13 top-five finishes and four poles. He finished 13th in the season point standings and easily claimed the Raybestos Rookie-of-the-Year title.

With the return of Tommy Baldwin as the team director for the 2005 season, there's plenty of optimism the team will get in the win column and challenge for a berth in the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup.

Kahne will again compete in the NASCAR Busch Series in the No. 38 Great Clips Dodge as well as making occasional starts in his Silver Crown and sprint car. Kasey Kahne