It's Case No. 07-27046 against Kasey Kenneth Kahne. And beyond the obvious financial cost, Kahne may lose something much more valuable: his privacy.

It began in November when the NASCAR Sprint Cup driver was charged with battery against a security guard at the season-ending weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. This week, attorneys for the guard filed suit against Kahne for $15,000 in damages.

Kahne was in uniform on a golf cart with brother Kale Kahne when they attempted to enter the driver motorhome lot after practice. According to an arrest affidavit posted on the Web site of Miami TV station WPLG, Kale Kahne wrote the following statement:

"Kasey and I left the Busch garage heading over to the motorhome lot. We got stopped at the gate and guards said that we need our credentials. So I started to get mine out. Kasey said he didn't have one because he just got out of the race car. He was still in his driver's suit. They said they don't care who you are, you can't come in. He (Kasey) said I am going to walk to my motorhome then. One guard got in front of Kasey and grabbed him and said that you are not going anywhere and Kasey pushed his hands off of him. The guard lost balance and fell to the ground."

While the incident could hurt Kahne's wallet and his reputation with fans, the popular driver stands to suffer even worse repercussions. That's because the arrest affidavit contained more than Kale Kahne's statement and those of four witnesses -- it also revealed Kasey


Advertisement

Kahne's personal identifying information, and WPLG published it online. That's right. Kahne's address, telephone number, driver's license number and social security number were all there on the Internet Tuesday for the world to see.
Upon reading it, I immediately called a Dodge Motorsports official, who was unaware of the posting. He presumably took steps to protect Kahne's privacy, because Kahne's personal information has since been concealed. But what is the damage to Kahne?

Worries of identify theft aside, those Allstate Insurance commercials showing Kahne being relentlessly pursued by female fans are more fact than fiction. With Kahne's home address and phone number blasted online, it's possible that he could be forced to move. It's easy to find directions to any location once an address is known, as anyone who has ever used Mapquest knows.

As irresponsible as it was for the TV station to post the information online, at least Santa will have no problem finding Kahne's house this Christmas. The question is, will Kahne find gifts or a lump of coal in his stocking this year?

Ellen Siska is a NASCAR columnist for The York Dispatch. She can be reached at esiska@yorkdispatch.com.