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Hard
crash
ends
good
run
for
Kenseth
May
29, 2005
CONCORD,
NC
(May
29,
2005)
—
What
looked
to
be
shaping
up
as a
solid
finish
to
top
off
a
good
weekend
at
the
Lowe’s
Motor
Speedway
ended
abruptly
for
Matt
Kenseth
and
the
No.
17
DEWALT
team
after
a
hard
crash
stunned
Kenseth
and
destroyed
the
No.
17
DEWALT
Ford.
The
No.
17
was
running
in
the
top-ten
when
it
was
caught
up
in a
crash
involving
the
No.
8
and
the
No.
15
in
the
Coca-Cola
600
Sunday
night
under
the
lights,
ending
the
night
early
for
Kenseth.
The
weekend
was
full
of
ups
and
downs
for
Kenseth
and
the
No.
17
team.
During
the
first
practice
session
on
Thursday,
Kenseth
posted
the
15th
quickest
lap
—
not
bad
but
not
great.
Then
Kenseth,
not
know
for
stellar
qualifying
runs,
posted
the
3rd
quickest
lap
during
time
trials
Thursday
night
to
earn
a
top-five
starting
spot
for
the
first
time
this
season.
Two
additional
practice
sessions
were
scheduled
for
Saturday
afternoon.
Kenseth
posted
the
7th
quickest
lap
in
the
first
practice
session
on
Saturday,
leaving
Kenseth
and
the
No.
17
DEWALT
crew
feeling
pumped
about
the
car’s
performance
and
the
upcoming
race.
That
feeling
would
be
fleeting
however,
as
Kenseth
spun
the
No.
17
getting
off
of
pit
road
to
start
the
final
practice
session
on
Saturday,
backing
the
No.
17
into
the
wall
and
causing
substantial
cosmetic
damage
to
the
rear
of
the
car.
The
No.
17
crew
stayed
well
into
the
evening
diligently
repairing
the
car,
not
wanting
to
go
to
the
back-up
Ford
and
lose
their
3rd-place
qualifying
run
and
the
motor
that
had
performed
so
well
during
the
weekend.
The
crew
was
able
to
satisfactorily
repair
the
DEWALT
Ford
and
rolled
off
from
the
3rd
starting
position
to
begin
the
longest
race
of
the
season. The
crew
knew
they
would
be
dealing
with
some
adjustments
as
the
race
unfolded,
as
they
missed
out
on
the
final
practice
session
Saturday.
The
car
started
out
tight,
with
Kenseth
radioing
to
his
crew
that
the
front
tires
were
not
gripping
at
all.
The
No.
17
elected
to
stay
out
during
the
first
caution
which
flew
early
on
lap
5.
Kenseth’s
first
trip
down
pit
road
would
be a
routine
green
flag
stop
on
lap
58.
The
crew
made
a
wedge
adjustment
and
took
a
rubber
out
of
the
right
rear
in
addition
to
giving
Kenseth
four
tires
and
fuel.
Kenseth,
running
in
the
middle
of
the
pack
after
the
green
flag
stop,
drove
his
way
up
to
the
14th
position
when
the
third
caution
of
the
evening
flew
on
lap
92.
Kenseth
again
brought
the
No.
17
down
pit
road
this
time
receiving
a
track
bar
adjustment,
four
tires
and
fuel.
These
adjustments
cured
the
tight
condition
of
the
racecar
but
resulted
in a
bit
of a
loose
condition.
Kenseth
came
in
for
service
on
lap
114
during
the
fifth
caution
period
and
made
an
air
pressure
adjustment
in
an
effort
to
equalize
the
car.
The
crew
continued
to
work
on
the
car
as
it
alternated
between
loose
and
tight
throughout
the
course
of
the
night.
Kenseth
broke
into
the
top-ten
again
by
lap
230
and
continued
to
move
up
through
the
field
as
the
race
was
peppered
with
spins,
crashes
and
cautions.
Kenseth
would
get
caught
up
in
the
15th
caution
of
the
night
as
the
No.
8
got
into
the
back
of
the
No.
15,
spinning
him
right
into
the
path
of
Kenseth.
Kenseth
had
nowhere
to
go
and,
after
colliding
with
the
No.
15,
ended
up
hard
into
the
outside
wall,
knocking
the
wind
out
of
Kenseth
and
destroying
the
No.
17
DEWALT
Ford
that
the
crew
had
worked
so
hard
to
repair
the
evening
before.
The
evening
was
a
historic
one,
breaking
the
all-time
record
for
cautions
in a
single
NASCAR
race
with
an
unbelievable
21
cautions.
When
it
was
all
said
and
done,
Kenseth
ended
up
with
a
37th–place
finish. “I
was
just
in
the
wrong
place
at
the
wrong
time,”
said
Kenseth,
after
being
released
uninjured
from
the
Infield
Care
Center.
“The
No.
8
just
ran
over
the
No.
15
car
in
the
straightaway.
I
took
a
hard
hit
but
I’m
okay.
It’s
just
unfortunate.
We
had
a
good
weekend
going,
with
a
solid
qualifying
run
to
start
it
out,
and
then
moving
up
through
the
field
tonight.
We
had
to
work
on
the
car
throughout
the
race,
it
wasn’t
perfect,
but
it
was
getting
better
as
we
went
along
and
we
should’ve
ended
up
with
a
top-ten
finish,
for
sure.” The
No.
17
DEWALT
Ford
will
be
back
in
action
next
Sunday
at
the
Dover
International
Speedway.
Coca-Cola 600 Race Preview
May 23, 2005
Lowe’s
Motor
Speedway
•
Concord, N.C.
Coca Cola 600 •
Sunday, May 29 • 5:00 pm/e Fox
Matt
Kenseth’s Cup Series performance summary at
Charlotte
| Date |
S |
F |
Laps |
Reason |
| 10/11/99 |
27 |
40 |
231/334 |
Accident |
| 05/28/00 |
21 |
1 |
400/400 |
Running |
| 10/08/00 |
26 |
9 |
334/334 |
Engine |
| 05/27/01 |
40 |
18 |
399/400 |
Running |
| 10/07/01 |
32 |
12 |
334/334 |
Running |
| 05/26/02 |
21 |
2 |
400/400 |
Running |
| 10/13/02 |
7 |
34 |
254/334 |
Engine |
| 05/25/03 |
18 |
2 |
276/276 |
Running |
| 10/11/03 |
29 |
8 |
334/334 |
Running |
| 05/30/04 |
37 |
3 |
400/400 |
Running |
| 10/16/04 |
36 |
11 |
334/334 |
Running |
Matt Kenseth Cup Series totals at
Charlotte
| |
Races |
Wins |
Top 5s |
Top 10s |
Poles
|
| Cumulative |
11 |
1 |
4 |
6 |
0 |
Matt
Kenseth on racing at Lowe’s Motor Speedway:
“Lowe’s
Motor Speedway is definitely one of my favorite
tracks. It’s particularly special to me because I
got my first Cup win here back in 2000. We’ve come
away with good finishes the last couple of years
here, so I’m looking forward to the 600. It is the
longest race of the year, so it will be challenging,
but it should be fun.”
Crew Chief Robbie Reiser on
racing at Lowe’s Motor Speedway:
“We’ve had some
good finishes here at Lowe’s so I’ll think we’ll be
in good shape for the 600. We’re bringing car number
38 this weekend, the same car we ran in Fontana for
the first time earlier this year. The car was strong
in Fontana, but we didn’t get the finish we should
have out of it. We were running in the top-ten when
we cut a tire down with less than twenty laps to go.
But the car was fast and I think we’ll be
competitive this weekend.”
Fast Facts
n
Matt
Kenseth scored his first NASCAR Cup Series career
victory in the Coca-Cola 600 at the Lowe’s Motor
Speedway in 2000.
n
In his eleven starts at Lowe’s,
Kenseth has one win, four top-five’s and six top-ten
finishes.
n
Matt Kenseth will be running car number
38 in the upcoming Coca-Cola 600. This is the same
car that ran in Fontana earlier this year.
All-Star Challenge
Articles
n
Q&A: Matt talks about All-Star Race, the
Killer Bees, and the season in general
n
Kenseth hopes to reverse luck in Charlotte
n
Kenseth
can turn it around
n
Kenseth
keeps cool during slow start
n
Kenseth,
2003 points champion, has been just about invisible this season
n
2004 Challenge revisited
n
Kenseth’s
star rising
n
Kenseth
looks to return to NASCAR’s pinnacle
n
Kenseth
sees hard work as a remedy
n
Kenseth
searches for trademark consistency
Matt Kenseth 11th in All-Star Challenge
May 21, 2005
CONCORD, NC (May 21, 2005) — Defending
All-Star Challenge winner Matt Kenseth ended the
special three-segment event with an 11th-place
finish Saturday night under the lights at the Lowe’s
Motor Speedway, while Roush Racing teammate Mark
Martin, in his final year of Nextel Cup racing, took
the checkered flag. The competitors in the All-Star
Challenge began their weekend with a rain-delayed
practice session on Friday afternoon. Kenseth and
the No. 17 DEWALT Ford posted the 10th quickest lap
during practice and, following suit, qualified in
the 10th starting position for the All-Star
shootout. The special format called for three
segments — 40, 30 and then 20 laps. Upon taking the
green flag in the first segment, Kenseth started
going backwards through the field, dealing with an
ill-handling racecar. Per the rules of the
Challenge, all teams were required to make a green
flag four-tire pit stop between laps 13 and 16.
Kenseth brought the DEWALT Ford down pit road on lap
14 and, in addition to four tires, received a track
bar adjustment. As the green flag stops cycled
through, Kenseth ended up in the 18th position by
lap 20. Caution flew for debris in Turn 3 of the
racetrack on lap 30 and Kenseth again brought the
No. 17 down pit road, radioing to his crew that the
car was “tighter than it is loose.” The crew put on
four fresh tires and made a wedge adjustment in the
left rear. Kenseth restarted the race in the 19th
position on lap 34. The second caution of the first
segment slowed the field on the very next lap and
Kenseth radioed to his crew that the car was
terribly loose and that he just couldn’t stay in the
gas. This caution was for an accident on the front
stretch involving nine cars, resulting in a red flag
period which stopped the competition for
approximately fifteen minutes. Kenseth finished the
first segment in the 12th position, noting that the
No. 17 was “massive loose.” The first segment was
followed by a 10-minute pit stop during which the
DEWALT crew made numerous adjustments to the car,
including adding a rubber in the left rear and track
bar and wedge adjustments. After a random drawing
which resulted in the inversion of the first six
positions, the second segment of the Challenge was
underway, with Kenseth starting in the 12th
position. The second segment, consisting of thirty
laps, was fairly uneventful and Kenseth finished
this period in the 10th position, feeling that the
No. 17 was a little tight. The DEWALT team elected
to pit between segments 2 and 3, removing the spring
rubber they had previously put in the left rear, and
making track bar and wedge adjustments. Kenseth
restarted the third segment in the 9th position,
after teammate Greg Biffle blew a left front tire,
creating damage to his racecar which spelled the end
of his day. There was one caution in the final
20-lap third segment, during which the No. 17
elected to stay out on the track. Kenseth just
didn’t have the car to get up to the front and wound
up with an 11th-place finish. “I’m disappointed,”
said Kenseth after the race, “We just didn’t have
the car tonight. But if we couldn’t get the win, I’m
happy that my teammate Mark Martin did. He’s been a
huge influence in my racing career and I’m glad that
he could win the All-Star Challenge in his final
year of Cup racing. For us, we’ll go back to the
shop and use what we learned here tonight to prepare
our car for the 600.” The No. 17 DEWALT Ford will
compete in the Coca-Cola 600 next Sunday night at
Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.
Nextel All-Star Challenge Pre-Race
May 18, 2005
Lowe’s
Motor
Speedway
•
Concord, N.C.
Nextel All-Star Challenge •
Sat., May 21 • 9:00 pm e / fX
Matt
Kenseth’s All-Star Race performance summary
|
Year |
Start |
Finish |
Seg 1 |
Seg 2 |
Laps |
Reason |
|
2001 |
13 |
14 |
17 |
14 |
70 |
Running |
|
2002 |
1 |
3 |
12 |
5 |
90 |
Running |
|
2003 |
17 |
6 |
11 |
4 |
90 |
Running |
|
2004 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
90 |
Running |
Matt Kenseth on
the
All-Star
Challenge:
“It
was
really
cool
to
be
able
to
win
this
race
last
year.
I
remember
we
had
started
the
season
off
really
strong
but
then
went
into
kind
of a
slump.
Winning
the
All-Star
Challenge
was
a
good
boost
for
our
team.
It’s
a
neat
atmosphere
–
the
fans
really
enjoy
the
event
and
come
out
and
support
us.
For
me,
it’s
a
nice
break
from
the
point
competition.
It’s
an
honor
to
be
able
to
compete
in a
race
with
our
sport’s
elite
drivers
–
all
past
winners.”
Crew
Chief
Robbie
Reiser
on
the
All-Star
Challenge:
“This
will
be a
fun
race
for
our
guys.
The
atmosphere
will
be a
little
lighter,
without
the
pressure
of
the
point
standings
in
the
backs
of
our
minds.
But
don’t
get
me
wrong,
these
guys
want
to
win,
no
matter
what.
Many
of
the
guys
will
have
their
family
and
friends
in
attendance
this
weekend,
and
they
will
want
to
put
on a
good
show.”
Fast
Facts
n
Matt
Kenseth
will
be
running
car
number
39
in
the
All-Star
Challenge
on
Saturday
night.
This
car
ran
at
Dover
International
Speedway
last
September.
Kenseth
led
58
laps
in
the
event
before
crashing
into
a
tire
barrier
on
his
way
into
pit
road.
For
that
mishap,
Kenseth
and
the
crew
affectionately
refer
to
car
39
as
“Grave
Digger.”
n
Matt
Kenseth
is
the
defending
NASCAR
Nextel
All-Star
Challenge
winner,
having
won
the
event
on
May
22,
2004.
Matt Kenseth posts 12th-Place finish
at Richmond
May 14, 2005
RICHMOND, VA (May 14, 2005) — Having fought
a loose racecar last weekend at Darlington, Matt
Kenseth had the opposite problem this weekend at
Richmond, driving his tight racecar to a 12th-place
finish under the lights in the Chevy American
Revolution 400 Saturday night.
The No. 17 DEWALT
crew kept busy during the two-hour practice session
on Friday, making adjustments to the car. Kenseth
ended up qualifying in the 26th position early
Friday evening. Rolling off 26th, Kenseth remained
towards the back of the pack in the early going of
the event, dealing with his tight racecar. When the
first of nine caution flags flew on lap 63, Kenseth
brought the No. 17 down pit road for some
adjustments and service.
Having received an air
pressure adjustment and four fresh tires, Kenseth
restarted the race in the 20th position on lap 68.
When the No. 17 came down pit road again during the
third caution period on lap 126, Kenseth had worked
his way up to 16th-place. The DEWALT crew pulled a
rubber out of the left rear and made a track bar
adjustment on the No. 17, getting the racecar back
on the track in the 16th position for the restart on
lap 133.
Kenseth was unable to move up through the
field, radioing to his crew that his No. 17 “took
forever to get going,” and was still a little tight.
During the fourth caution period on lap 164, Kenseth
brought the No. 17 in for attention from the crew,
who made air pressure and wedge adjustments.
Restarting in the 15th position on lap 170, Kenseth
continued to deal with a tight racecar that was not
responding to the crew’s adjustments.
When the
fifth caution flag flew on lap 233 with Kenseth
running in the 17th position, Kenseth elected to pit
late in order to lead a lap and gain five valuable
points in the Nextel Cup standings. When Kenseth
finally came down pit road, the DEWALT crew pulled a
rubber out of the left rear and put a rubber into
the right rear in an effort to free up the car. The
No. 17 restarted the race in the 24th position on
lap 242.
During the next hundred laps, Kenseth
worked his way into 14th place, coming in for
adjustments during the caution period on lap 331.
The No. 17 received four new tires and a track bar
adjustment in just 12.9 seconds and restarted the
race in the 11th position with 61 laps to go.
Kenseth was able to remain near the top ten as the
remaining laps clicked off, and ended up finishing
in the 12th spot. “Well, this week we had the exact
opposite problem that we had last week. The car was
tight all night and I just couldn’t get it to cut
like I wanted it to. The guys kept working on it,
trying to get it freed up, but it just never would
turn like I needed it to,” said Kenseth after the
race, “We’ll keep working on it. We were able to get
a top-fifteen finish out of it, but I know we’re
capable of better.” With his 12th-place finish at
Richmond, Kenseth gains three spots in the Nextel
Cup standings, moving up to the 21st position.
The
No. 17 DEWALT Ford will compete in the Nextel
All-Star Challenge next Saturday night at Lowe’s
Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.
Kenseth finishes 8th in
Busch race at Richmond
May 13, 2005
RICHMOND, VA (May 13, 2005) —
Maintaining his string of top-ten finishes in the
Busch Series, Matt Kenseth posted an 8th place
finish in the Funai 250 at the Richmond
International Raceway on Friday night. Matt Kenseth
and the No. 17 Waste Management Ford Taurus have
finished in the top ten in each of the six Busch
events in which Kenseth has competed this
season. With a solid qualifying effort, Kenseth
rolled off in the 11th starting position Friday
night under the lights at Richmond. The No. 17
immediately moved into the top ten and ran there for
much of the night. There were several early cautions
that slowed the race, which included a red flag
period that stopped the field for almost fifteen
minutes, after a crash on lap 57. While there were
several early cautions, Kenseth elected to stay out
until the fifth caution of the night slowed the
field on lap 78. Running in the 6th position,
Kenseth came down pit road and the crew made an air
pressure adjustment, pulled a rubber out of the left
rear, and gave the No. 17 four fresh tires and fuel.
After the lengthy stop, Kenseth restarted the race
in the 20th position on lap 83.
The crew made more
adjustments to the car during the sixth caution
period, and when the seventh caution flag flew on
lap 140, Kenseth had a moment to catch his breath
and radio to his crew that the car was the best that
it had been all night during that run. Kenseth came
down pit road to get four new tires, and restarted
the race in 19th-place on lap 148 of 250.
After the
restart, Kenseth began to move up through the field
and would run in the top ten for most of the
remaining laps. After a late caution on lap 246, the
race ended with a green-white-checker finish, with
Kenseth crossing the line in 8th place.
“I’m glad we
were able to come away with another top-ten finish.
The car was good, not great, but good. It was a
little tight tonight, which the crew continued to
work on all night,” said Kenseth, after the race,
“Our team is still confident after the win last
weekend that we can get the job done. We race in
Dover next in the Waste Management Ford, which is
one of my favorite tracks, so I’m looking forward to
more good things for this team.”
Kenseth will again
be behind the wheel of the No. 17 Waste Management
Ford in Dover on June 4, 2005.
No. 17 DEWALT Team to
compete in Pit Crew Challenge
May 13, 2005
RICHMOND, VA (May 13, 2005) — The No. 17
DEWALT crew will test their skills against other top
teams in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series in the
inaugural NASCAR Nextel Pit Crew Challenge presented
by Motorola, Thursday, May 19, at 7:00 p.m. at the
Charlotte Coliseum. A combined purse of more than
$250,000 in guaranteed cash and prizes will be up
for grabs to individual and team winners.
The No. 17
team, winners of the 2001 and 2002 Cup Series pit
crew competitions, will bring its seven
over-the-wall guys to the Charlotte Coliseum next
week to go head to head with their counterparts
across the series. Handling fuel will be gas man
Benjy Grubbs and catch can man Dave McDonald. Benjy
is from Richmond, Virginia, and has been with the
No. 17 team for five years. Dave is from Clinton,
Michigan, and this is his first year with the
team. At the front of the car will be front tire
carrier Chris Brook and front tire changer Justin
Nottestad. Chris is originally from Davie, Florida,
and has worked with the No. 17 team for three years.
Justin is from Cambridge, Wisconsin, and has been
with the team for five years. At the rear of the car
will be rear tire carrier Zak Yarnot, and rear tire
changer Jeremy West. Jeremy is from Los Angeles,
California, and is beginning his third year with the
DEWALT team. Zak is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania,
and has been with the team for one year.
Finally,
handling the jack is Russ Strupp, a native of
Wisconsin, who has been with Matt Kenseth and Robbie
Reiser since Kenseth was a Busch Series regular.
There will be an individual championship at stake
for each of the crew member positions, as well as an
overall team championship. Tickets are available to
the event for $10.00 and, for those unable to make
it to the competition, the pit crew challenge will
be made into a one-hour show that will air on FX
leading into the NASCAR Nextel All-Star Challenge
coverage on Saturday, May 21.
About his team, driver
Matt Kenseth says, “I’m fortunate to have such a
great group of guys behind me every weekend. These
guys work so hard week in and week out, having
little time at home or with their families. They
truly are the unsung heroes of our sport. With this
competition, fans across the country will have an
opportunity to watch and appreciate the skill of
these guys that go over-the-wall each weekend. They
can really make a difference on race day, earning me
positions off of pit road as a result of a quick
stop. I wish them the best of luck, and I,
personally, am looking forward to watching them
compete.”
 Darlington
Busch win articles
Matt took the Waste Management car
to Victory Lane in dominating fashion on Friday night, but then
fought a terribly loose Carhartt car all evening on
Saturday
n
Photos from Darlington
n
Kenseth floors it after knee-jerk reaction
n
Kenseth tops Wallace in Darlington
n
Kenseth
comes on strong late
n
Kenseth
cleans up in Diamond Hill Plywood 200
n
Kenseth beats Wallace to victory at Darlington
n
Matt Kenseth runs first of three races with Carhartt paint
scheme at Darlington
n
Carhartt show car schedule. See if it will be touring
your town!
Richmond Pre-Race Notes
May 11, 2005
Richmond International Raceway
•
Richmond, Va.
Nextel Cup: Chevy
American Revolution 400 •
Sat., May 14 • 7:00 pm
Busch Series: Funai 250 •
Friday, May 13 • 7:30 pm
Matt
Kenseth’s Cup Series performance summary at
Richmond
| Date |
S |
F |
Laps |
Reason |
| 05/06/00 |
37 |
15 |
400/400 |
Running |
| 09/09/00 |
20 |
32 |
376/400 |
Engine |
| 05/05/01 |
19 |
8 |
400/400 |
Running |
| 09/08/01 |
38 |
35 |
301/400 |
Running |
| 05/05/02 |
7 |
6 |
400/400 |
Running |
| 09/07/02 |
25 |
1 |
400/400 |
Running |
| 05/03/03 |
18 |
7 |
393/393 |
Running |
| 09/06/03 |
18 |
7 |
400/400 |
Running |
| 05/15/04 |
29 |
5 |
400/400 |
Running |
| 09/11/04 |
16 |
28 |
397/400 |
Running |
Matt Kenseth Cup Series totals at
Richmond
| |
Races |
Wins |
Top 5s |
Top 10s |
Poles
|
| Cumulative |
10 |
1 |
2 |
6 |
0 |
Matt
Kenseth’s Busch Series performance summary at
Richmond
| Date |
S |
F |
Laps |
Reason |
| 09/05/97 |
32 |
22 |
248/250 |
Running |
| 06/05/98 |
14 |
3 |
250/250 |
Running |
| 09/11/98 |
23 |
4 |
250/250 |
Running |
| 05/14/99 |
18 |
3 |
250/250 |
Running |
| 09/10/99 |
30 |
20 |
249/250 |
Running |
| 03/05/00 |
4 |
2 |
250/250 |
Running |
| 09/08/00 |
8 |
8 |
250/250 |
Running |
| 05/04/01 |
1 |
4 |
250/250 |
Running |
| 09/07/01 |
16 |
2 |
250/250 |
Running
|
| 09/05/03 |
28 |
6 |
250/250 |
Running |
Matt Kenseth Busch Series totals at
Richmond
| |
Races |
Wins |
Top 5s |
Top 10s |
Poles
|
| Cumulative |
10 |
0 |
6 |
8 |
1 |
Matt Kenseth on racing at
Richmond:
“Racing at
Richmond is always fun and I enjoy coming here. I’m
just such a fan of the smaller tracks and racing
under the lights will be cool for the fans to watch.
We’ve had a win here and a string of top ten
finishes so I’m looking forward to it. It was great
to finally get our first win of the season last
weekend in the Busch Series and I think we’ll carry
that momentum forward coming into Richmond.”
Crew Chief Robbie
Reiser on racing at Richmond:
“We are
bringing car number 20 to Richmond this weekend.
This car has never been raced but we have tested it
twice, at Las Vegas and most recently in Indy. The
test at Indy was better than usual so we’re
optimistic about the car’s performance this weekend.
The Busch win last weekend in Darlington should be a
confidence boost for both teams going into Richmond,
so I think we’ll come out good there.”
Fast
Facts
n
In his ten starts at Richmond in the Cup
series, Kenseth has six top-ten finishes, including
one win in 2002.n Kenseth has finished in the top ten
at Richmond in five of his last six starts. n Kenseth
will be running car number 20 this weekend. This car
was tested at Las Vegas and Indy, but has not yet
been raced. n Matt Kenseth will be competing in the
Funai 250 in the No. 17 Waste Management Ford Friday
night in the Busch Series. In his ten Busch starts
at Richmond, Kenseth has six top-five finishes,
eight top-ten’s and one pole.
n Kenseth scored his
first win in the Busch Series this season last
weekend at Darlington, leading 50 of 147
laps. n Kenseth will be running car number B041 this
weekend in the Busch Series. This car won at Loudon
last year and has also raced at California.
Matt Kenseth too loose at Darlington
May 7, 2005
DARLINGTON, SC (May
7, 2005) — Matt Kenseth fought a loose race car all
night under the lights at the Darlington Raceway and
ended up with a 26th place finish in the No. 17
Carhartt/DEWALT Ford Taurus.
The race weekend at
Darlington began with rain as Thursday’s practice
sessions were washed out and rescheduled in abbreviated
form for Friday morning. Kenseth wasn’t fast in practice
and qualified in the 31st starting position later in the
afternoon. Despite his performance during practice and
qualifying, Kenseth was hopeful that the No. 17 would be
more competitive as the sun set around the track.
Kenseth was victorious Friday night in the Busch Series
and noted that his Busch car improved as the night wore
on.
Kenseth looked as if his charge to the front of the
field on Friday night would be repeated as he steadily
moved through the field in the early going of the Cup
event. Having started 31st, Kenseth drove his way into
the 16th position by lap 18. At that time he radioed to
crew chief, Robbie Reiser, that the No. 17 was “way too
loose.” That would turn out to be Kenseth’s battle
throughout the night — fighting the loose race car. When
the third caution of the evening flew on lap 39, Kenseth
brought the No. 17 Carhartt Ford in for adjustments,
receiving four fresh tires, air pressure adjustments and
two turns of wedge into the left rear. The crew
completed the stop in 13.6 seconds and Kenseth restarted
the race in the 27th position on lap 44, having come in
for his stop in 30th place. By lap 60, Kenseth radioed
to Reiser again that the car was “still way too loose.”
The fourth caution of the night slowed the field
nineteen laps later and the crew decided to make some
drastic adjustments to the car in an effort to tighten
it up. First, however, ever mindful of the critical
Nextel Cup points, Kenseth pitted late in order to lead
a lap and gain five valuable points. When he did come
down pit road on lap 83, the crew put two rubbers in the
right rear and dropped the track bar, in addition to
providing four new tires and fuel. Kenseth started way
back in the field after his lengthy stop for
adjustments, in the 38th position, and when the fifth
caution of the race flew just ten laps later, Kenseth
brought the No. 17 back in for more drastic adjustments,
advising his crew that “the front end is tight but the
back is still loose,” and “the back doesn’t have any
stick to it.” The crew put another half rubber in and
made another wedge adjustment, along with four tires.
Kenseth restarted the race in 30th place on lap 99 of
367. Kenseth radioed the crew on lap 136, advising that
they needed to tighten the car up some more, and Kenseth
brought the No. 17 down pit road under green on lap 149.
The crew made another air pressure adjustment, track bar
adjustment and raised the stagger on the loose race car.
Kenseth rejoined the field in the 32nd position. As the
other cars in the field began to cycle through their
green flag pit stops, Kenseth was able to move up into
11th place. By lap 167, however, Kenseth was telling his
crew that the car was looser than the last run, before
the most recent set of adjustments.
Unable to get much
out of the car in it’s condition, Kenseth made another
green flag stop on lap 191 with the crew making more
track bar and wedge adjustments. Kenseth returned to the
field in the 36th position, two laps down. Although the
crew would continue to make adjustments to the car all
night, Kenseth was never able to make up his two laps
and finally finished in 26th-place. “I fought that race
car all night,” said Kenseth after the race, “It was
exhausting. The guys kept working and working on it but
it just didn’t come around. It’s a huge disappointment,
especially after last night where we came away with a
win here in the Busch Series. I was hoping we could do
the same tonight here for Carhartt, since we’re running
their paint scheme tonight for the first time this
season. But the car was just loose, loose all night, and
nothing we threw at it made it much better.” With his
26th-place finish at Darlington, Kenseth looses one spot
in the Nextel Cup standings, dropping to the 24th
position. The No. 17 DEWALT Ford will be back in action
next weekend at the Richmond International Raceway,
where Kenseth will again compete in both the Busch and
Nextel Cup events.
Kenseth tames Darlington in
Busch Series race
May
6, 2005
DARLINGTON,
SC (May 6, 2005) — Matt Kenseth led 50 out of 147 laps
under the lights at the track “too tough to tame” to
score his first victory of the 2005 Busch series season
Friday night. The No. 17 Waste Management Ford Taurus
won the Diamond Hill Plywood 200 at the Darlington
Raceway, the first Busch Series event held under the
lights at the historical venue. The race weekend at
Darlington started out wet, with the practice sessions
scheduled for Thursday being rained out and postponed,
albeit in abbreviated form, to Friday. Kenseth posted
the 12th quickest lap in practice on Friday and later
qualified in the 24th position. Rolling off 24th,
Kenseth wasted no time moving to the front of the field,
finding his way into the top ten by lap 41 and into the
fifth spot by lap 48, when the second caution of the
evening slowed the field. Kenseth advised his crew that
the car was “a little tight toward the end of the run,
but not too bad,” and that the “overall balance of the
car was pretty good.” The crew made an air pressure
adjustment and took on fresh tires and fuel. Kenseth
restarted the race in the 5th position on lap 54.
Kenseth remained in the top five and was running 4th
when the third caution of the evening flew. Advising his
crew that, “the car started out OK, but then started
getting tight,” Kenseth came down pit road for service
and received another air pressure adjustment, along with
four fresh tires, fuel and a windshield tear-off.
Kenseth radioed to his crew that the car was “really
coming in after about ten laps into a run.” The No. 17
restarted the event in the 4th position on lap 71.
Kenseth took the lead on lap 96 and led until pitting
under caution on lap 117. Having advised the crew that
the car “needed to be a little freer,” the crew made
another air pressure adjustment and a wedge adjustment
to help the car’s tight condition. Restarting at the
head of the field on lap 121, Kenseth would continue to
lead as the laps wore down. When a late caution slowed
the field on lap 134, there was a decision to be made —
come in or stay out. Kenseth wanted to come in and get
four fresh tires and planned to do so — until he noticed
that most of the cars behind him were staying out. At
the last moment, Kenseth pulled back up into the groove
and decided to forego the pit stop — a move that would
solidify his victory. Kenseth led the final seven laps
after the restart to secure his first victory of the
2005 season. “This is awesome! I’m so happy for the guys
and I’m so happy for Waste Management who has been
behind us and supported us. We haven’t come away with
the finishes that we’ve wanted this season and I’m so
glad to see everything come together tonight. The guys
have never given up and have just kept working and
working on these cars and their pit stops. Hopefully,
this will be huge momentum for us going into Richmond
next weekend and for the rest of the season, as well. I
think we have finally turned a corner in our program and
I hope this won’t be the last time you see us in Victory
Lane this year!” Kenseth will again be behind the wheel
of the No. 17 Waste Management Ford at the Richmond
International Raceway, on Friday, May 13, under the
lights.
Matt Kenseth runs first of
three races with Carhartt paint scheme at Darlington
May 4, 2005
 CONCORD, NC (May 4, 2005) - You won’t see the
familiar black and yellow “killer bee” paint scheme on
the No. 17 DEWALT Ford Taurus this weekend in
Darlington. Matt Kenseth will be running the first of
three races in the 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup season with
the black and copper colors of Carhartt, manufacturer of
premium workwear for over one hundred years. Kenseth
comes into the tenth race of the season in the 23rd
position in the Nexel Cup point standings. Having
experienced a string of bad luck in the form of cut
tires and crashes, Kenseth is looking for his luck to
turn around and make a return to his championship form.
Kenseth has three top-ten finishes in his eleven Cup
starts at Darlington. The No. 17 will sport the Carhartt
colors twice more this season, first at the Brickyard in
Indianapolis on August 7, 2005, and then at Lowe’s Motor
Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, on October 31,
2005. Carhartt joins USG, Trex and DEWALT in rounding
out the construction industry based theme of the No. 17
this year. Carhartt offers a complete product line for
both warm and cold weather which includes jeans and work
pants, shirts, sweats, shorts, tee’s and accessories. To
learn more about Carhartt products, please log on to
www.carhartt.com.
Darlington Pre-Race Notes
May 4, 2005
Darlington Raceway
•
Darlington, S.C.
Nextel Cup:
Dodge Charger 500 •
Saturday, May 7 • 7:00 pm (ET)
Busch Series: Diamond Hill Plywood 200 •
Friday, May 6 • 7:30 pm (ET)
Matt
Kenseth’s Cup Series performance summary at
Darlington
| Date |
S |
F |
Laps |
Reason |
|
08/22/99 |
31 |
37 |
145/270 |
| |
