Kenseth on track at Michigan
Matt Kenseth has been one of the few drivers to break up the Hendrick Motorsports victory parade.
He won the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race at California Speedway in February, his only win of the year.
With the Cup drivers headed to Michigan International Speedway, the sister track to California Speedway because of its similar size and design, Matt Kenseth would have to be considered a favorite to win again.
Michigan, like California, has been good to Matt Kenseth over the years. He won the race at Michigan in August last year and won another in 2002.
"I really look forward to going to Michigan mainly because of the track," said Matt Kenseth, driver of the No. 17 Ford for Roush Fenway Racing. "It's such a great track. There's three or four grooves out there. And any track that we can go to, where if you're following somebody and you're faster than them that you have another option for a group to be able to pass, is always something we look forward to."
His winning record at Michigan makes the track a welcome sight as well.
"It's just a fun track," Matt Kenseth said. "You move around and try to find a groove that works for your car, and there's always a lot of passing there, and I think it's always
an exciting race."
As dominant as Hendrick Motorsports has been this season, winning 10 of the 14 races thus far, Matt Kenseth has kept pace and is second in the Nextel Cup Series standings.
"Well, I mean, you always hope to be doing a little bit better, but certainly our car has been great, the car has been really reliable and we've been able to complete every lap so far and we've had great pit stops," Matt Kenseth said. "Overall the cars have been pretty competitive, so certainly we haven't been at the spot where the 24 and the 48 and even 11 and some of them guys have been even as far as a competition standpoint, but we've been really consistent, and I think our cars are getting better as the season goes on."
Jeff Gordon, driver of the No.24 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, leads the Cup standings and has a series-leading four wins.
Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, is fourth in the Cup standings, with four wins as well.
Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 Chevrolet for Joe Gibbs Racing, has yet to win a race this year, but is third in points.
Matt Kenseth has been more consistent than good. His 10top-10 finishes this year are second only to Gordon's 12.
"I feel really good about where we're at," Matt Kenseth said. "Obviously, we're in a nice position in points and halfway through, I think on the way to the Chase. I feel pretty comfortable where we're at in the points, and we're just working really hard to get our cars better for the end of the year when it really counts."
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