Woes strike Kahne

Pole-sitter Kasey Kahne’s horrendous first season with Hendrick Motorsports continued Sunday in the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 when his Chevrolet suffered an engine problem after 200 laps.

Kahne entered the garage during a lap 246 caution and remained there until lap 300. He brought out a caution 15 laps later when he spun in his own oil entering pit road as his engine finally expired, and he finished 38th.

His fourth finish of 29th or worse this season puts him 31st in the Sprint Cup standings.

Kahne has qualified first twice this year but hasn’t led a lap. He was passed by Kevin Harvick on the first lap Sunday and by teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

“I am upset that we haven’t run great this year, but we are great on Friday and Saturday,” said Kahne, who took over Mark Martin’s ride at Hendrick. “We have the speed, so when it’s our time, we will be ready to take advantage of it.”

Around the tracks . . .

Seven-time NASCAR champion Richard Petty replaced Gary Sinise as grand marshal for Sunday’s race at Martinsville Speedway after the actor was involved in a car crash a few days earlier. Sinise was not was not seriously injured. ... Harvick led 248 of 250 laps to win Saturday’s Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville. ... Richard Westbrook and Antonio Garcia on Saturday gave Corvette its first Daytona Prototype victory in the Grand-am Rolex Sports Car Series at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Ala.