Ford helping racing prodigy toward future

Mike Harris

Thursday, Oct. 11, 2001 | 3:37 a.m.

Kasey Kahne gets a little flustered when people start calling him the next Jeff Gordon.

"It's very flattering when they say things like that, but I haven't done anything yet," the youngster said.

Kahne is a racing prodigy, discovered by sprint car owner Steve Lewis, the same man who saw the early greatness of drivers like Gordon, Tony Stewart and the late Kenny Irwin Jr.

Just about anybody who has bothered to look at Kahne on a racetrack already knows the potential that lurks there. But how fast should this 21-year-old talent be brought along, and where should he ultimately wind up - CART, IRL, NASCAR, Formula One?

Dan Davis, head of worldwide racing for Ford, is trying to come up with the right answers.

"The direction Kasey takes is his decision," Davis said. "We don't have a preference. What we're trying to figure out is what is his ultimate potential."

Thanks to Davis, Kahne has to a contract giving him the opportunity to test and race a variety of cars. It also gives Ford the first right of refusal on his services.

The relationship began about 18 months ago, after Lewis called Davis.

"He said, 'Dan, you need to look at this guy. You need to pay attention."' Davis said. "Once we looked at him, we knew that we wanted to help him. My heroes were in all kinds of equipment and shined in everything. We don't want to limit Kasey.

"Heck, is this the opportunity to have another American in Formula One? Maybe."

Coming up through the ranks on the short tracks of the U.S. Auto Club, Kahne couldn't be faulted for following Gordon, Stewart and Irwin into NASCAR.

That would be fine with Davis, but Ford also is deeply involved with CART and Formula One, and the racing chief wanted Kahne to know he had a choice.

"When we first started talking to him, his assumption was he'd go into stock cars," Davis said. "We got him a test with Bobby Rahal's CART team at Homestead and, after it was over, he said, 'Wow! I love this.' "

Kahne grins when he talks about that test.

"I really didn't know what to expect," he said. "I'd never driven a car like it, especially on a road course. I was pretty nervous at the start, but all the guys from Team Rahal were really good at helping me to feel comfortable in the car.

"The power of the car and how quickly it accelerated and braked was just amazing. It really opened my eyes."

Ford helped Kahne find a part-time ride in a Toyota-Atlantic car for some more open-wheel experience. Last Sunday, in Houston, in only his second time in the car and first race on a street circuit, Kahne finished seventh, turning his fastest laps late in the race.

"It feels comfortable sometimes," Kahne said of the Atlantic car - a less-powerful version of Rahal's Champ car. "But I'm still not taking the car to where it needs to be. I've still got a lot to learn about these cars, but I'm really enjoying it."

Ford has also arranged for Kahne to test in a few weeks in a NASCAR Busch series stock car in Rockingham, N.C.

So, where Kahne will wind up next season or beyond is far from clear.

"If I could get a lot of testing in over the winter, I'd love to run a Champ car in CART and also run the Indianapolis 500," Kahne said, grinning. "That's the only way I'd want to do it, though."

CART, criticized in recent years for its failure to develop American driving stars, would do well to add Kahne. The IRL certainly wouldn't suffer from a battle between Kahne and 22-year-old series champion Sam Hornish Jr. in an Indy car.

"I'm excited about all the choices and opportunities and everything that's going on," Kahne said. "Even if I went and raced an Indy car for a year, that would help me with everything I'm driving. It's all an education."

Davis is just as impressed with Kahne's attitude and maturity as he is by the youngster's potential.

"He started driving for his dad and he and his dad talk a lot and strategize a lot," Davis said. "His folks have a huge influence on him, and that's one of the reasons he's such a solid person."

Ford is adding to the equation by making sure Kahne gets the right equipment with the right people directing him.

That's fine with Kahne.

"I want to race," he said. "The more the better. At this point, I'm not too concerned with what kind of car it's in."