Birthdate: March 10, 1972 Hometown: Cambridge, Wis. Resides: Mooresville, N.C. Marital Status: Married (Katie) Children: Ross Hobbies: Motorcycles, flying, video games

Matt Kenseth No. 17 DEWALT Ford Team: Roush Racing Team Owner: Jack Roush Crew Chief: Robbie Reiser Engine Builder: Roush-Yates Engines Career Starts: 256 Career Wins: 14 Career Poles: 3 Best Points Finish: 1st (2003) First Full Season: 2000 First Start: Sept. 20, 1998 (Dover) First Win: May 28, 2000 (Charlotte) First Pole: May 31, 2002 (Dover) Shop Address: 4101 Roush Place Concord, NC 28027

YEAR-BY-YEAR NASCAR NEXTEL CUP SERIES RECAP
2006 Finished second in series points. … Won four races – California (Feb.), Dover (June), Michigan (Aug.) and Bristol (Aug.).…Won back-to-back races (Michigan and Bristol) for the second time in his career.… Tied for the series high with 15 top-five finishes. Also had 21 top-10 finishes. … Only spent one week outside the top 10 (finished 15th in season-opening Daytona 500). … Was either first or second in points for 27 of 36 weeks. … Has finished in the top 10 five consecutive seasons. … Led 1,132 laps, second among all drivers.

2005 Led a career high 1001 laps … With 12 races to go before the Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup, rallied from 24th place in the standings and 320 points out of 10th, to make the Chase.

2004 Finished eighth in series points. … Finished with two wins. Won back-to-back races early in the year at North Carolina Speedway on Feb. 22 and at Las Vegas on March 7. … His win at North Carolina Speedway was a photo finish with Raybestos Rookie of the Year Kasey Kahne – and a series season highlight. … Followed his 2003 series championship season with a strong performance, earning a berth in the inaugural Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup. … Began the 10-race Chase in fifth place and finished eighth. … One of only four drivers to be ranked in the Top 10 all season.

2003 Won the series championship. … Posted one of the most consistent performances in series history. … Finished with one win, 11 top fives and a series-high 25 top 10s. … Experienced only two DNFs, the first at Kansas in the season’s 30th event, and the second at Homestead in the season finale, after clinching the series crown. …Completed 10,350 laps, fifth-best behind leader Kevin Harvick. … Spent 35 of 36 weeks in the NASCAR Top 10, his only week outside it coming after a 20th-place finish in the season-opening Daytona 500. … Assumed the points lead after a fourth-place finish at Atlanta, the season’s fourth race, and held it for 33 consecutive weeks, a modern record. …Clinched the title following a fourth-place finish at Rockingham in the season’s penultimate week.

2002 Finished eighth in series points. … Won five races (Texas, Phoenix, Michigan, North Carolina and Richmond), the most of any driver on the circuit and a career best. … Finished with 11 top fives and 19 top 10s. … Polesitter at Dover spring race.

2001 Finished 13th in series points. … Finished fourth at Michigan, Talladega, New Hampshire and Phoenix for his only top-fives.… Had nine top-10 finishes … Had only six qualifying attempts of 20th or better and none better than 13th. … Team won the 2001 Pit Crew Competition championship in Rockingham in October.

2000 Finished 14th in series points. … Won NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Raybestos Rookie of the Year title over Dale Earnhardt Jr. and a group of other talented first-year drivers. ... Won the circuit’s longest race, the Coca-Cola 600, at Lowe’s Motor Speedway for his first career NASCAR NEXTEL Cup win. … Followed that performance with a secondplace finish the following weekend at Dover. … Posted 11 top-10 finishes, including the Daytona 500. … Managed only two top-10 starting positions, a fourth at Atlanta and a sixth at Rockingham’s early-season race.

1999 Finished 49th in series points. … Drove five races for Roush Racing in preparation for his rookie season. … Scored his first career top-five finish at Dover, where he finished fourth. … Also ran at Michigan, Darlington, Charlotte and Rockingham in second half of season.

1998 Finished 57th in series points, driving in only one race. … Drove the No. 94 Ford in place of Bill Elliott at Dover so Elliott could attend his father’s funeral. … Finished sixth in the race.

PREVIOUS RACING HISTORY
Won the 2004 International Race of Champions (IROC) competition by winning the final two races in the four-race schedule. … Finished third in 1999 NASCAR Busch Series standings with four wins and two poles. …Was second in 1998 NASCAR Busch Series points race with three victories. … First NASCAR Busch Series win came at Rockingham. … First NASCAR Busch Series ride in April 1997 was with a team owned by Robbie Reiser, his current crew chief.… Started just 21 races that season and finished second in the Rookie of the Year race. … Was running second in the American Speed Association standings when he left for the NASCAR Busch Series. … Began his short-track career at age 16, winning his first feature in his third race while he was still a high-school junior.… Won 10 features in his first two seasons at tracks around Wisconsin and had 46 super late-model victories over the next three seasons. … Won Alan Kulwicki Memorial race in 1993 and track titles at Madison International and Wisconsin International tracks the following year.… Won another track title at Wisconsin International in 1995 and had 15 wins in 60 races. … Made his NASCAR Southeast Series debut in 1995, finishing in the top-three in three of four starts. … Won one race and finished third in the Hooters ProCup Series in 1996.

NOTEWORTHY
Worked on father’s race car for three years before starting to drive it. “My dad made me a deal when I was 13,” said Kenseth. “He would buy a race car and drive it if I would work on it and keep it up. Then, when I turned 16, I could drive the car. It was hard work but it was also a great experience and really prepared me to do more than just steer the car.” … Avid Green Bay Packers fan who exchanged helmets with quarterback Brett Favre at a 2003 Monday Night Football game at Lambeau Field.