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Ask
Matt
Matt
Kenseth answers fan questions once a week.
Submit your question
here. |
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March
11, 2009 |
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Q |
Congratulations on
the early success! Will the Daytona 500 trophy
ever make an appearance at the fan club museum
in Cambridge or does that have a permanent spot
in your trophy case at home?
Tom Kopydlowski, Milwaukee,
Wis. |
2009 Q&A
. . . . . . . .
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A |
Right now it is at
home in my office. It will probably appear at
the Fan Club store some time.
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Q |
Hi Matt, congrats
on winning the Daytona 500! While watching the
coverage during speed weeks, I heard them say
that some drivers had to qualify on speed or
qualify on time. What does that mean?
Whitney Richards, Rogersville, Tenn. |
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A |
Thanks. This is
somewhat confusing and hard to explain, but I
will try. The top 35 in points are locked into
every race; for the first five races it goes off
of last year’s points. For Daytona, to fill the
last eight spots, I think four are filled by
qualifying speeds and four are filled by
finishing positions in the Gatorade 150-mile
qualifying races. If there is a past champion
not in race, he will get one of the eight spots.
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Q |
Could you tell me what caused the motor to go at
Las Vegas? I’m curious because the Roush boys
lost three motors in the race.
Tyler Delaney, New York |
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A |
I think we broke a
piston, and as far as I know all three engine
problems were not really related. We turned very
high RPMs at Vegas with the new tire; I’m not
sure if that was a factor or not.
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Q |
Would have it been
worth it to change engines after qualifying at
Vegas? You were starting toward the rear anyway.
I know hindsight is 20/20, but that track is
hard on engines.
Ric Miller, Waunakee, Wis. |
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A |
Yes, but we can’t.
There is a one engine per weekend rule. We can’t
change engines unless it is blown up or we can
take it apart and show NASCAR a problem with it.
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Q |
My question is,
when a team has to change an engine or
transmission, how does NASCAR know you did that?
Is it by honor system or is there an official
standing there all the time, or are the parts
matched by number?
Andrew Hatch, Tooele, Utah |
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A |
There are a ton of
officials, you could never get that done without
them noticing, and even if you could your fellow
competitors would rat you out!!!
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Q |
Hi Matt, Since your
engine expired so early in the race with no way
to return to the race, when you have something
like this happen do you stay at the track until
the end of the race or do you get on a plane and
fly back home early? I heard that Jamie M. was
sick and thought you might jump in the car for
him.
Louis Young, Muskego, Wis. |
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A |
We usually take off
and head to the airport. None of us really had
anything to do at the track. Even the
transporter got a jump on traffic... not fun.
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