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This is getting to be quite familiar for Kasey Kahne. Ten races to go until the field for this year's title Chase is set and Kahne is battling for a spot.

His victory Sunday at Infineon Raceway moved him within three points of the last transfer spot.

Twice he's entered the September Richmond race -- the cutoff point to determine the Chase field -- either trying to race his way into the Chase or protect a spot.

"That's a tough spot," Kahne said. "There's a lot of things that can go on. We've been through them all. I just want to start performing and do it each week and be strong and hopefully not be so close when it does come down to the Chase."

In 2004, Kahne entered the Richmond race ninth -- only 10 teams made the Chase then -- and was 34 points out of 11th. Kahne was involved in a crash that night and finished a lap behind the leaders in 24th. He missed the Chase.

In 2006, Kahne entered the Richmond race 11th -- again only 10 teams made the Chase then -- and was 30 points out of the top 10. Kahne finished third, knocking Tony Stewart, the defending series champ, out of the Chase.

"If you have one slip up, you miss the Chase," Kahne said. "We have to be strong the next five races and get more solidly in there rather than just right on the edge."

That could be a challenge. He has not had a top-10 in the last five races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway where the series races this weekend or at Chicago, where the series races in July. His best track among the next five is Daytona where he has four top-10s in the last five races there.

CHANGES COMING? While a report states that Richard Petty Motorsports could switch from Dodge to Toyotas later this season, car owner Richard Petty said he's not sure what will happen.

"I do know we are looking at all options that we've got," Petty said Tuesday in a conference call with reporters. "We are talking to Dodge. We are talking to anybody that wants to talk."

DEFENDING EARNHARDT: Car owner Rick Hendrick defends the job Dale Earnhardt Jr. is doing this season even as Earnhardt struggles on the track.

Earnhardt is 20th in the season standings. Last month, the team replaced Earnhardt's crew chief, Tony Eury Jr., with Lance McGrew.

"He's had all his racing career doing things one way," Hendrick said of Earnhardt. "Talking to the crew chief and communicating. Now, all of a sudden we're saying with a new crew chief and working more hands-on with the engineers, this is the way they'd like for you to break it down.

"If you heard him on the radio, he's doing a heck of a job. He's trying to change to give them better information so they can do a better job.

"I couldn't ask him to work any harder than he's working. I don't care what anybody says. He's committed. He's dedicated. And he's showing up and he's trying. That's all I can ask him to do. I feel we've let him down, maybe I've let him down by not probably pulling the trigger (on the crew chief change) earlier for his sake and for Tony Jr.'s sake. I think both of those guys are going to be better off."

PIT STOPS: George Gillett, car owner for Richard Petty Motorsports, has reached an agreement to sell his majority interest in the Montreal Canadiens. &ellipses; Kurt Busch is hunting in Montana this week with Washington Wizards player Darius Songaila.

Contact Dustin Long at 373-7062 or dustin.long @news-record.com