The Kenseth Diary

Hey,
I’m not going to lie, this Sunday is sure to be stressful. Every driver and crew knows that going in. Talladega is in a league of its own when it comes to excitement and anxiety as a driver, crew, and even the fans. Of course the fans love it, but they aren’t strapped in, going over 190 miles per hour, close enough to reach out the window and touch the car next to you either.

The frustrating thing about Talladega and really restrictor plate racing in general, Daytona’s the same way, is that there is so much that happens out there that is out of your control. I can do everything right, but if the driver two cars ahead of me doesn’t, if he messes up or blows a tire or anything, well… I’m just along for the ride.

Another frustrating thing is that you need help to pass. That’s probably more frustrating than anything. I know at Daytona, we had a car that could have won the Shootout, the 150s, and the 500, but without somebody pushing, I can’t complete the pass by myself. It’s even worse at Talladega because handling really isn’t a factor, so everyone just holds the gas down and picks a line.

As stressful as this Sunday is going to be, at least this past week I’ve had some time to do some things I really enjoy. After Phoenix last weekend I went to my cabin in Wisconsin and spent some time with my Dad. It was just me and him and we cleared some trees on the property. I’m in the process of making a trail in and around my land and it’s a lot of fun and just nice to get away for awhile.

Today I’m flying down to New Orleans for a USG Sheetrock appearance. This USG plant is celebrating its 50th anniversary. It was closed for a couple months due to damage after Hurricane Katrina and is really the only business in East New Orleans that is operational. I’m looking forward to visiting the area. We went to a GE plant back in December just north of New Orleans and the damage there was still unbelievable. It’s definitely a humbling experience visiting that area, but pretty cool to see how determined those people are to get back on their feet.
- Matt