Matt Kenseth
Two-mile California Speedway
Fontana, CA
Sunday, Feb. 25
NNCS: Auto Club 500 - 3:30 PM Eastern - FOX/MRN
FAST FACTS
Matt Kenseth is the defending Auto Club 500 Champion, winning this race last February by holding off the No. 48 on a green-white-checkered finish.
Kenseth has posted four career wins at California Speedway, three in the Busch Series and one in Cup.
Since 2002, Kenseth has recorded three wins and five top-six finishes in the second race of the season: first at Rockingham ’02, third at Rockingham ‘03, first at Rockingham in ‘04, sixth at Fontana in ’05, and first at Fontana ’06.
Kenseth will run the Carhartt paint scheme for the first of four races this weekend. The other three being Michigan in June, Loudon in July, and Charlotte in October.
In his career, Kenseth has led seven of his 10 Cup races at Fontana for a total of 246 laps (fifth all time).
Since entering the Cup Series full time in 2000, no one has completed more laps on two-mile ovals (California Speedway & Michigan International Speedway) than Kenseth who has completed 5,299 of a possible 5,302.
Kenseth’s average finish at the two, two-mile tracks is 9.84; tops among active drivers with 11 or more starts.
Sunday’s race will mark the second for interim crew chief, Chip Bolin, calling the shots atop the No. 17 pit box. Bolin, who hails from South Carolina with a degree in mechanic engineering from Clemson University, has been the engineer on the No. 17 team since it’s inception in 1999.
Matt Kenseth – NNCS ADVANCE
Team: No. 17 Carhartt/DEWALT Ford Fusion
Crew Chief: Chip Bolin (Interim)
Chassis: RK-317 Last ran: Pocono, Jul. ’06, finished 14th
Also ran: All-Star race ‘06; involved in accident, finished 11th
’05 ran Kansas (pole), Texas & Homestead recording three top fives
RK-385 Last ran: Kansas, Oct. ’06, finished 23rd
Also ran: Indianapolis, Aug. ’06, finished 2nd
Kenseth on racing at California Speedway:
“I’m definitely looking forward to getting out to Fontana. It’s just such a relief to get back into a normal routine at the track. Daytona is so different, in the practice and qualifying schedules and you’re down there for so long, that it just seems to drag on. Then there’s so much build up for the race, you just can’t wait to get it started. This weekend will bring a little normalcy back into our race weekend.
“Fontana has been a good track for us recently. Last February was sort of a weird deal. We didn’t have the best car, but we had it good at the end. Then the two best cars had engine problems and the next thing you know, we were leading when it mattered. I really like this type of track. It’s smooth and wide with plenty of room to try some different lines and set up the pass.
“Chip (Bolin) did a good job for us last week at Daytona and we were within about 300 yards of a third-place finish, but that went away in a hurry. We’ve always bounced back in a big way after Daytona, so I’m expecting nothing less this weekend.”
Interim Crew Chief Chip Bolin on racing at California Speedway:
“It’s business as usual for the No. 17 team. Everyone has done a great job stepping up at the track in Robbie’s (Reiser) absence and I don’t anticipate a let down this week. At the shop, nothing’s changed because Robbie is still there and we continue to work in the same fashion and roles as before. The truth is, we’ve been together so long and Robbie’s done a good job of piecing this team together, that the operation continues to run as smoothly as ever.
“We had a good Vegas test in both the Cup and Busch cars and I was able to attend both with Matt. We’ll use that test along with what worked well for us at California last year to hopefully be in contention for a win this weekend.”
