TOYOTA NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS)
Matt Kenseth — Notes & Quotes
Daytona Media Day – February 14, 2013
MATT KENSETH, No. 20 Dollar General Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
What did you know about crew chief Jason Ratcliff before joining JGR?
“I didn’t know Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief). I knew a lot about his history and what he’s done in the sport and Nationwide Series and I’ve known a lot of people that have worked with him. Noticed him around the garage, but didn’t know him personally at all.”
What was Jason Ratcliff’s reputation at that time?
“A winner and a racer. I see him win all them races in the Nationwide Series and a couple people I know that worked with him had very good things to say about him as well.”
How is your relationship with Jason Ratcliff entering the Daytona 500?
“I’ll say this, we haven’t raced yet, but I really have had a nice off-season getting to know him. I hope he says the same thing about me. We spent a lot of time together. Got to know each other a lot and it’s been fun.”
Do you feel like the defending Daytona 500 winner with so many off-season changes?
“Everything always changes, so it’s cool to come in as the defending champion, but once we get rolling here it doesn’t really mean anything. It might mean a little bit, but very little. Yeah, it’s always great to come in winning the previous race, but it’s really about looking forward and trying to win this one.”
Was winning the Daytona 500 a goal in your career?
“I never really wrote it down and put a goal like you want to win that race, because you want to win every race. But, that was a really neat win for us the first time — both times around — but the first time is special. We were kind of going through a little bit of a winless streak and had a lot of changes with the team at the time. Had a really, really bad Speedweeks. We wrecked two cars — that was our third car, I believe. Just had a lot going on there and was able to work our way all the way up front, take the lead there right before it started raining and that was a really big win that day.”
How different was last year’s victory compared to your first Daytona 500 win?
“They’re both different. Last year was really big for us as well for a lot of different reasons, but that was a really, really big win. It was the first win ever for our sponsor at the time in the sport and they had been in the sport for a long time. We were actively searching for sponsors — we had a lot of different stuff going on last year as you can see how everything developed, so it was a huge win for us last February as well.”
Was last year’s race as bizarre as it seemed?
“It was a wild race — it was a lot of different things went on. The first rain out in 54 years or whatever it was and then racing prime time Monday night and then the jet dryer exploding and getting delayed again, so there was a lot of crazy stuff that went on there for sure.”
Will the change of scenery help reinvigorate you?
“It wasn’t about the scenery at all and I didn’t really need to be reinvigorated I guess. I always feel very energetic — really looking forward to the season starting. I always do, although every year is a little bit different. So, it wasn’t really about that, but I feel really great about my move. I feel like it’s a great opportunity for me, for our team, for everybody. I feel like absolutely it was the right move for me to make at the right time and the way everything worked out, so I’m going to try to make the most of it.”
What has been the biggest change with your new team?
“Well again, I keep going back to we haven’t raced yet, so it’s hard to answer a lot of questions until we start getting results. That’s what it’s all about. We can talk and think about it and daydream about it and do all those things and work towards it, but it’s really about where you end up on Sunday. Until we get a couple of months in and kind of see where we’re at, it’s hard to say. But, I feel every day I go over there, every hour I spend with Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief), every person I get to meet at the shop, I feel better about it all the time — and I felt great about it to start with, so there’s a lot of enthusiasm. Expectations are really high. I think we’re all looking forward to getting started and seeing what we can do together.”
MATT KENSETH, No. 20 Dollar General Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing (continued)
Are you looking forward to running in more Nationwide Series events?
“Yes. I’ve always liked Nationwide races. I’ve always really enjoyed it and used to run somewhere around 15 a year really until kind of the downturn and sponsorships dried up a little bit and we closed some teams over where I was and there just wasn’t a car for me to drive, so I’ve always wanted to. There just wasn’t anything to drive, so I had a great time filling in for Trevor (Bayne) — that’s actually the only new Nationwide car that I drove and we were able to win that race. That was really fun. I think that’s the only race I ran the last three years of two and a half years or something like that. Obviously, the JGR cars in the past have ran really, really well. They win a lot of races. Excited to get back in there. It’s exciting to bring Reser’s into the sport — they’re brand new to the sport, which is always good — and get GameStop to renew and come back as well. I’m really looking forward to that. I’m obviously looking into the Sunday stuff the most, but I am looking forward to getting back in the Nationwide Series and racing with some of them guys and seeing if there’s something to be learned over there.”
What are your goals for 2013?
“My only goal right now is to win. I mean, you want to be a contender each and every week, but I think it’s important for us to win. I know you can’t force it and you never know if it’s going to happen or when it’s going to happen, but I think that’s my first goal is to try and go out and get a win right away.”
Do you think the new car may change the strategy at the end of the Daytona 500?
“I do actually. I wasn’t in that big group, but I think in years past — last year was a little bit different — but I think in years past you probably didn’t want to be the leader. You were probably going to get passed — especially in the tandem deal. Where now, I’d want to be leading every time. After that last pit stop, I want to be in the front. I don’t want to have to pass anybody. I think the car in the front is going to have the best shot at the win. It doesn’t mean he’s going to win, but he’s going to have the best chance I think with this current package.”
Will we see bump drafting or tandems during the last laps of the Daytona 500?
“I don’t know because I wasn’t in that big group. I don’t know. I don’t have a feel like they’re going to have any kind of tandem stuff. You might have an occasional push here or there. I don’t know if these cars are going to lock together very well or not. And if they drive as bad as they did in the test — which when I saw bad I think that’s a good thing — that they have to handle, there won’t be any tandem. I don’t think you’re going to be able to push somebody without spinning them out, unless that’s what they’re looking for.”
