TOYOTA NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS)
Matt Kenseth – Notes & Quotes
Dover International Speedway – October 2, 2015
Joe Gibbs Racing driver Matt Kenseth was made available to the media at Dover International Speedway:
MATT KENSETH, No. 20 Dollar General Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
How does it feel to start out front Sunday after qualifying being rained out today?
“I think we all would have liked to get on the track today and get some practice. I know there are some things we wanted to work on and try to improve from the spring for this race. I think everybody wanted to get on the track. I think it’s one of the advantages of leading the points – obviously if it rains you get a good starting spot and pit stall. Glad we’re starting in the front, but still would have liked the track time.”
Other than the restrictor plate tracks, are there other tracks where practice time really helps the teams?
“I have to think about that a little bit. I guess anywhere they haven’t had a test, which they’ve had a lot of tests this year, so we have a tire test coming up in Phoenix the week after next so we’ll have some time there. I think probably all of the, a little bit depends on your specific situation. For us getting in last week, it’s probably less important obviously for our points situation if we get practice today than if we didn’t get practice next week because of everybody starting over. Other than that, every track it’s good to get some time on.”
What about practice at the tracks where the series visits twice a season?
“I think that makes a little bit of a difference for sure being here for the second time if you go to any of these tracks where you go once a year – Homestead (Miami Speedway) and places like that, it’s probably more important that we get to practice.”
Have you changed your strategy since you’re locked into the ‘Challenger 12’ round?
“It really doesn’t change my approach. I believe that you want to do the best you can every week. You want to keep performing at the same level for the next eight weeks I guess. I think you want to run up front, you want to be a contender, you want to be in that mix to be in position to try win the race at the end of the day, keep your pit crew performing at a top level, keep yourself – I think you just want to keep the whole thing rolling and just keep working at it one week at a time.”
How do you feel about Tony Stewart retiring?
“Tony (Stewart) is one of the most, if not the most-talented race car driver I think you could ever see, so he’s a guy that can win anywhere and certainly has had a very successful and colorful and fun career to watch – a lot going on. So anyway, I think whenever you had a legend that ends up retiring and he’s a driver as popular as Jeff (Gordon) and Tony and things like that, you always start thinking about all the things you watched or maybe raced against him, some of the things he’s done and certainly I think the sport will miss him.”
