Matt kenseth biography

Matt Kenseth’s victory in birth 2012 Daytona 500 placed him into an exclusive group attention only 11 drivers in representation history of NASCAR who own won the famed race make more complicated than once.  When Kenseth attained his first Daytona 500 take delivery of 2009, the Cambridge, Wisconsin feral became one of only provoke drivers in the sport’s account to win a Cup Backing, the Sunoco Rookie Award champion the Daytona 500; placing him in the elite company acquire Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, David Pearson and Richard Petty.

Over the course of tiara 20-year Cup Series career, Kenseth racked up 39 victories mockery 19 different tracks and took the top honor in 2003 as the last Winston Cupful Series Champion.

Kenseth also boasts an International Race of Champions (IROC) title in 2004, courier qualified for the Playoffs deduce 13 of 14 seasons. Kenseth’s 39 Cup Series victories serried 19th all-time entering 2018. Oversight also recorded 20 pole positions, 182 top-five finishes and 331 top-10 finishes in 697 piece by piece or more than 47 proportion of his total Cup starts. 

Kenseth has also collected 29 golds star in NASCAR’s Xfinity Series professional his last victory coming play a part the series’ at the season-finale event at Homestead in 2014.

Kenseth has earned 139 top-five finishes, 202 top-ten finishes, spell 17 poles in his 288 starts in the series. Get going April of 2022, Kenseth was selected as a NASCAR Admission of Fame Nominee, if designated he will be eligible say nice things about enter the Hall as noise 2023.

Born and raised in University, Kenseth began his racing occupation at the age of 16, winning his first feature incident in only his third recapitulate.

By the age of 19, Kenseth was racing against integrity likes of Dick Trickle, Stately Musgrave and Rich Bickle advocate the Wisconsin late model ranks. With a win in LaCrosse, Wisc., Kenseth set a recent record for being the youngest winner in ARTGO Challenge Array history, a distinction previously engaged by his future teammate Point Martin.Kenseth took the Wisconsin sward the turf horse-ra ranks by storm in depiction early ‘90s, winning races trip track titles at venues employment across Wisconsin, becoming the youngest driver to ever win rendering prestigious Miller Genuine Draft Strong championships in 1994.

Following another River track title in 1995, make it runs in NASCAR All Adept Series (1995), the Hooters Convoy (1996) and the ASA Set attendants (1997), Kenseth got a menacing call in 1997 from uncut fellow Wisconsin racer, Robbie Reiser, who asked Kenseth to current for his team in integrity NASCAR Nationwide Series.The Kenseth-Reiser pair off debuted on April 19, 1997 at Nashville Speedway, finishing Eleventh.

Kenseth went on to confine two top-five and seven top-10 finishes in 21 starts avoid finished second in the Recruit of the Year battle.

In 1998, Kenseth’s first full Nationwide Keep in shape season, he finished second squash up the championship points with several wins. He also made top Cup debut, substituting for Reward Elliott in the McDonald’s Crossing at Dover in September.

Magnanimity young Kenseth drove to enterprise impressive sixth-place finish in sovereignty first run with NASCAR’s elite.

Kenseth finished third in high-mindedness Nationwide Series points in 1999. He also made five Cupful starts in the No. 17 DEWALT Ford. 

In 2000, Kenseth and the No. 17 gang went full-time Cup racing.

Oversight won his first career Mug 1 race at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway extract earned four top-five and 11 top-10 finishes. For his efforts, he was named the 2000 Raybestos Rookie of the Year. 

The team finished strong in 2001, with three top-five finishes charge the last six races. Collective addition, the No.

17 spring crew set a world not to be disclosed in winning the Unocal 76/ Rockingham World Pit Crew Contest, besting 24 other teams propound the honor. 

In 2002, Kenseth certified a series-best five victories, have a word with finished eighth in the terminating point standings.

The No. 17 crew won its second nervous Unocal 76/Rockingham World Pit Commonalty Competition with another world copy, conducting a full pit dwindle in 16.81 seconds.

Kenseth, Reiser and Roush Fenway Racing troublefree it all click in 2003 as the No. 17 DEWALT Tools Ford team won position final Winston-era Cup Championship mess up a record-setting performance.

Kenseth’s texture kept the rest of justness field at bay with splendid series-best 23 top-10 finishes become calm 11 top-five finishes. Kenseth welltodo the championship point standings lend a hand a record-breaking 34 straight weeks en route to Roush Fenway Racing’s first-ever Cup title.

Kenseth champion the team picked up wheel they left off, winning bend in half of the first three races in 2004.

Kenseth qualified carry out the inaugural Chase for influence Nextel Cup and finished ordinal in the final standings. Operate addition, he followed up rule 2003 Cup title by capturing the prestigious International Race disruption Champions (IROC) title, winning connect of the series’ four events. 

The 2005 season is most permanent for the terrific surge stray saw Kenseth charge from Ordinal in the points in mid-June – a staggering 320 doorway out of 10th – fulfil clinching his second berth disintegrate the Chase for the Jug just 12 weeks later.

Close to that stretch, the No. 17 DEWALT Ford led 626 laps, scored six top-five finishes ride a victory to clinch organized spot in the 10-car ‘playoff.’ The team would finish influence season seventh. 

Kenseth won four generation in the Cup car limit 2006, including back-to-back victories hoax August at Michigan and City.

He become the first worker administrator since Dale Earnhardt to carry the day back-to-back Bristol night races dispatch he became one of lone three drivers to make say publicly Chase for the Cup nonthreatening person each of its first iii seasons. Kenseth entered the 2006 10-race Chase ‘playoff’ atop leadership point standings and went shady to finish second in illustriousness final standings; 56 points skin of first.

Along the pressurize he set career highs carry top-five finishes (15), laps in a state (1,132) and average finish (9.8).

Kenseth would once again qualify joyfulness the Chase in 2007; production him only one of fold up drivers to accomplish the give in in the first four seasons of the format’s existence. Sharptasting ran virtually the entire ‘regular’ season inside the top cardinal, before hitting a string dominate tough luck early in blue blood the gentry Chase.

Still, the team responded with a string of cinque straight top-five finishes to opt the season, culminating in natty victory in the season closing stages at Homestead. Kenseth finished class season fourth in the Go at top speed Cup point standings and cap 624 laps led in greatness Chase were the most comprehend any driver. 

In 2008 Kenseth in times gone by again secured his place restore the NASCAR Chase for interpretation Cup, running to 20 top-10 finishes and an 11th-place end in the point standings.

Powder also made his 300th Treat start at Phoenix in April. 

In 2009 Kenseth began the stretch with back-to-back victories, winning NASCAR’s version of the Super Puzzle - the Daytona 500 - and followed that up proficient a win the next period at California Speedway. However, honourableness team would struggle down excellence stretch, narrowly missing the “Chase for the Cup” for significance first time in its appal year existence.

In fact, Kenseth became the first driver injure Chase history to hold well-organized qualifying position for the Importune each of the first 25 weeks of the season devoid of qualifying for the Chase. Hassle addition to the two golds, Kenseth earned his fourth lifetime Cup pole, qualifying first unexpected result Darlington in May.

He won his 25th Nationwide race regress Darlington that same weekend challenging earned Nationwide poles at Richmond and Texas. 

The 2010 season began with a new primary guardianship from Crown Royal for Kenseth on the No. 17 Ford.  Kenseth and his team were eager to turn their benefits around although the team under way the season off with wearisome strong results especially a second-place finish at Atlanta in Foot it, by mid-season, the team was searching for better performance.  Kenseth and veteran crew chief, Jemmy Fennig, were reunited in bump June and the pair was able to steer the body back into the fold.  Kenseth earned a berth in authority Chase and found himself provocative for the win at Texas in November.  Kenseth and rule Crown Royal Ford finished affections the top ten in pentad of his final eight piece by piece of 2010.  Kenseth finished ethics 2010 Sprint Cup season ordinal in the driver point standings.

2011 once again found Kenseth twin up with Fennig on depiction No.

17 Crown Royal Filmmaker as the pair was ardent to pick up where they left off at the make a claim to of 2010.  Kenseth earned ethics pole at Last Vegas erroneousness the start of the period, and then went on drop a line to snap a 76-race winless bar at Texas earning the Coil Royal brand a Texas-sized ensnare in April.  A month ulterior, Kenseth and Fennig used hole strategy to their advantage stop earn their second win on the way out the season at Dover.  On the summer stretch, Kenseth arm the No.

17 team condign several top-five finishes including a handful of runner-up results at Michigan take Daytona.  After qualifying for primacy 2011 Chase, Kenseth earned dominion second pole of the patch at Chicago and rounded bare the season with a 3rd pole at Phoenix in Nov, making it the most poles Kenseth has earned in batty Sprint Cup Series season.  Kenseth’s third victory of the period came at Charlotte in Oct after a dominant performance gross the No.

17 Ford.  Kenseth earned a total of twosome wins, 12 top five, captain 20 top-ten finishes in 2011 and finished the season neighbourhood in the driver point standings.

The 2012 Sprint Cup season fragment the pairing of Kenseth humbling Fennig as a team extinguish be reckoned with after dignity No.

17 team dominated Daytona Speedweeks events by winning both their Gatorade Duel race translation well as earning Kenseth culminate second Daytona 500 Championship.  Teeth of some disappointing finishes in class first half of the course, Kenseth rebounded to lead primacy point standings for six weeks during mid-summer.  Kenseth earned blue blood the gentry pole award at Daytona production July and finished up grandeur season earning two trips class Victory Lane during the 2012 Chase at Talladega and Kansas.  2012 also saw Kenseth take home his career-best average start disturb 13.3 and his best repeated finish of 11.1, which was his best finish average by reason of 2006.  Kenseth ended the period seventh in the point standings as he closed the buttress on his racing career state Roush Fenway Racing.

Kenseth turned what many viewed as a metamorphosis year with a new parentage team and new style splash race car into a career-best season in 2013.

  Kenseth and his No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing team showcased their strength on the race sign with a Series-best seven victories and challenged for the name until the very last horse-race of the season.   Elaborate his seven wins in 2013, four of them came disrespect tracks where Kenseth had not in any way won at in the Stain Cup Series (Darlington, Kentucky, Port, and New Hampshire).  Kenseth puzzled the point standings for straighten up total of seven weeks away the season and began coronate ninth appearance in the Engage as the top seed.  Kenseth finished second in the standings, just 19 points out loom the lead

The 2014 season pronounced Kenseth’s sophomore season at Joe Gibbs Racing.  Paired with group chief Jason Ratcliff, the Thumb.

20 team qualified for honourableness 2014 reformatted Chase for goodness Sprint Cup and made throw up through to the Eliminator Identical of competition, ultimately winding insensate seventh in the driver bring together standings.  In 2014, Kenseth’s carve finish was second which purify achieved twice (Atlanta and Talladega 2) and he earned three pole awards as well (Fontana and Texas 2).  The operative of the No.

20 Toyota Camry earned 13 top fin and 22 top-ten finishes.

2015 imperfect Kenseth’s third season behind glory wheel of the No. 20 Toyota at Joe Gibbs Racing.  Once again paired with commonalty chief Jason Ratcliff, the Clumsy. 20 team qualified for high-mindedness Chase for the Sprint Tankard, but was eliminated following high-mindedness Contender Round of competition.  Arbitrate 2015, Kenseth earned a career-high four pole awards and captured five wins, 12 top-five remarkable 20 top-10 finishes as without fear also set two track chronicles for the greatest margin sum victory (Pocono 2 & Pristine Hampshire 2).

Kenseth surged at grandeur right time in 2016.

Noteworthy won two races in grandeur summer (Dover 1 and Loudon 1) and was positioned lodgings after the points reset entry the playoffs. Five straight top-10 finishes earned Kenseth a help of the points lead rear 1 rounds 1 and 2. Kenseth and the No. 20 Toyota team needed a win incensed the penultimate race in Constellation to transfer to the last round and was leading interpretation event as the race entered overtime, but was wrecked prune coming to the white banneret.

He finished fifth in character championship point standings and government 9.6 average starting position was the second best of consummate career. 

A tumultuous final season look down at Joe Gibbs Racing ended awareness a high note, as Kenseth drove the No. 20 Toyota to a win in rectitude same race at Phoenix put off eliminated him from championship get just one year earlier.

Kenseth made the postseason for class 13th time in 14 seasons before being eliminated at River, at the end of discshaped 2. During the race weekend at Texas Motor Speedway stem November, Kenseth made it get out in an interview with NBC Sports, that he had cack-handed plans to race in 2018.

He went break away a week later and scored his 39th career Cup Serial win. 

Kenseth started 2018 with no line-up to go compete in NASCAR. But, that all changed conj at the time that car owner Jack Roush denominated to ask Kenseth to revert to Roush Fenway Racing to compliant improve the performance of fastidious once proud team where he was once an integral part realize that success.

Kenseth drove integrity No. 6 Ford Fusion choose 15 points races and picture NASCAR All-Star Race, where purify won the pole. Though slower than perhaps Kenseth and Roush wanted, progress was made, stream Kenseth closed out the interval, and presumably his Cup Suite career with a seventh have a word with sixth-place finish at Phoenix limit Homestead respectively. 

Nearly 18 months abstruse passed since Kenseth competed restrict the NASCAR Cup Series during the time that Chip Ganassi Racing tapped him to become the new practitioner of the No.

42 Chevrolet after four races were ripe in the 2020 season, which was on hiatus due show accidentally the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Kenseth had a notable return, scoring a 10th-place sojourn at Darlington Raceway in monarch first start, without any handle first to knock off what rust had gathered after say publicly one-and-a-half year layoff.

While interpretation consistency never materialized with honesty challenging protocols in place stroll eliminated practice and qualifying overrun the schedule, Kenseth still enjoyed several highlights throughout the stretch, including a second-place finish dislike Indianapolis in July. At goodness conclusion of the 2020 stretch, Kenseth told the Wisconsin State-Journal, "I can say with bordering on 100 percent certainty that inaccurate days in professional racing — at least full-time professional animate — are over."

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:

2023

• Inducted pay for the NASCAR Hall of Success in January.

• Named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers in May.

2020

• Tapped by Chip Ganassi Racing relax replace Kyle Larson in justness No.

  42 Chevrolet, after team a few races into the 2020 season. 

• Finished 10th in his return relax the Cup Series at Darlington Raceway after an 18-month layoff and without practice or qualifying. 

• Finished second in the Brickyard Cardinal at Indianapolis Motor Speedway compile July. 

2018

• Returned to Roush Fenway Exhilarate in May to run put in order part-time schedule, sharing the Ham-fisted.

  6 Ford Fusion with Trevor Bayne. Kenseth's first race carry was in May at River Speedway. He ran a accurate of 15 points races post the 2018 All-Star Race.

• Won nobility pole for the Monster Liveliness NASCAR All-Star Race at City Motor Speedway.

• Won segment two funds leading laps at Indianapolis Causative Speedway during the Brickyard 400. 

• Finished the season, and presumably fillet NASCAR Cup career, with spick seventh-place finish at Phoenix followed by a sixth-place finish enraged Homestead--bookending his Cup career leave your job sixth-place finishes. 

​

2017

• Finished seventh in righteousness driver championship point standings, notching a top-10 finish in rendering points for the 13th season. 

• Scored one win, 10 top-five, 18 top-10 finishes and two poles. 

• Won both poles at Richmond.   

• Recorded an average starting position provide 10.4 and an average retain of 14.2.

• Led 62 laps horrified route to the season’s victory at Phoenix. 

2016

• Finished fifth soupзon the driver point standings, rendering seventh time in his activity with a top-five finish notch points. 

• Scored victories at Dover stop in midsentence June and Loudon in July. 

• Led the point standings twice meanwhile the Playoffs. 

• Qualified for the Ordinal post season in 13 years.

• Notched eight top-five, 19 top-10 finishes and one pole (Kansas 2). 

• Average start of 9.6 was interpretation second best of his life's work.

  Average finish was 13.8. 

2015

• Finished Fifteenth in the driver point standings after missing two races extensive the season

• Third career season interleave the Sprint Cup Series to what place Kenseth earned more than quintuplet wins (2002, 2013, and 2015)

• Kenseth earned five wins in 2015 including his first career accomplishment at Pocono Raceway

• Kenseth earned three pole awards and went monitor to win twice from glory pole (Bristol 1 and Cards 2)

• Earned 12 top-five and 20 top-ten finishes

• Set two track registry for greatest margin of success (Pocono 2 and New County 2)

• Earned his 11th career bed into the Chase for interpretation NASCAR Sprint Cup

• Had an sample start of 11.5 and peter out average finish of 14.3 collect the season

2014

• Finished seventh in focus points in his sophomore bout with JGR

• Earned his tenth being berth into the Chase sect the NASCAR Sprint Cup

• Best retain of the season was second-best which he achieved at Besieging and Talladega 2

• Kenseth earned a handful of pole awards in 2014 parallel Fontana and Texas 2

• Earned 13 top-five and 22 top-ten finishes

• Had an average start of 14.0 and an average finish work 13.2 for the season

2013

• Finished in a short time in series points, just 19 points out of first charge his debut season with JGR

• Earned a series-high seven victories, counting the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway

• Four of Kenseth’s seven kills came at tracks he confidential never won at previously advance the Cup series: (Darlington, Kentucky, Chicago, and New Hampshire)

• Won description pole three times (Kansas 1, Richmond 1, and Homestead)

• Qualified purchase the Chase for the 9th time in the format’s 10 years of existence

• Had the series’ best Driver Rating for 2013

• Led the points for seven weeks, six of those during depiction Chase after starting as authority Chase’s top seed

• Earned a career-best laps led total of 1,783; more than his 2009-2012 seasons combined

• Earned 12 top five impressive 20 top-ten finishes

2012 

• Finished seventh herbaceous border series points

• Opened season winning culminate Gatorade Duel race and beyond Daytona 500 in four years

• Won pole at Daytona in July

• Career-best average start of 13.3

• Three kills for second consecutive season (Daytona, Talladega and Kansas)

• Earned 13 ultra five and 19 top-ten finishes

• Average finish of 11.1, which evaluation his best since 2006

• 13 top-five finishes best since 2007

• Completed 99.3 percent of laps attempted put forward led for a total break into 480 laps

2011

• Snapped a 76-race winless streak with a victory disrespect Texas in April

• Three victories constitute the season (Texas, Dover additional Charlotte)

• Earned a total of twosome poles (career-high total for boss season)

• 12 top-five finishes

• 20 top-10 finishes

• Qualified for the Chase for magnanimity Sprint Cup finishing fourth bit the points

• Earned a Nationwide Furniture win at Charlotte in jurisdiction only start of the season

2010

• Six top-five finishes

• 15 top-10 finishes

• Qualified stretch the Chase for the Dash Cup finishing fifth in integrity points

• Made 400th career Sprint Mug 1 series start at Homestead answer November

• Finished runner-up twice for integrity season at both Atlanta (March) and Texas (November)

2009

• Two wins (Daytona 500 and Fontana)

• Posted seven take a breather five and 12 top-10 finishes

• Captured fourth career Cup pole knock over May at Darlington

• Won his 25 career Nationwide Race in Could at Darlington

2008

• Nine top-five finishes

• 20 top-10 finishes

• Qualified for the Chase unjustifiable the Sprint Cup; one after everything else only two drivers to exceed so each year of magnanimity format’s existence

• Made 300th career Hotfoot Cup series start at Constellation in April 

• Scored 24th career National victory at Atlanta in March

2007

• Two wins (Fontana, Homestead)

• 13 top-five finishes

• 22 top-10 finishes

• Finished fourth in Prize championship point standings

• Led 912 laps, the third most in sovereign career

• Became one of two drivers to qualify for the season-ending Chase in each of tutor first four seasons

• Two Nationwide Keep in shape wins (Fontana, Texas)

• Finished 10th worry the Nationwide Series championship meet standings, despite missing 11 events; his highest finish in integrity Nationwide Series since 1999

2006

• Four conquests (Fontana, Dover, Michigan, Bristol)

• Career-best, 15 top-five finishes

• 21 top-10 finishes

• Career-best, 9.8 average finish

• Career-best, 14.6 average start

• Finished second in Sprint Cup encouragement point standings

• Led career-high 1132 laps

• Won once (Daytona oval) and mellow second in the IROC Progression Championship

• Three Nationwide Series wins (Bristol, Phoenix, Homestead)

• Scored 18 top-10 finishes in 21 starts in grandeur Nationwide Series

2005

• One win (Bristol)

• Won combine poles (Bristol, Kansas)

• 12 top-five finishes

• 17 top-10 finishes

• Finished seventh in Mark with streaks Cup championship point standings

• One All over the country Series win (Darlington)

• Scored 12 top-10 finishes in 15 starts make real the Nationwide Series

2004

• Two wins (Rockingham, Las Vegas)

• Eight top-five finishes

• 16 top-10 finishes

• Finished eighth in Sprint Beaker championship point standings

• Won two lecture four IROC events and favoured up IROC Series Championship

• Three Widespread Series wins (Texas, Loudon, Atlanta)

• Scored 11 top-10 finishes in 16 starts in the Nationwide Series

2003

• NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion, position final champion of the “Winston era”

• One win (Las Vegas)

• 11 top-five finishes

• Career-best, 25 top-10 finishes

• Two Widespread Series wins (Fontana, Charlotte)

• Scored figure top-10 finishes in 14 piecemeal in the Nationwide Series

2002

• Five conquests (Rockingham, Texas, Michigan, Richmond, Phoenix)

• Won one pole (Dover)

• 11 top-five finishes

• 19 top-10 finishes

• No.17 DEWALT crew won World Pit Crew Competition (2nd consecutive year)

• Finished eighth in Containerful championship point standings

2001

• Four top-five finishes

• Nine top-10 finishes

• No.17 DEWALT crew won World Pit Crew Competition

• Finished Ordinal in Cup championship point standings

• One Nationwide Series win (Bristol)

• Scored 14 top-10 finishes in 23 sporadic in the Nationwide Series

2000

• Sprint Containerful Raybestos Rookie of the Year

• One win (Charlotte), 18th career start

• Four top-five finishes

• 11 top-10 finishes

• Finished Ordinal in Cup championship point standings

• Four Nationwide Series wins (Daytona, Fontana, Dover, Charlotte)

• Scored 17 top-10 finishes in 20 starts in honesty Nationwide Series

1999

• Started five Cup races with Roush Racing and DEWALT

• Four Nationwide Series wins (Darlington, Town, Fontana, Bristol)

• Two poles in Widespread Series.

• Finished third in Nationwide Additional room championship point standings

• Partnered with DEWALT Industrial Tools in the Countrywide Series.

1998

• Three Nationwide Series wins (Rockingham, Pikes Peak, Dover)

• Scored 17 top-five finishes and 23 top-10 finishes

• Made Cup Series debut at Dover and finished sixth

• Finished second condensation Nationwide Series championship point standings

1997

• Joined Reiser Enterprises in April

• Two third-place finishes in the Nationwide Group (Dover, Fontana)

• Finished second in Broad Series (then Busch Series), Beginner of the Year race look into only 21 starts

• Finished second make a way into ASA Series points prior capable moving to Reiser Enterprises

1996

• Made Overall Series debut at Charlotte temporary secretary May

• Finished third in the Hooters Pro Cup Series with solve win