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Race Schedule
Sunday, Sept. 16
NNCS: Sylvania 300 - 1:00 PM Eastern - ABC/MRN
FAST FACTS
* Matt Kenseth is one of two drivers to have made the Chase for the NEXTEL Cup in all four seasons (Jimmie Johnson is the other).
* Kenseth enters the 2007 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup tied for the sixth position. Last season, Kenseth entered the Chase atop the standings. In 2005, he entered in the ninth spot, and 2004, he started the Chase in fifth.
* NHIS holds Kenseth’s highest average finish in Chase races of 5.0, and his best finish during any of his 30 Chase races of second in 2004. His 10.7 career average finish at NHIS is also tops among the 10 tracks in the Chase.
* Kenseth’s average finish of 10.7 at NHIS is tops among all NASCAR NEXTEL Cup drivers with four or more starts at the track; the fifth-best track for Kenseth’s career.
* Kenseth’s 10 top-10 finishes at NHIS is best among all drivers since 2000, Kenseth’s rookie season.
* Kenseth has completed all but four laps in 15 races at NHIS; 4,384 of 4,388. The second best mark of any driver that has competed in those same 15 events (Jeff Gordon - 4,385).
Matt Kenseth - NNCS Advance
Team: No. 17 DEWALT Ford Fusion
Crew Chief: Robbie Reiser
Chassis: RK-451 Last outing: Loudon, July ‘07 - finished ninth
Also: Has one top five (Phoenix) and three top 10s in four starts
RK-458 Has served as backup in four races in ‘07, but has yet to see action
Kenseth on racing at New Hampshire International Speedway:
“New Hampshire is a challenging track and like most everywhere else, you have to get your car to turn well through the center of the corner. The straight-a-ways are long for just a one-mile track and the turns are extremely flat, so having good brakes that will last you to the end is important if you want to run good.
“We usually have pretty good finishes at New Hampshire, but it seems like we’re never that competitive. I don’t really know why that is. It seems like every time we go there, we’ll run around 12th to 15th all day, but we usually do a good job with pit strategy and have good stops, so we’ll come away with a seventh or 10th-place finish. Hopefully, we can do a little better than that this weekend.
“Our COT program has definitely improved and I feel like we’re gaining, but we still aren’t where we need to be to keep up with some of those guys. There are four or five teams running really well right now, and if we’re going to have a shot, then we have to continue to improve. “
Crew Chief Robbie Reiser on racing at New Hampshire International Speedway:
“We’ve been preparing this car for awhile now with this race in mind. It hasn’t run since New Hampshire in July and it’s done a lot of testing, probably as much as any of our COT cars. The 99 was pretty fast the last time we went to Loudon and we were able to learn some things from what they did.
“The Chase is here and this is really what it’s all about. The reason that the guys on this team do what they do and work as hard as they do is to win a championship. There really isn’t any other goal on this team, so now’s the time for us to step up and perform and really bring out the ‘A Game. ’ I feel like our team is as good as any out there and if we can continue to get these cars better and better then we’ll have a good shot at this. ”
