MBNA America 400 * Dover Int'l Speedway * Sunday, September 21,
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-27 * finished seventh at Dover in June
Kenseth on racing at Dover:
"Dover has always been my favorite race track on the tour. I got my
first start here and the DEWALT team always seems to run really well
here. We qualified fourth back here in June and that's been our best
starting spot all year and I'm not really a good qualifier. I'd
like to win one here Sunday, but right now I think most people are
wondering if we're going to have a race this weekend."
Crew Chief Robbie Reiser on racing at Dover:
"Matt really likes the place and he got his first career start here
in 1998 and I think it's always been special to him. It makes it easy
when you've got a driver that's as smooth as Matt is. We're
bringing the same car, so no worries there. I want to get back to
victory lane just as bad as Matt and this whole team does, so maybe this
will be the week."
ROUSH RACING FAST FACTS:
Mark Martin holds the 400-mile race record at Dover with an
average speed of 132.719 mph, set on September 21, 1997.
Martin won three consecutive fall races at Dover from 1997 *
1999.
Martin leads all other active drivers with 15 top-five finishes
at Dover.
Martin has posted 20 top-10 finishes, including three victories,
in 34 races at Dover.
Matt Kenseth now has 21 top-10 finishes in 27 starts, a
league-leading statistic. He also has ten top-five finishes; tied with
Bobby Labonte and Ryan Newman for the most.
Kenseth's 2003 Winston Cup point lead is now 404 points over
second place Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
If Kenseth wins the Dover 400 event, his Winston-leader bonus
payout would be a record $280,000.
Kenseth has completed all but two laps of competition in the
2003 season.
Kurt Busch sits seventh in the 2003 Winston Cup point standings
after 26 events, 75 points out of the fifth and 692 points out of first
place.
Busch is second in Winston Cup wins this season with four
victories (California, Michigan & both Bristol events).
Busch's crew chief Jimmy Fennig is tied for winningest active
crew chief in the Winston Cup Series with 24 wins.
Jeff Burton has three top-five and seven top-10 finishes in 19
Winston Cup starts at Dover.
In the last five races at Dover, Burton has completed 97.9% of
his Winston Cup laps run.
In 2002, Burton's average starting position at Dover was 31.5
but his average finish was 4.5.
Jon Wood and Carl Edwards will compete in Saturday's Craftsman
Truck Series race at California Speedway. Combined the two drivers have
four wins, two poles, 18 top-five and 24 top-10 finishes.
