Chasing history

Despite his success, Kenseth in uphill struggle to unseat Yarborough

Matt Kenseth has set a blistering pace in his quest for the Winston Cup championship. He is on pace to score a series-record 5,353 points and currently leads Dale Earnhardt Jr. by 404 points with nine races remaining.

So where does Kenseth's season rank among the all-time greats? Since the numbers don't lie, he's having a season to remember because of his on-track consistency. Following a 19th-place finish in the Daytona 500, Kenseth moved to sixth in points after the second race, jumped to second after the third and assumed control of the points lead after the fourth event. And he's been there for the past 23 races.

Despite all his success, Kenseth still is not having the most dominant season since NASCAR adopted the current points system in 1975 (charts below). That honor is held by Cale Yarborough, who won the 1977 Cup by 386 points over Richard Petty. That year Yarborough became the first driver in the series to score 5,000 points in a season and averaged a stunning 166.66 points in 30 races. In fact, no driver would top 5,000 points until Jeff Gordon 21 years later.

Yarborough backed up his incredible 1977 season with only a slightly lesser year in '78. During that two-year stretch, Yarborough averaged 164.01 points in each race. Under NASCAR's scoring system, that's averaging a third-place finish through 60 races. And he wasn't racing against inferior competition either, but the likes of Petty, Benny Parsons, David Pearson and the Allisons.

Six drivers -- Yarborough, Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Darrell Waltrip and Terry Labonte -- have won multiple Winston Cup title since 1975, and each of them averaged a sixth-place finish in their best point-producing seasons. Kenseth is averaging 7.6 through 27 races this year.

So what can Kenseth do for an encore? Only six times since 1975 has the defending champion won the Cup title the next year. And only Yarborough (1976-77), Earnhardt (1993-94) and Gordon (1997-98) improved on their previous year. But here's the silver lining: Kenseth has improved his average finishing position in each of the past three years.

If there's one thing Kenseth may look at to round out his repertoire, it's a music career. In 1978, Petty, Yarborough and Bobby Allison added vocals for the album NASCAR Goes Country. Yarborough won the Cup title that year, Petty won it in '79 and Allison took home the trophy in '83.

NASCAR Goes Rap, anyone?

Mailbag

What's wrong with Petty Enterprises? My best guess is that Kyle is spread way too thin to be effective as a general manager -- or anything for that matter, no disrespect. I like Kyle and would love to see him succeed, but I just don't see how he can with everything he's trying to do; no one can. I think PE needs to hire a proven GM and give him carte blanche and a blank check to do what is needed. -- Doug, Tarboro N.C.

Everyone was excited when Dodge and Petty again joined forces, but lost in the hoopla was the fact that Petty Enterprises has fallen on very hard times. I understand that multiple-car teams are a force to be reckoned with, but this is one team that needs to scale back and focus on a one-car operation. If Petty can regain some of its luster, then a second car would be an option at a much later date.

Why doesn't NASCAR just stop counting caution laps against the total so we eliminate the "fuel mileage gang"? -- Frank, Farmingdale, N.Y.

Hey, Union 76 -- and Sunoco next year -- have to get their money's worth to be the sport's official fuel. NASCAR, long known for being a stickler for the rules, says 500 miles is 500 miles.

I think NASCAR is trying to make the sport bigger and better, but if you take out the fights after the races it takes something from the sport and from the fans. Most fans like to see the racers take up for themselves and their teams. NASCAR should stay out of it and let the drivers and teams settle it. This isn't CART or any other type of racing; it is NASCAR. -- Billy, Alabama

And following the EA Sports 500 at Talladega, tag-team rasslin'!

As a race fan who attends a few races each season and is not tied to a specific corporation, why aren't ordinary fans allowed to visit corporate areas at the tracks? I would think it would be good business. -- Bill, Lewiston, Maine

Corporate America doesn't want your friendship. If you're inside one of the "corporate areas," you're not spending at the souvenir trailers.

My attention is turned to Matt Kenseth, not because he is leading the points but because the media and TV announcers are so rude toward him. I watch each week as the announcers seem to rejoice when he is having trouble and become so unhappy when he is doing well. The media also does the same thing. My question: Why doesn't the media and the TV announcers just report the facts as they are? Roush and Kenseth are having a great season. -- Bill, Plant City, Fla.

Folks, Matt Kenseth is having a great season. ... Now where have I heard that?

What is the difference between aggressive racing and dangerous racing? Does a veteran race aggressively and a younger drive dangerously? -- Fuzz, Milwaukee, Wis.

Short answer: yes. But I'm sure someone will expound upon the question. Personally, I think it's a matter of perception. Many drivers do dangerous things in the aggressive pursuit of winning.

B. Duane Cross is a senior producer for SI.com.