Matt Clinches the 2003 Nextel Cup Championship at Rockingham, NC

Matt Kenseth

Birth Date: March10,1972
Residence: Terrel, NC
Birthplace: Cambridge, WI
Wife: Katie
Children: Ross
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 160 lbs.

Born and raised in Cambridge, WI, just outside of Madison, Matt Kenseth raced on some of the most competitive short tracks in the nation. Kenseth began his stock car racing career in 1988 at the age of 16. In just his third race, Matt, then just a high school junior, won his first feature event.

Like many successful drivers, Kenseth was introduced to racing through his family. "My dad made me a deal when I was 13. He would buy me 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," stated Kenseth.

By the age of 19, Kenseth had already moved up to the ultra-competitive Wisconsin late model ranks, taking on the likes of Dick Trickle, Ted Musgrave and Rick Bickle. Matt Kenseth became the youngest winner ever in the ARTGO Challenge Series history, capturing an event in LaCrosse, WI. The old record was held by NASCAR Nextel Cup star Mark Martin. Many were quick to make comparisons between the two drivers.

Over the next three seasons, Kenseth did little to slow comparisons to great drivers, capturing 46 super-late model victories. In 1993, Matt captured the Alan Kulwicki Memorial Race, a pair of ARTGO features and the Wisconsin Short Track Series 200. The 1994 season proved to be a banner year for Kenseth, as he won track titles at Madison (WI) International Speedway and Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna. Matt also won the prestigious Miller Genuine Draft National championships, becoming the youngest driver to win the title. Another track title followed in 1995 as Kenseth won 15 out of the 60 events en route to the championship.

During the 1995 season, Matt made his first trip south to the NASCAR All Pro Series, earning a trio of top-three finishes in four starts. In 1996, Kenseth finished a strong third in the rugged Hooters Series, with one victory. During the 1997 season, Matt began driving in the ASA Series for Gary Gunderman's All Star Racing Team. While running in second place in the ASA point standings, Kenseth answered a call from former competitor Robbie Reiser and packed his bags for the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series.

Kenseth took the reins of the No. 17 Reiser Enterprises Monte Carlo on April 19, 1997, at the Nashville Speedway, bringing home an 11th place finish. Kenseth went on to capture two top fives and seven top tens in just 21 starts and finished second in the Rookie of the Year battle.

In 1998, Kenseth's first full Busch season, Matt finished second in the Championship Points Battle, capturing three wins, 17 top-five and 23 top-10 finishes. Kenseth grabbed the most top-10 finishes of all Busch Series contenders in 1998. Matt also made his Nextel Cup debut in 1998 at Dover Downs in September, substituting for Bill Elliott in the McDonald's Ford. Kenseth finished an incredible sixth in just his first start, racing hard with top Nextel Cup contenders.

Kenseth battled once again for the Busch Series Championship in 1999. Matt grabbed four wins, two poles, 14 top fives and 20 top 10s and finished third in the points race. Kenseth also made five Nextel Cup starts for Roush Racing and DEWALT Tools in 1999. The highlight came at Dover Downs with Matt grabbing a fourth place finish.

The 2000 season was a breakthrough year for Kenseth. In addition to capturing his first career Nextel Cup victory at the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May in just his 18th start, Kenseth finished 14th in the championship points. He captured the coveted Raybestos Rookie of the Year title for his unmatched consistency. Kenseth recorded four top-five and 11 top-ten finishes, and collected over $2 million in prize money.

Matt Kenseth had a solid sophomore campaign on the Nextel Cup circuit. Despite struggling through an early-season slump, Kenseth finished strong with three top fives in the last six races of the season. Led by Robbie Reiser, Kenseth's pit crew beat out 24 of the best crews in Nextel Cup to win the Unocal 76/Rockingham World Pit Crew Competition and set a new world record. Kenseth matched the previous season with four top-fives, collected nine top-tens and improved one spot in point standings to finish 13th.

In 2002, Kenseth took the Nextel Cup circuit by storm, registering a series-leading five victories. However, sub-par performances and a lack of consistency hampered a championship run. The pit crew nailed down their second straight Unocal 76/Rockingham World Pit Crew Competition, setting a new world record in the process-16.81 seconds.

2003 was the year that Matt Kenseth and Roush Racing put it all together to finally win the coveted final Nextel Cup Championship. Despite his lone victory at Las Vegas, Kenseth held the point lead for a record-breaking 34 straight weeks en route to Roush Racing's first ever Cup title. He led the series with 23-top-10 finishes and 11 top-five finishes. His total winnings for the year topped $9 million.

“Coming out of the gates strong after his championship year, Kenseth won two out of the first three races, including his second consecutive win in Las Vegas. Matt also won the 2004 All-Star Race in Charlotte, which earned him a cool million dollars. Proving that the No. 17 DEWALT Racing is a threat to every other car in the field, Kenseth remained in the top ten throughout the season. Finishing eighth in the Chase for the Championship, Matt has spent 71 weeks in NASCAR’s Top 10, and looks forward to the 2005 Chase for the Nextel Cup.”

2004
• Won 2 of the first 3 races of the year (Las Vegas and Rockingham)
• Won the 2004 All-Star Race in Charlotte
• Finished eighth in the Chase for the Championship

2003
• Captured NASCAR Nextel Cup Championship
• Won one race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (UAW-Daimler Chrysler 400)
• 11 Top-5 finishes, 23 Top-10 finishes in the Nextel Cup Series

2002
• Five Victories in the Nextel Cup Series
• Pit crew won World Pit Crew Competition for the 2nd year in a row
• Finished 8th in the Nextel Cup championship points standings

2001
• 4 top-fives, 9 top-tens in the Nextel Cup Series
• Pit crew won World Pit Crew Competition
• Finished 13th in the Nextel championship points standings
• Winnings totaling over $2 million in the Nextel Cup Series

2000
• Captured Nextel Cup Raybestos Rookie of the Year title
• Won Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in 18th start in the Nextel Cup Series
• Four top-fives, 11 top-tens in the Winston Cup Series
• Winnings totaling over $2 million in the Nextel Cup Series 1999
• Partnered with DEWALT Industrial Tools in the Busch Series
• Captured 4 wins, 2 poles, 14 top-fives and 20 top-tens in the Busch Series
• Finished third in the Busch Series championship points standings
• Competed in five Nextel Cup races with Roush Racing and DEWALT

1998
• Captured 3 wins, 1 pole, 17 top-fives and 23 top-tens in the Busch Series
• Finished second in the Busch Series championship points standings
• Made Nextel Cup Series debut at Dover Downs, finished sixth

1997
• Joined Reiser Enterprises in April
• Two Busch Grand National Series third place finishes, Dover and California
• Finished second in the Busch Series rookie battle with just 21 starts
• Second in ASA Series points prior to moving to Reiser Enterprises 1996
• Made Busch Series debut at Charlotte in May
• Finished third in the Hooters Series with one win