Sharpie 500 * Bristol Motor Speedway * Saturday, August 23, 2003
Matt Kenseth
Team: No. 17 Roush Racing Ford Taurus
Sponsors: DEWALT
Owner: Jack Roush/Mark Martin
Driver: Matt Kenseth
Crew Chief: Robbie Reiser
Chassis Number: MMR-10 * ran at Bristol in March
Kenseth on racing at Bristol:
"There's no doubt that we'd really like to win this
event?it's such a hard fought contest to the very end. I think
this is the fan favorite of the year. We had a shot at winning here
earlier this year. If we can stay out of trouble?and that's a big
if, then we're going to give it everything we've got."
Crew Chief Robbie Reiser on racing at Bristol:
"Survivability is the key to finishing this event with fenders and
Matt's a smooth driver?even at Bristol. I thought we had a great
shot at a victory here last time but some left-front fender damage held
us back. This crew is due?this team is due and I'd love to get one
at Bristol."
ROUSH RACING FAST FACTS:
Mark Martin scored four consecutive poles at Bristol (1995-96).
Martin's seven poles at Bristol is a tie for the most ever.
Martin has won five of the last 17 poles at Bristol.
Martin has posted two victories at Bristol, in 1993 from the
pole and in the 1998 fall race.
Martin has posted 20 top-10 and 15 top-five finishes in 33 races
at Bristol.
Martin's last top-10 finish at Bristol came in 2000.
Martin scored 10 straight top-10 finishes from 1995-2000.
Greg Biffle earned his first top-five finish of the season at
Bristol in the spring.
Matt Kenseth now has 18 top-10 finishes in 23 starts, a
league-leading statistic. He also has nine top-five finishes; second
only to Bobby Labonte's 10 top-five finishes.
Kenseth's 2003 Winston Cup point lead is now 329 points over
second place Dale Earnhardt, Jr. It is the widest margin of the entire
year for Kenseth.
If Kenseth wins the Sharpie 500 event, his Winston-leader bonus
payout would be a record $240,000.
Kenseth has completed all but two laps of competition in the
2003 season.
Kurt Busch won the Food City 500 at Bristol in March this year.
Busch's crew chief Jimmy Fennig is the winningest active crew
chief in the Winston Cup Series with 23 wins.
Jeff Burton has four top-five and seven top-10 finishes at
Bristol.
Jon Wood and Carl Edwards will compete in Wednesday night's
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event. Edwards has won the past two races
and the Roush teams have won four of the last six races.
