matt kenseth

After two rain delays totaling more than six hours they did finally complete yesterday’s first Chase for the Cup race at Chicagoland Speedway. At the end it was Matt Kenseth winning his sixth race of the season to hold on to the points lead in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship with nine races left.

Only two races left until the start of the chase for the Sprint Cup Championship begins, and only Jimmie Johnson and now Clint Bowyer and Matt Kenseth have clinched spots for the title run.

After a Saturday night rainout Kentucky Speedway dried up enough to allow Jimmie Johnson to dominate the day on Sunday, but a spin on the next to last restart put Matt Kenseth in position to win for the fourth time this season and for the third time on a mile and a half track. Johnson led 182 of 267 laps, but Kenseth took just gas on his last pit stop gambling on old tires.

It was quite a week for Matt Kenseth. On appeal, NASCAR lowered the tough penalties against his team for an illegal engine part used at Texas Motor Speedway, then on Saturday night at Darlington he passed teammate Kyle Busch with 13 laps to go to win the Southern 500 for the first time. And it came without his regular crew chief. Jason Radcliffe sat out Saturday night after his one race suspension

A long day and a wild finish at Talladega. Matt Kenseth dominated the day. He had the best car, leading 142 laps but David Ragan got a big push from teammate David Gilliland on the final lap – seemingly coming out of nowhere to overtake Carl Edwards and win the Aaron’s 499.

The 9th race of the Sprint Cup season is under the lights this week at the ¾ mile Richmond International – one of the oldest tracks in racing, open since 1946.  It was a dirt track until they paved it in 1968.  Lights were installed in 1991.

For the third straight race the Sprint Cup pole sitter emerged the winner.  Matt Kenseth won for the second time this season and for the second consecutive time at Kansas Speedway holding off a challenge from Kasey Kahne on the final lap.

Not a bad way to celebrate your 41st birthday. Matt Kenseth used a late pit stop to take the lead at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and held off Kasey Kahne over the final 30 laps to win his 25th career Sprint Cup victory and third at Las Vegas.

It was a long day at Kansas Speedway. During a season where long, long green lap periods were the norm, Kansas was one caution after another – 14 in all. In the end Matt Kenseth was the winner for the second time in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship run and Brad Keselowski hung on to the points lead.

You felt it coming and it didn’t come until the last lap – the big one at Talladega. It involved 20 cars. Tony Stewart was in the lead at the time but a tap from Michael Waltrip sent him sideways, then airborne. It was good to see him get out of his car unhurt. Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne, Clint Bowyer, Casey Mears, Paul Mennard and many others were involved. Read

Matt Kenseth and Greg Biffle dominated the race, but Tony Stewart took the lead on the final lap to win Saturday night’s Coke Zero 400 at Daytona, his third victory this season and his 18th career win at Daytona. But this has to go down as one of his most satisfying after he qualified second, was sent to the back because of a minor equipment problem and started 42nd, but won anyway.

The Nascar season reaches its halfway point this weekend, with Sprint Cup and Nationwide drivers heading back to Daytona International Speedway for the second time this season. And with the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship just a few weeks away, points and wins are becoming more important. Race wins decide seeding of the Top 10 and the two wild card positions.