Let the Chase Begin; Roush Fenway Begins Title Quest
Roush Fenway Racing moves into the first weekend of the 2012 Chase for the Sprint Cup looking for its first-ever NASCAR win at the 1.5-mile tri-oval of Chicagoland Speedway.
Geico 400
Sun. 9.16.12, 2:00 p.m. EDT
ESPN TV, MRN, Sirius 90
Greg Biffle, No. 16 3M Scotch Blue Ford
Matt Kenseth, No. 17 Best Buy Ford
Carl Edwards, No. 99 Fastenal Ford
Dollar General 300
Sat. 9.15.12, 3:30 p.m. EDT
ESPN2 TV, MRN, Sirius 90
Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 6 Blue Bird Ford
Looking for the ‘W’
Chicagoland is the only current track on the NASCAR circuit, that hosts multiple series, where Roush Fenway has never won. Currently RFR has fielded 90 entries at Chicagoland, while putting up 19 top-five finishes, 36 top 10s and four poles.
Close But…
While never having won at Chicagoland, Roush Fenway has finished runner up on six occasions in NASCAR action at the track (twice in the Sprint Cup and four in the Nationwide Series), including in the last two Nationwide Series races at the track.
Chicago Runner- Up Finishes
2005 Kenseth Cup
2007 Kenseth Cup
2006 Edwards NNS
2007 Kenseth NNS
2011-2 Edwards NNS
2012-1 Stenhouse NNS
Cup Action at Chicagoland
Roush Fenway has fielded 52 entries in the Sprint Cup Series at Chicagoland, earning 16 top 10s and six top fives, while leading 523 laps. It, along with Indianapolis and Kentucky, is one of just three active tracks where Roush Fenway has yet to post a win in Cup action. Matt Kenseth has finished runner up in the Cup race on two occasions for Roush Fenway (2005 and 2007). Kenseth and Carl Edwards notched a two-three finish there in 2007.
The Nationwide Series at Chicagoland
Roush Fenway has made a total of 37 starts in the Nationwide Series at Chicagoland, posting 19 top-10 finishes and 12 top fives. The company has led 536 laps in NNS action at the track – including 314 laps in the last three races – and finished runner up on four occasions, including in the last two events.
The Runner Up
Matt Kenseth has finished second on three occasions at Chicagoland; twice in the Sprint Cup Series (2005 and 2007) and once in the Nationwide Series (2007). In fact, Kenseth came just one place short in each race from sweeping the track in both series in 2007. Carl Edwards has finished runner up twice at Chicagoland, with both races in the NNS.
The Chase is On
Roush Fenway moves into this year’s Chase for the Sprint Cup, with both Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth in the 12-car field. Biffle is seeded fifth (six points behind first), while Kenseth is eighth (-9). The organization has fielded multiple entries in each of the Chase’s nine seasons of existence. In 2005, Roush Fenway occupied one half of the 10-car field and in 2004 the organization won the inaugural Chase. In addition, Roush Fenway has placed 24 entries in the Chase field since its inception.
