Kasey Kahne store closing

For those of you who don't know, I follow NASCAR for the simple reason of one driver, Kasey Kahne.

Brandon also follows him, but for different reasons. (He thinks Kasey is dreamy)

I on the other hand follow him because he is a local guy. He's from Enumclaw, Washington. I grew up in the neighbor town of Buckley.

Therefore, you have to root for the local guy.

Well, I saw in the Enumclaw-Bonney Lake Courier Herald that the Kasey Kahne store in Enumclaw will be closing.

And Kahne will be there tomorrow to thank the fans for the years of support. Now he's not retiring or anything like that, instead I have a serious feeling he'll be parting ways with the number 9 next season.

From the article:

Due to transitions with the race team, the store is closing at its current location. Decisions about the future will not be made until the 2011 race season. The store will close at 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27. The online store will remain in business.

Now I've thought this for a few seasons. All of the turmoil and changes on Kahne's team over the years with new owners and now switching from Dodge to Ford. Kahne's current contract runs out at the end of this season, and I personally see Stewart-Haas Racing adding a third car next season and inviting Kahne to be the driver.

I guess only time will tell where Kahne ends up.

Washington native sets new American Record in Pole Vault

It was quite a day for Washington natives in the professional sporting world today.

Today marked the Nike Prefontaine Classic, and 14,221 fans were in Eugene, Oregon to watch.

A number of meet records fell, but no one was more watched than Spokane native, Brad Walker.

Walker, a graduate of University high school in Spokane, and the University of Washington, cleared an American Record in the pole vault. He cleared 19 feet 9 3/4 inches.

After two attempts at the World Record of 20 feet 2 inches, he called it a day.

"I've never heard cheering like I heard at my second attempt at the WR. It startled me. It's overwhelming. But I'll take that any day of the week. It was great."

Walker will be back at Hayward Field on the University of Oregon campus in a few weeks for the Olympic Trials. The 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials will be held June 27-July 6.

Another Northwest native, Tommy Skipper of Sandy, Ore. and University of Oregon graduate, finished 6th in the pole vault at 17 feet 8 3/4 inches.

And as for another Washington athlete, Kasey Kahne of Enumclaw won the NASCAR Sprint Cup Race today at Pocono. It was his third win in the past four races. But only two count toward point standings, as his win at the All-Star race isn't a point qualifying event.

With the win Kahne moves up to 9th in the overall NASCAR standings, 365 points behind the leader.

Not too bad of a day for professional athletes from the Pacific Northwest.