8Ruling angers Kenseth
8Kenseth loses argument with NASCAR
8Kenseth continues to prosper despite 'his rule'
8Gordon, Stewart and Kenseth should rise to the top Sunday
8So far, so good for Kenseth in title defense
8Kenseth making noise: Points leader not just letting driving speak for him
8It's just a start: Taurus, Kenseth shining, but face a long season
8Matt McLaughlin’s Atlanta Race Recap
8Kenseth fights back from spin to put up a 6th-place finish
8Kenseth has the drive
8Kenseth shoots for three in a row
8Kenseth seeks 3 wins in row
8Kenseth breaks away from pack
8Kenseth puts polish on tarnished crown
8Kenseth’s quick start has his Cup critics eating dust
8Even with title, Kenseth has something to prove

DATE	START	FINISH	LAPS	MONEY	STATUS
03/26/00	22	12	500/500	$42,165	Running
08/26/00	22	39	376/500	$35,575	Overheating
03/25/01	24	14	500/500	$57,340	Running
08/25/01	38	33	394/500	$51,295	Accident
03/24/02	6	6	500/500	$74,760	Running
08/24/02	10	5	500/500	$98,375	Running
03/23/03	37	2	500/500	$118,870	Running
08/23/03	10	4	500/500	$122,905	Running

Matt Kenseth on Bristol Motor Speedway:

“I really like the track a lot because it is so much fun to drive. When you have a great handling car that allows you to stab the throttle and come off the corners, it makes for a fun afternoon. On the other hand, this is Bristol and you constantly have to be on your guard to stay out of trouble. We’ve had some great runs our last few races here at this track and I’d like to win one of them. This is a racetrack that every driver would like to get a win at.”

Robbie Reiser on Bristol Motor Speedway:

CONCORD, NC (March 22, 2004) — Matt Kenseth is slated to make a trip to the nation’s capital tomorrow to attend the 2004 March of Dimes Gourmet Gala. At the invitation of NASCAR, Kenseth and invited guests Jack Roush, Richard and Lynda Petty, and Mike Joy will all participate in festivities at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C.

Other honored guests attending the gala will be Senators Jon Kyl of Arizona and Congressman Robin Hayes of North Carolina. Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, the President and CEO of the March of Dimes, will be the keynote speaker with Mike Joy filling in as the emcee.

The gala is a dinner of sorts, with a cocktail reception and regional specialties of food. Just before the sit down dinner, Kenseth will sign a few autographs near the No. 17 DEWALT Tools Ford show car for dignitaries and large donors.

The next day, NASCAR representatives will make a breakfast presentation on Capitol Hill about stock car racing, its popularity, competitiveness, and its national appeal. A question and answer session will follow.

Kenseth will only appear at the evening festivities, as he will travel to Texas that same evening to attend a “Winner’s Circle” appearance on behalf of Texas Motor Speedway. Kenseth is slated to visit over a dozen television and radio outlets in Texas to promote the upcoming Samsung-Radio Shack 500 on April 4.

DARLINGTON, SC (March 21, 2004) — The history books will eventually show that this was not a day for the No. 17 DEWALT Tools Ford and driver Matt Kenseth. He wracked up a 31st place finish, four laps down to the leader after a series of strange events took place just past the halfway point of the race. What is known is that Matt Kenseth spun his car on lap 160 of the 293-lap event. He pitted several times to change both sets of tires and check for lasting damage, but it was NASCAR’s reaction to how Kenseth attempted to stay on the lead lap that led to a confusing one-lap penalty which ended the possibility of a good finish.

Kenseth rolled off the starting grid from the 15th spot. Before the team could get one solid green flag run in the first 100 laps, there had already been three separate caution periods. Kenseth was fighting a tight race car, but crew chief Robbie Reiser was going to work from up on top of the pit box, ordering air pressure changes to offset the handling troubles.

Pit road remained a friendly place for Kenseth throughout the day as the over-the-wall crew had consistent pit stops under 14 seconds. By lap 147, things were finally starting to break clear for the No. 17 DEWALT Tools Racing Team. It was then that he pitted for four new tires in 13.27-seconds. He went into the pits in 14th place, but came out ninth.

On the ensuing restart on lap 151, the car was too loose for Kenseth to push it in the opening laps of the run. Little did Kenseth know that he had a tire slowly going down on the right front of the car. As he entered turn one on lap 160 with the No. 21 of Ricky Rudd hot on his tail, Kenseth’s car seemed to shudder slightly before slipping out from under him. He made contact with the wall between turns one and two and slid down the banking to the apron. Ricky Craven was caught up in the accident as well, as he was hit from behind.

Kenseth righted the car and pointed it down the backstretch — and floored it. “We didn’t hit anything hard, but I’ve got flat tires,” he relayed to the crew as they sprung into action. “We have to change tires as fast as we can to stay on the lead lap,” shouted Kenseth as he came down pit road. And that’s where the trouble began. Crew chief Robbie Reiser wisely only changed left side tires and sent Kenseth back out on the track ahead of the pace car. One lap later on lap 163, he had Kenseth come down pit road to change right side tires. One more lap and he had Kenseth come down pit road to check for body damage and suspension misalignment.

Meanwhile, the pits had been closed, but the No. 17 team had decided that the penalty — starting at the tail end of the lead lap — was much better than losing a lap to the field. On lap 166 as the pits finally opened and the leaders came down, Kenseth stayed out on the track and led the lap. When the original lead lap cars exited the pits, they drove by Kenseth as if he were a lapped car. He gingerly moved out of line and slowly passed them back. Wrong move, according to NASCAR officials, who flagged Kenseth with a one-lap penalty for passing under the caution and “pulling up to pit.” Crew chief Robbie Reiser and Kenseth immediately protested the call, but to no avail. NASCAR informed the team that if Kenseth did not obey the ruling, he would have his scorecard pulled. With no option left and obviously wanting to complete the event, Kenseth pitted for the penalty as Reiser continued to argue for at least an explanation from NASCAR officials. None was ever given.

The race restarted again on lap 169 and Kenseth was shown in 29th. Unfortunately, his problems were not yet over for the day. Now down a couple of laps to the field, Kenseth began to feel a vibration on the right front tire. It forced him to pit on lap 207, where the crew discovered that a bolt had backed out of the spacer plate between the wheel and tire. It was a great catch by Kenseth, but it left the team another lap down to the field.

The No. 17 DEWALT Tools Ford could not make up any more laps by the end of the event and Kenseth brought the car home in 31st place. Despite the poor showing, Kenseth retained the point lead by 21 (743–722) over second place Dale Earnhardt Jr.

After the race, reporters caught up with Robbie Reiser, whose frustration clearly showed through in his post-race interview:

CAN YOU EXPLAIN HOW NASCAR RULED WHEN THEY PENALIZED MATT? “Don’t ask me what NASCAR rules. I don’t know. Obviously, they’ve got a different set of rules for every race and I guess I’ve just got to get a rulebook for every race. I don’t know what happened.”

WAS IT A CASE WHERE THEY SAID YOU PULLED UP TO PIT? “We never pitted, so pulling up to pit is a lame excuse for a lap penalty. I really don’t know what happened, so for me commenting on it probably isn’t right because I really don’t know the whole circumstance.”

DO YOU HAVE TO BECOME A NASCAR OFFICIAL? “I can’t comment on something I don’t know anything about really, to be honest with you. It seems like these days you need a rulebook for every racetrack we go to, but I don’t know what the rule was and I don’t really know what happened, so for me to comment on anything for what they called a penalty, I can’t give you a straight answer. But I can tell you this, the penalty for pulling up to pit — we didn’t pit. So whatever they want to tell us, I’m sure I’ll understand it after they get done with me.”

WHAT DID THEY SAY TO YOU ON PIT ROAD? “They didn’t explain anything to me. They didn’t know. They just told me I had a lap penalty and I had to accept it. Either that or they were going to pull my scorecard, so we accepted the penalty and went on.”

CONCORD, NC (March 17, 2004) — Once Matt Kenseth had finally locked up the 2003 Winston Cup Championship on a sunny November afternoon in Rockingham, the world got a little crazy for him. He was already pre-scheduled to partake in a nationwide media tour featuring his unbelievably consistent season, which produced one victory, 25 top-10 finishes and 11 top-five finishes in 36 point-paying starts. Congratulatory calls poured in. Kenseth would later note that the voicemail box on his cell phone filled up in the first hour following the checkered flag. And just one day after clinching the title, he was on the sidelines of Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin — cheering on his beloved Packers.

The weeks following the championship were rife with activity as well. There was the New York banquet week, which goes without saying was a busy time. It was just as things were calming down before the Christmas holiday that Matt got one memorable phone call from a Wisconsin-based company that is of a dear interest to him.

It was the headquarters of Harley-Davidson Motor Company. On the other end of the line was Ron Hutchinson, the Vice-President of Parts and Accessories. And he wanted to let Matt Kenseth know that in appreciation of him winning the Championship and being from Wisconsin, they were going to award him a special motorcycle. They only wanted one thing in return— for Matt to be present when they gave it to him.

Matt told them to name the place and time.

One of Kenseth’s greatest passions outside of NASCAR racing is riding motorcycles — and he only rides one brand, Harley-Davidson. He was quite taken aback by the offer. Based on Matt Kenseth’s busy off-season schedule, it took awhile to settle in on a presentation date. Finally, the two parties arranged to meet at an AHDRA Drag Bike event at the Gainesville Raceway in Gainesville, Florida on March 2. Matt was already on his way back from a Ford Racing ride and drive event at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

After landing in Gainesville, Matt was whisked to the track by Kevin Hintz, the Marketing Manager for Harley-Davidson’s Custom Vehicle Operations group. Once he arrived, the parties assembled in victory lane, adjacent to the starting line of the drag strip. There, under wraps, was Matt’s motorcycle. And with just a little fanfare for the hundreds of fans in attendance and some local media, Ron Hutchinson lifted the cover on a beautiful 2004 FXSTDSE2 Screamin’ Eagle Softail Deuce in Candy Cobalt and Starlight Black.

Hutchinson made the following remarks: “From one great Wisconsin winner to another, everyone at Harley-Davidson is proud to recognize Matt’s Kenseth’s Championship season,” he stated.

The Custom Vehicle Operations motorcycle is one of only 2400 made by Harley-Davidson this year. Additionally, Matt’s bike featured a hand painted No. 17 and Matt Kenseth’s signature on the oil tank. Matt grinned ear to ear as he accepted the keys to the thunderous applause. “This is one of the coolest things anyone has ever done for me,” Matt replied to the crowd. “I’m just happy I could win the championship for myself and obviously for those others in my home state that have cheered me on.”

After the presentation, Matt hung around and talked with the Harley-Davidson representatives and signed autographs for the race fans still in attendance. He had the bike shipped to Tilley’s Harley-Davidson dealership in Statesville, North Carolina and recently picked it up for his first test drive.

“It’s an awesome bike,” says Kenseth. “I’m glad it’s a Screamin’ Eagle Softail Deuce — it’s just what I wanted and it’s one of a kind,” he added.

Matt received the keys to this custom Harley-Davidson last week at the Gainesville Raceway Dragstrip in Gainesville, Fla. Harley-Davidson presented him with the bike for winning the 2003 Winston Cup Championship AND more importantly, being from Wisconsin (same as Harley-Davidson).

Matt Kenseth performance at Darlington Raceway

Matt Kenseth on Darlington:

Robbie Reiser on Darlington:

“We’re taking the same car we used last week as it’s been a pretty good piece for us. Matt likes the chassis so I had the guys turn the car around on a real quick timetable this week so we could use it two weeks in a row.”

Notes:

• Matt Kenseth finished sixth in last week’s Golden Corral 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. It was his fourth straight top-10 finish in 2004.

• Matt Kenseth is once again the NASCAR NEXTEL point leader with an 82-point margin over second place Tony Stewart (673-591). He is the only driver to score four straight top-10’s in 2004.

• The No. 17 DEWALT Tools team will be bringing chassis #29 to Darlington. It was previously raced last week at Atlanta Motor Speedway to a sixth place finish.

• Kenseth has led the Nextel Cup point standings for 35 of the past 40 weeks.

• Kenseth has three top-10 finishes in nine starts at Darlington Raceway, including and eighth place finish in last year’s spring event.

Day of Redemption

HAMPTON, GA (March 14th, 2004) — Racing at the NEXTEL Cup Series level is as competitive as it gets and one mistake can cost you dearly. On Sunday, Matt Kenseth nearly had to find out. Kenseth overcame a spin on pit road that put him a lap down to the field, then narrowly missed out on a top-five finish in the Golden Corral 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Kenseth did, however, pick up his fourth straight top-10 finish of the 2004 season.

Kenseth rolled off the starting grid from the 30th spot, but rallied in an accustomed fashion as he picked up 23 spots in the first 34 laps. On lap 13, Kenseth passed three cars just coming out of the fourth turn. He complained that the car was tight, but that it had awesome power. By lap 42, however, the car began to backslide a little bit as the tires began to wear out. “I just used up the right front,” said Kenseth. After falling back to 10th, the No. 17 DEWALT Tools Ford came in for service on lap 56. As crew chief Robbie Reiser was calling for air pressure adjustments to the right side tires and a half a turn in the right rear, disaster struck. Kenseth’s car spun entering pit road in a tight circle as the brakes locked up underneath him. He quickly righted the car and dove into the pits, but adding to the misery, NASCAR penalized Kenseth for the mishap and implemented a “pass-through” penalty on pit road for the next lap.

When it was all said and done two laps later (lap 63) after the stop, Kenseth re-entered the race in the 35th position. He was bound and determined not to stay there. Once again, Kenseth went on a tear, picking up 10 spots in just 15 laps. He continued to work his way forward all the way to 19th place by the second pit stop of the day on lap 116. Kenseth called for four tires and no changes — a sure sign that the car was still performing. The crew got him out in 13.50 seconds.

Nine green flag laps later, another caution waved for debris. On the track, the No. 17 DEWALT Tools Ford was trying to take advantage of the “Lucky Dog” rule, which gives a lap back to the first car one lap down. It didn’t happen on the first caution. On lap 132, Kenseth restarted 17th, the third car one lap down. Six laps later, he was the second car one lap down. Five laps later, Kenseth became the first car one lap down to the field — thus, the “Lucky Dog” — if he could keep the position when the next caution flag waved.

Kenseth keyed the mike in the car and stated, “NASCAR, if you’re listening, there’s a hot dog wrapper in the groove in turn two.” Kenseth was obviously joking, but the caution did wave just five laps later on lap 148 as Rusty Wallace lost the transmission on his car and fluid leaked onto the racing surface. “OK, guys, we’re back in it,” said Kenseth. “I’m sorry about the deal before so let’s get after it and see what we can do here,” he added.

On lap 152 under caution, Kenseth pitted for four tires and another air pressure adjustment to the left side tires. 13.85 seconds later he was on his way. He restarted at the tail end of the longest line of cars, but officially listed in 17th place, the last car on the lead lap. Again, he didn’t stay there long. After moving up to 14th on lap 155, he narrowly missed a close call as the No. 77 car of Brendan Gaughan nicked the wall coming off of turn four just in front of Kenseth. He came down the track and missed Kenseth’s right front fender by a hair.

Kenseth complained that his car was too tight in the corners, but it didn’t stop him from advancing to 12th position on lap 181. On lap 213, the over-the-wall crew brought Kenseth in for service and another 13-second stop. He re-entered the race in 10th after picking up two positions on pit road. It was lap 216 of 325 and Kenseth was back in the top-10 running order.

Kenseth made it up to seventh place as the next caution flag waved on lap 246. After coming down pit road with the leaders, he exited after a 14.04-second stop in which the crew made air pressure adjustments to the right front, right rear and added wedge to loosen Matt up on the racetrack. He restarted the event in seventh on lap 251. “I’m still too tight around other cars,” said Matt, a bit bewildered that the changes didn’t help as much as they should have.

On lap 260, Matt Kenseth took over the sixth spot, returning full circle to the highest place he ran prior to the pit lane snafu. It had taken him 204 laps to atone for a split second mishap. As the tires wore out, the car began to push in the corner exits. The team did need to make one more fuel stop and did so for the final time on lap 298 — a 13.33-second stop and also the fastest of the day for the “Killer Bees”. Kenseth came back out on the track in fifth position on lap 304 — his first trip into the top-five all day, but it was a bit short lived. Fellow competitor and friend Ryan Newman re-passed Kenseth for the spot on lap 314. Kenseth held onto sixth place at the checkered flag, holding off teammate Greg Biffle in the process.

Afterwards, Kenseth remarked on his recovery efforts on the day.

“I’m happy with the overall result considering everything that went wrong. At the beginning of the race we had a lot better car than that and I messed it up. I feel bad about that, but even if we would have been in the front, we didn’t have better than a sixth-place car at the end. We were just really tight and no matter how much we adjusted, we just couldn’t get the car to turn the way we needed to. In the middle of the race the track got tight and we could never fix it.”

IT WAS A GOOD COMEBACK. “Yeah, it was a good comeback. I made a dumb mistake getting on pit road and we didn’t have a lot of cautions to come back from it, so, overall, I’m pretty happy with the result.”

With his sixth place effort on the day, Matt Kenseth and the No. 17 DEWALT Tools Ford retains an 82-point lead in the 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup point standings (673-591) over second place Tony Stewart. Next week, the circuit heads to Darlington Raceway.

By Jeff Cheatham, Roush Racing

Matt Kenseth performance at Atlanta Motor Speedway

DATE	START	FINISH	LAPS	MONEY	STATUS
03/12/00	4	40	199/325	$32,700