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Ask
Matt
Matt
Kenseth answers fan questions once a week.
Submit your question
here. |
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August
14, 2009 |
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Q |
I know being “tight” or “loose” is a bad thing,
but for tracks like the Brickyard or the road
courses, is it beneficial to be a little “loose”
to say do a little more drift racing rather than
wear down the front right tire?
Joshua Kotula,
Chicago, Ill. |
2009 Q&A
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A |
If you have to err to one side, I would almost
always rather be loose. When you’re tight you can’t do much extra as a driver,
just wait for front tires to grip.
Click
here for Drew’s answer to the same question.
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Q |
Hi Matt, I’m wondering what you do during the
rain delay until NASCAR calls the race?
Robert
Johnson, Canton, Pa. |
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A |
Well, I am fortunate enough to be able to travel
with Katie and Kaylin, so I have been hanging
out with them. Usually nap, video games, watch a
movie that kind of stuff. Lately I have been
doing a lot of reading as well.
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Q |
Hi Matt, assuming a driver starts at the rear of
the field and has many passes early in the race
making in into the top 15, and another, equally
good driver, starts in the top 5, but loses a
few positions dropping down to maybe 13th spot.
Can this result in a mental advantage for the
first driver, because he had more senses of
achievement until that point and a disadvantage
for the second driver, because getting passed is
a setback for him and further on lead to more
confidence for the first driver, which allows
him to finish better or even makes it easier for
him to win in the end? I know the car setup
plays a major role here, but I just couldn’t get
that question out of my head.
Sebastian Meyer,
Edmonton, Alberta |
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A |
That’s a great question and observation. I HATE
getting passed. I can’t speak for anyone else,
but it’s always fun to overtake other cars and
move forward, and it’s usually frustrating when
you start toward the front and keep falling
back. Usually when you qualify good you expect
your car to be good on race day. When we started
on pole at Darlington this year and went
straight backwards, it was very frustrating.
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Q |
Why do you prefer oval tracks to road racing?
David Atkinson, Burlington,
Wis. |
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A |
It’s
what my background is and what I have done my
whole life. I have very little road racing
experience, but I do actually enjoy the
challenge of it.
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Q |
For Watkins Glen is there a special shape and
setup for your car? Do you find it hard to
transfer from an oval track to a road course for
two races a year?
Emily, Greenville, S.C. |
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A |
Every race is challenging, some courses more
than others. I think it varies from driver to
driver. I do know when your cars drive good it
makes all the tracks easier. The hardest part
for me transitioning to road courses is to try
and figure out what my car needs or what
feedback I can give to make my car better.
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