Matt Kenseth chasing consistency
By JEFF BROWN / Tribune Sports Editor
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Matt Kenseth, on the verge of running his seventh Daytona 500, is a man in continuous motion. From Nextel Cup to the IROC series, Kenseth’s feet are constantly pounding the pavement at the Daytona International Speedway.
From one garage area inside the mammoth Daytona International Speedway pit area to the next, from one uniform to another, the Cambridge, Wis., man has nonstop demands on his time. It’s no wonder why driving 190 mph may seem like a break to the 33-year-old Kenseth.
“It’s still a lot of fun. You know, every year is a little different. Last year we finished pretty strong and I really wasn’t ready for the year to end,” Kenseth said. “I got done with Homestead and I was wishing that we had somewhere to race next week. This year, I really don’t know until we get going. Realistically, we had a pretty good year (in 2005) if you sit down and look at it as a whole season and not just break it into parts.”
The first part of Kenseth’s 2006 season unfolds in the next two days as he will run in the first Gatorade Duel — one of two 125-mile races — today, then jump behind the wheel of a IROC car on Friday. On Sunday, it’s the big one, as Kenseth shoots for his first top-five finish in the Daytona 500.
“It’s cool to be in IROC with (Dave) Marcis and the Sauters (Jim and Jay) doing the testing. (Dick) Trickle used to test these cars, too,” Kenseth said. “It’s definitely fun, and it’s cool that they use those (Wisconsin) guys for that, and you get to hang out with them and talk to them and work with them a little bit. All that stuff adds to the fun.”
In Kenseth’s 2005 season, there were times that were fun, times that were not much fun when he and his Roush Racing Team struggled, and times when many thought he would not be among the Top 10 in points, therefore missing the Chase for the Championship. With 12 races left in the 2005 season, Kenseth was buried in 24th place, 320 points out of the Top 10.
In one of the best rallies by any Cup driver, Kenseth powered his way into the Top 10 and wound up finishing seventh overall. It may have been the best Chase overall.
“We didn’t start the best, but we finished real strong. We had some problems here and there,” Kenseth said. “Still, I think we had the most top fives I have ever had in my career. I think we led the most laps that we have ever led in my career. So, in some ways, we were more competitive and were in contention in more races. We just didn’t do a great job of finishing them off.”
Kenseth won just one race in 2005, but his 12 top-five finishes were indeed a career-best — one more than he had in his championship season of 2003 — and his 1,001 laps led were the most of his Cup career. Now, will the driver of the No. 17 DeWalt Tools Ford be strong in the beginning, middle and end of races in 2006?
“We haven’t run our 500 car in drafting practice yet,” Kenseth said Wednesday morning. “That’s a hard question to answer. We don’t really know yet until we get on the track with some other cars.”
With a 35-week regular season, it’s tough to look too far ahead, Kenseth said, but the driver with 220 Cup starts to his credit does know one thing: Maintaining an even keel is essential. Winning is wonderful, but around the corner could be a bad week with a crash, a challenging car, etc.
“There are certainly days that you go through and do something dumb, and you can’t figure out what to put in the car,” Kenseth said. “There are days here you feel you are not doing as good as you should be. It just goes up and down. Through the years you definitely learn more, and I think on average make smarter decisions.”
Kenseth is still in the prime of his career, but he hasn’t forgotten his roots. In fact, he said he and Tony Stewart have plans to race at the Madison International Speedway on June 27 in a race his father is promoting. He also spends some time in Wisconsin during the offseason, whether it be with family in Cambridge, Wis., or at his top-secret place on the bluffs of the Mississippi River south of La Crosse.
“We find some time here and there to do some other things outside of racing, but it (racing’s demands) definitely keeps you busy,” Kenseth said. “I don’t get a chance to go up there (Wisconsin) very often (during the 10-month Nextel Cup season), so that will be a fun time this summer.”
Overall, Kenseth can’t imagine doing anything else with his life anytime soon. He’s been racing since he was 16 and still believes he can get better. He’s certainly experienced plenty of success with 10 career wins and 51 top-five finishes in 200 Cup starts. Like any competitor, it’s never good enough.
“I still love doing it. There is nothing else I would rather be doing. It’s a great thing to do for a living,” Kenseth said. “It’s a lot of fun and what I’ve always dreamed of doing. And when you get to do it every week at the highest level, it’s a lot of fun.”
Despite reaching the highest level of stock car racing and winning a championship, Kenseth quickly becomes humble when talking about his ability. In fact, he said there are many drivers out there if they had the right opportunity at the right time, they, too, could excel.
“There are tons of great drivers out there that could do a better job than me. In the situation I’ve been in, I’ve just been fortunate throughout my career to be able to drive for great car owners up in Wisconsin and all around the area,” Kenseth said. “Once I moved down here, getting a chance to work with Robbie (Reiser) and run his car was a big break.
“I’ve just been fortunate to be in the right place at the right time and be with good people.”
Kenseth, who has driven for two Cup owners in his nine years at this level — Bill Elliott and Jack Roush — would love to do one thing: Put his experience, his talent, his overall knowledge, into a young driver.
“There is nothing like being young and just getting started ... If you could just take your experience level and put it in a 21-year-old’s body and fearless state and all of that kind of stuff, you would really have a combination,” Kenseth said. “I think that when you start you are almost more talented, it’s just that you do dumb stuff because you don’t know any better.”
Kenseth definitely knows better, and his $33.5 million in purse earnings is certainly proof.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Matt Kenseth, on the verge of running his seventh Daytona 500, is a man in continuous motion. From Nextel Cup to the IROC series, Kenseth’s feet are constantly pounding the pavement at the Daytona International Speedway.
From one garage area inside the mammoth Daytona International Speedway pit area to the next, from one uniform to another, the Cambridge, Wis., man has nonstop demands on his time. It’s no wonder why driving 190 mph may seem like a break to the 33-year-old Kenseth.
“It’s still a lot of fun. You know, every year is a little different. Last year we finished pretty strong and I really wasn’t ready for the year to end,” Kenseth said. “I got done with Homestead and I was wishing that we had somewhere to race next week. This year, I really don’t know until we get going. Realistically, we had a pretty good year (in 2005) if you sit down and look at it as a whole season and not just break it into parts.”
The first part of Kenseth’s 2006 season unfolds in the next two days as he will run in the first Gatorade Duel — one of two 125-mile races — today, then jump behind the wheel of a IROC car on Friday. On Sunday, it’s the big one, as Kenseth shoots for his first top-five finish in the Daytona 500.
“It’s cool to be in IROC with (Dave) Marcis and the Sauters (Jim and Jay) doing the testing. (Dick) Trickle used to test these cars, too,” Kenseth said. “It’s definitely fun, and it’s cool that they use those (Wisconsin) guys for that, and you get to hang out with them and talk to them and work with them a little bit. All that stuff adds to the fun.”
In Kenseth’s 2005 season, there were times that were fun, times that were not much fun when he and his Roush Racing Team struggled, and times when many thought he would not be among the Top 10 in points, therefore missing the Chase for the Championship. With 12 races left in the 2005 season, Kenseth was buried in 24th place, 320 points out of the Top 10.
In one of the best rallies by any Cup driver, Kenseth powered his way into the Top 10 and wound up finishing seventh overall. It may have been the best Chase overall.
“We didn’t start the best, but we finished real strong. We had some problems here and there,” Kenseth said. “Still, I think we had the most top fives I have ever had in my career. I think we led the most laps that we have ever led in my career. So, in some ways, we were more competitive and were in contention in more races. We just didn’t do a great job of finishing them off.”
Kenseth won just one race in 2005, but his 12 top-five finishes were indeed a career-best — one more than he had in his championship season of 2003 — and his 1,001 laps led were the most of his Cup career. Now, will the driver of the No. 17 DeWalt Tools Ford be strong in the beginning, middle and end of races in 2006?
“We haven’t run our 500 car in drafting practice yet,” Kenseth said Wednesday morning. “That’s a hard question to answer. We don’t really know yet until we get on the track with some other cars.”
With a 35-week regular season, it’s tough to look too far ahead, Kenseth said, but the driver with 220 Cup starts to his credit does know one thing: Maintaining an even keel is essential. Winning is wonderful, but around the corner could be a bad week with a crash, a challenging car, etc.
“There are certainly days that you go through and do something dumb, and you can’t figure out what to put in the car,” Kenseth said. “There are days here you feel you are not doing as good as you should be. It just goes up and down. Through the years you definitely learn more, and I think on average make smarter decisions.”
Kenseth is still in the prime of his career, but he hasn’t forgotten his roots. In fact, he said he and Tony Stewart have plans to race at the Madison International Speedway on June 27 in a race his father is promoting. He also spends some time in Wisconsin during the offseason, whether it be with family in Cambridge, Wis., or at his top-secret place on the bluffs of the Mississippi River south of La Crosse.
“We find some time here and there to do some other things outside of racing, but it (racing’s demands) definitely keeps you busy,” Kenseth said. “I don’t get a chance to go up there (Wisconsin) very often (during the 10-month Nextel Cup season), so that will be a fun time this summer.”
Overall, Kenseth can’t imagine doing anything else with his life anytime soon. He’s been racing since he was 16 and still believes he can get better. He’s certainly experienced plenty of success with 10 career wins and 51 top-five finishes in 200 Cup starts. Like any competitor, it’s never good enough.
“I still love doing it. There is nothing else I would rather be doing. It’s a great thing to do for a living,” Kenseth said. “It’s a lot of fun and what I’ve always dreamed of doing. And when you get to do it every week at the highest level, it’s a lot of fun.”
Despite reaching the highest level of stock car racing and winning a championship, Kenseth quickly becomes humble when talking about his ability. In fact, he said there are many drivers out there if they had the right opportunity at the right time, they, too, could excel.
“There are tons of great drivers out there that could do a better job than me. In the situation I’ve been in, I’ve just been fortunate throughout my career to be able to drive for great car owners up in Wisconsin and all around the area,” Kenseth said. “Once I moved down here, getting a chance to work with Robbie (Reiser) and run his car was a big break.
“I’ve just been fortunate to be in the right place at the right time and be with good people.”
Kenseth, who has driven for two Cup owners in his nine years at this level — Bill Elliott and Jack Roush — would love to do one thing: Put his experience, his talent, his overall knowledge, into a young driver.
“There is nothing like being young and just getting started ... If you could just take your experience level and put it in a 21-year-old’s body and fearless state and all of that kind of stuff, you would really have a combination,” Kenseth said. “I think that when you start you are almost more talented, it’s just that you do dumb stuff because you don’t know any better.”
Kenseth definitely knows better, and his $33.5 million in purse earnings is certainly proof.
posted by at 2/16/2006 11:53:00 PM
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