Matt Kenseth remained tough while running or blocking, machines to the apron, while attempting to maintain the race lead in the closing laps. However, Jimmie Johnson coasted around him in the remaining moments handing the 2003 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion another thrashing.
Kenseth, who’s been unable to win this year after having seven triumphs last season, posted his season-best finish, third, in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday. Though despite being in an era that focuses on winning, he remains serene.
“That’s (was) a little bit disappointing. I feel like we’re gaining on it,” Kenseth explained about his team’s competitiveness tonight. “Certainly we’re not where we were at this time last year, all of us there leading a bunch of laps and being in contention to win. I feel like we had a top-five car tonight and finished third with it.”
Johnson, who went on to score the win and Harvick, who ended up second, both, according to Kenseth, had more speed then the remainder of the field.
“They were just really, really fast tonight,” Kenseth expressed. “(Harvick) was really fast tonight, it seemed like. There were a group of them that seemed to have a little bit more speed.”
However, regardless of the current circumstances at Joe Gibbs Racing, Kenseth isn’t alarmed. He’s even more determined to figure out the issue, whether it is adjusting to the new packages or rule changes.
“Panicking has never helped anything. Like I said, I feel like we’re gaining on it,” Kenseth added. “We’ve just been off a little bit all year. I don’t know if it’s the aero, rules changes. We just have been off a couple 10ths at all these tracks. We’re digging hard trying to figure it out. We’re just not quite there yet.”
Kenseth, who sits second in the points standings following NASCAR’s longest-race, isn’t insistent on getting victories; he’s accepting defeat, claiming he can’t change the outcome.
“You hate it when you can’t hold on and win it. There’s no more I can do about it,” Kenseth said. “We were in position. I did everything I possibly could do and got beat. It’s just the way it goes sometimes.”
Kenseth, now, is more focused on a building a solid arrangement and expecting his team to keep persevering and concluding the, rather short, but long from his view, winless streak.
“I think you just got to keep working on it the same, as hard as you can each and every week.” Kenseth concluded with. “It’s not like you can try harder and work harder and make it happen. You just got to keep digging at it, keep trying to get better.”
“It’s not like we’re way off. It’s not like we’re terrible. Like I said, it was a good, solid night. Just disappointed that we were in the front and couldn’t win.”
