KENSETH WINS RECORD EXTENDING EIGHT SLINGER NATIONALS CROWN WITH DRAMATIC LAST CORNER PASS
July 10, 2019 From Dave Kallman, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel SLINGER – Lest there be any question about the way Matt Kenseth passed Ty Majeski to win the 40th Slinger Nationals on Tuesday night, Majeski answered it before it was asked.
“Exactly what I’d have done,” Majeski said after being denied a second consecutive title by an aggressive move he knew was coming.
Kenseth led just the final 100 yards or so to claim his record-extending eighth title in Slinger Speedway’s prestigious super-late model special.
Helped by two cautions in the final 27 laps, Kenseth was able to fill Majeski’s mirror, hug his bumper and stick his nose to the inside numerous times and outside, as well. The two were even on the back stretch on the final lap when Majeski brushed the outside wall. And as they came through Turn 4, Kenseth let his car drift up into Majeski enough that Majeski couldn’t defend without wrecking them both.
Not bad for a guy who hadn’t raced at Slinger since 2016 or anywhere since last season’s NASCAR finale.
“It’s short-track racing,” said Kenseth, the 2003 NASCAR champion and a two-time Daytona 500 winner from Cambridge.
“On the restarts I’d be on the outside and he’d get me way wide going into 3 and take off and I’d have to lift to get behind him because I didn’t have any room either. So he could get the lead and get going, that’s what you do as the leader.
“You’re not going to go dump a guy. I had several, several chances to run in the back of him and didn’t, and he was really smart and he was really patient. When I did get in there a foot or so, he’d move up and give me the room.
“I thought it was a great race. Of course, we won, but even if we hadn’t won, I’d still think it was a great race.”