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Chat Reel: Matt Kenseth
Team will have a good chance on a track with banks
Posted: Monday February 12, 2001 5:34 PM
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Matt Kenseth drives the No. 17 DeWalt Power Tools car for Roush Racing. Robert Laberge/Allsport |
CNNSI Host: Welcome to today's NASCAR chat with Matt Kenseth. Thanks for joining us as you get ready for the Daytona 500.
Matt Kenseth: Thanks, good to be here.
From y2j: How is your car set up looking for Sunday?
Matt Kenseth: I think our setup will be OK. I think it will race a lot better than it qualified.
From a guest in Pawling, N.Y.: Hey Matt, I was wondering how you feel racing Daytona this year as opposed to last year?
Matt Kenseth: I think the race will be more exciting because of the aerodynamics rules they have added. I'm little more excited because I have an idea of what to expect.
From snottestad@jvlnet.com in Stoughton, Wisc.: Matt, What are your realistic goals for the 2001 racing season and at what tracks do you really feel like you could contend for the win?
Matt Kenseth: I think there are a lot of tracks that we can contend to win. The tracks with banking in them -- I feel we have a good chance. My goal is to do better than last year, and one of my goals is to finish in the top 10 in points.
From Spitter: What do you think of the new spoilers and aerodynamic rule changes this year? How much slower are the cars going to run?
Matt Kenseth: They are a fair amount slower in qualifying. When we start racing, the pack will be together. So I think the rules make for a good race and that is good for the fans.
From Racsan@pivot.net in Otisfeild, Maine: Hello Matt, Congrats on winning Rookie of the Year. My question is sharing a shop with Kurt Busch -- how different are your driving styles? And with sharing a shop, how does this affect with helping each other's set-ups?
Matt Kenseth: I haven't raced enough with him to know about driving styles. Sharing the shop will help both of us in sharing information.
From y2j: What was it like winning the Coca-Cola 600?
Matt Kenseth: It was pretty cool. It was something we really weren't expecting to do. It was pretty exciting.
From KansasRacer: After running 150+ mph all day, do you actually get out in the Daytona traffic to eat out or anything? Does the traffic along International Speedway Drive make you want to scream?
Matt Kenseth: We try to get out and go out to eat for dinner one or two days. The traffic is not too bad we have some back ways we try to take. But if it is bad we can stay in the motorhome.
From Do: From your point of view, how big of a surprise was it to see Dodge sneak up on everyone like they did on Saturday?
Matt Kenseth: I wasn't surprised one bit. I think with Ray Evernham developing that program, they have had a year to put it together. So I wasn't surprised at all with Evernham heading up that program.
From y2j: What is your Favorite Track? And why?
Matt Kenseth: I have a lot of favorites but my favorites is probably Dover. That is were I ran my first Winston Cup race and it's a track I like. It's fast with a lot of banking.
From james897@aol.com in Milwaukee: Matt -- Do you get back to Cambridge much anymore?
Matt Kenseth: It depends on how busy I am. I get back there at least five times a year, maybe a little more than that.
From RedMan_Rules: Have you gone three-wide at Daytona yet? How scary is going three-wide at Daytona?
Matt Kenseth: Yes, in practice I was out there. In practice we went three-wide. It will happen a lot when you have new tires, but once the tires wear a little it won't happen as much.
From Spitter: What was your opinion of the accusation of Dodge drivers "sandbagging" prior to the qualifying runs on Saturday? Did the Dodge team's success surprise you?
Matt Kenseth: I don't know really what they were doing. I thought they would be fast right away. They have had a year and half to develop that car so I knew it would be good.
From MilerTime2: Do you really think there is an unfair HP disadvantage among the Fords headed into Daytona?
Matt Kenseth: I don't really know for sure. They took one of each make to the wind tunnel yesterday. So we should find out if any one make has and advantage and NASCAR will adjust accordingly.
From Spit_cup: What is the fastest you ever driven while not in a stock car? When and where was it?
Matt Kenseth: Good question. Probably about 125 mph actually -- it was [at] Talladega. We were driving street cars while they were drying the track off.
From KensethFanatic: How much feedback will the team get from Thursday's 125's as far as setup for the race?
Matt Kenseth: We should get a lot. The race is 50 laps long, which is about an entire run and a fuel run. We should get a good idea how it will run because there are no pit stops. So by the end of the race, your tires are worn like a real race.
CNNSI Host: That's all the time we have today with Matt Kenseth. Thank you for joining us and good luck this weekend!
Matt Kenseth: Alright, thank you.
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