Joe Gibbs Racing driver Matt Kenseth was made available to the media at Texas Motor Speedway:
MATT KENSETH, No. 20 Dollar General Toyota Camry, Joe Gibbs Racing
What do you enjoy about racing at Texas Motor Speedway?
“You enjoy it when you have a good car. Haven’t done too well here in recent history, but before that it’s always been a good track for us. I like the challenge of the different ends of the race track that are different and the worn out pavement. I think the low aero package is going to be different. I’ve always enjoyed the track.”
What have you noticed about Jimmie Johnson and his success at Texas?
“The biggest thing I notice about Jimmie (Johnson) is he’s pretty good everywhere. He’s not too much of a slouch anywhere that I can really think of. Nothing really stands out special to here, really to me.”
How has being a parent affected you as a person and driver?
“I don’t think it’s affected me as a driver really at all. I don’t think that part changes. As a person, a lot changes. Obviously as they get older and you do different things with them. It’s been a lot of fun with three little girls at home and they get to come to the track sometime. Share your successes and failures with you, which is always more fun to have family there.”
Do you feel like you were rusty after sitting out the two races last year?
“I raced at Homestead, so I don’t think I’m very rusty. I think I’m alright. I was just thinking, Kyle (Busch) only raced half a year last year and won the championship, so I don’t think the rust thing holds up. I still have a couple months before I really run good, I guess. I know what you’re saying, but no, I don’t think so.”
Is this the sweet spot of your schedule with Texas, Bristol, Richmond, Charlotte races coming up?
“It’s really a what have you done for me lately sport. It doesn’t matter if we won here four years ago, or whatever it was. You have to be able to perform every week. If you’re going to be a contender for the championship, you have to be able to run good everywhere. I don’t think you want to have any weak spots on the schedule. Yeah, you can have a track or two that’s really not a great place. I feel like when we’ve been at our best at JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing) as a whole, I feel like we’re able to run good everywhere. For us in the 20, I think we’ve been able to run good at most places except for places like Sears Point (Sonoma) and maybe a few of those that aren’t good tracks for me. Other than that, I feel like when we’ve been at our best, we’ve been pretty well rounded with short track races and intermediate races as well. To answer your question, I don’t look at this part of the schedule as any better than I do at the last four weeks – those have always been good tracks for us in the past, too.”
What will the new low downforce package mean for racing at Texas?
“I hope not, because he (Jimmie Johnson) beat me (in 2007). I’ve lost a couple close ones here. Jeff Burton beat me towards the end and Jimmie beat me in that other race. I can’t really predict what’s going to happen in the race. Typically this has been a great race track. It’s got a lot of character with the bumps and real abrasive and kind of worn out. I think the track has always been pretty good with passing and I think that will continue to get better with the rules change.”
