NASCAR News


Kenseth, No. 17 DEWALT Team Head to Talladega

After a 14th-place finish at Martinsville, Kenseth and the No. 17 DEWALT Team head south to Talladega Superspeedway for the fourth and final restrictor-plate race of the season.

Talladega Superspeedway

2.66 Mile, 188 laps, 500 miles

ABC - 1:19 p.m. EST - Prerace - 12 p.m.

At Talladega...

Starts: 19

Wins: -

Top 5: 3

Top 10: 6

First time: 4/16/00 (18)

Last time: 10/26/09(17)

KENSETH AT TALLADEGA

This will be Kenseth’s 20th start at Talladega Superspeedway, where he has an average finish of 18th. Kenseth has totaled six top-10 and three top-five finishes in nine seasons at the track. He finished top six in three straight from the fall of ‘05 through ‘06, and the 2006 season marked the only time in his career he has finished top 10 in both races there in the same season. However, he has not finished better than 14th since, including four consecutive finishes outside the top 15.

ENGINE DEBUT

Kenseth along with Roush Fenway teammate David Ragan will debut the new Ford Racing “FR9“ Engine this weekend at Talladega. Code-named “FR9,” this new piece is the first purpose-built NASCAR racing engine to ever come out of Ford Motor Company. Its design has

been spearheaded and developed by famed engine builder Doug Yates and Ford Racing engineer David Simon.

OUT FRONT

Despite having never won at Talladega, Kenseth has led in 14 of his 18 starts at the World’s Fastest Speedway, including nine laps there in the spring.

LOOKING FOR WIN NO. 1

Talladega is one of 11 active tracks on the circuit where Kenseth has yet to win a Cup race. Kenseth’s 18 wins have come at 11 of the active tracks and at Rockingham (where the series stopped racing after 2004.) In addition, Kenseth has led at all 22 tracks with the exception of Sonoma.

QUOTING MATT...

“Talladega is a lot like going to a 200-mph go-cart track. Everyone’s cars handle there and you run wide open all day. At Daytona, the corners are much tighter and the surface is worn out, so handling is really important, but at Talladega it is much more about drafting and getting into the right position. The challenge is not getting in a wreck. You also have to have your car in the right place, with the right cars, so you don’t get hung out and lose a lot of positions.”

FAST FACTS

· Kenseth has an average finish of 18th at Talladega.

· Kenseth has six top-10 and three top-five finishes at Talladega.

· Kenseth has led in 14 of his 18 starts at Talladega.

· Kenseth and Roush Fenway teammate David Ragan will debut the new Ford Racing “FR9” Engine this weekend at Talladega.




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