http://www.yardbarker.com/nascar/players/matt_kenseth/25377 Recent articles about Matt Kenseth en-us Photo Credit: John Harrelson / Getty Images for NASCAR He may only be 11 races into his career with Joe Gibbs Racing, but Matt Kenseth seems to be hotter than ever. With three wins already this season and seven top-10 finishes, can anyone stop him? Matt Kenseth spent his entire Sprint Cup Career with Roush Fenway Racing behind the wheel of the No. 17 Ford. He had 24 wins, 126 top-5 and 232 top-10 finishes with RFR yet he felt the need to change teams. Now he finds himself behind the wheel of a Toyota, driving the No. 20 for Joe Gibbs Racing and he is off to the hottest start of his career. Kenseth started off the season with a strong showing at the Daytona 500 until his engine decided it just wasn’t his time to win the Great American Race. Two races later, he was standing in Victory Lane in Las Vegas, just three races into his career with JGR. He followed up his Vegas win with a wrecked car at Bristol, but came back to win a few races later at Kansas from the Pole. The next weekend ... Wed, 15 May 2013 21:45:18 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/matt_kenseth_can_anyone_stop_him/13626854 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/matt_kenseth_can_anyone_stop_him/13626854 Matt Kenseth: Can Anyone Stop Him? http://www.yardbarker.com/nascar/articles/matt_kenseth_can_anyone_stop_him/13626854 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/8/9/89d5828fc6ace90febd9c5abdb0e7f576daebaa0/mini/Dickies_500_Practice_0f18.jpg Matt Kenseth passes teammate Kyle Busch to win at Darlington... Sat, 11 May 2013 23:03:26 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/cup_kenseth_rallies_wins_southern_500/13598858 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/cup_kenseth_rallies_wins_southern_500/13598858 CUP: Kenseth Rallies, Wins Southern 500 http://www.yardbarker.com/nascar/articles/cup_kenseth_rallies_wins_southern_500/13598858 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/3/2/32189d5c3d02965373b54e1ea7fecd2f4b1a306d/mini/Pep_Boys_Auto_86f0.jpg Matt Kenseth won the Bojangles Southern 500 from Darlington Raceway. The event which has been run on the Saturday before Mother’s Day saw a lot of green flag racing early at the track which had earned the nickname “too tough to tame.” Kurt Busch led the field to the green flag after setting a new track record in qualifying. Busch would lead the first 50 laps before surrendering the lead to his younger brother Kyle and then Matt Kenseth under the first round of pitstop, before regaining it. Kyle Busch would then assume the lead on lap 72. The first caution flag would drop on lap 125 for debris. Jeff Gordon who was making his 700th start took over the lead on lap 185 before giving way to Kyle Busch on lap 202. Regan Smith would bring out the second caution when he spun on lap 303 due to a flat rear tire. Casey Mears slammed the inside wall on lap 312 after being tapped by Paul Menard. Brad Keselowski would damage his car when he hit Mears coming down the track. On lap 329 Josh Wise go... Sat, 11 May 2013 22:41:03 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/matt_kenseth_wins_southern_500_from_darlington_raceway_full_race_results/13598822 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/matt_kenseth_wins_southern_500_from_darlington_raceway_full_race_results/13598822 Matt Kenseth wins Southern 500 from Darlington Raceway, full race results http://www.yardbarker.com/nascar/articles/matt_kenseth_wins_southern_500_from_darlington_raceway_full_race_results/13598822 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Matt Kenseth was clearly relieved on Friday at Darlington Raceway. Since the National Stock Car Racing Appeals Panel on Wednesday reduced the original NASCAR penalties to Kenseth, team owner Joe Gibbs and the No. 20 crew stemming from their winning engine at Kansas Speedway on April 21 failing to meet specifications, Kenseth can approach the next 16 races before the Chase for the Sprint Cup with renewed optimism. "Obviously, you never want to have a penalty," Kenseth said. "You hope not to have yourself in that position, so I think that's the main point for us to take away is to make sure us JGR and our partners, we got it all worked out to where nothing like that ever happens again so we're never again in that spot. "I'm happy they got reduced. The penalties were pretty crushing before they got reduced. I really applaud NASCAR for having the appeals process and putting that in place to have people look at it after the dust settles a little bit and be objective, look at all Fri, 10 May 2013 15:05:27 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/kenseth_at_ease_ready_for_darlington/13591691 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/kenseth_at_ease_ready_for_darlington/13591691 Kenseth at ease, ready for Darlington http://www.yardbarker.com/nascar/articles/kenseth_at_ease_ready_for_darlington/13591691 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Penalty changes give new life to Matt Kenseth, Gibbs team… Thu, 09 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/cup_engine_quiet_kenseth_surges/13582244 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/cup_engine_quiet_kenseth_surges/13582244 CUP: Engine Quiet, Kenseth Surges http://www.yardbarker.com/nascar/articles/cup_engine_quiet_kenseth_surges/13582244 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png The penalties against Matt Kenseth and the No. 20 car of Joe Gibbs Racing from the race weekend at Kansas Speedway have been reduced. Kenseth qualified on the pole and led the most laps on his way to his second win of the 2013 Sprint Cup season. NASCAR docked Kenseth 50 driver points and suspended crew chief Jason Ratcliff for six races after two of the rods connecting to the cars engine were found to be 2 grams under the mandatory weight. Toyota Racing Development provides JGR with its engines. Joe Gibbs was [...] Wed, 08 May 2013 16:07:35 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/matt_kenseth_joe_gibbs_racing_penalties_reduced/13577615 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/matt_kenseth_joe_gibbs_racing_penalties_reduced/13577615 Matt Kenseth, Joe Gibbs Racing penalties reduced http://www.yardbarker.com/nascar/articles/matt_kenseth_joe_gibbs_racing_penalties_reduced/13577615 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Joe Gibbs Racing scored a stunning victory on Wednesday when a three-member committee from the National Stock Car Appeals Panel greatly reduced penalties levied by NASCAR against the team for an engine issue found in Matt Kenseth's car after he won at Kansas Speedway on April 21. Crew chief Jason Ratcliff had his suspension cut to one race and the driver and car owner points fines were reduced from 50 to 12 each. A $200,000 fine against Ratcliff remains intact. All other penalties against Ratcliff, JGR and Kenseth were completely rescinded. Kenseth now moves from 12th to fifth in Sprint Cup points. The ruling was a huge victory for Joe Gibbs Racing and was NASCAR's second defeat in two days, as on Tuesday an appeal sharply reduced penalties against Penske Racing for illegal suspension modifications. After the Kansas race, one of eight connecting rods in Kenseth's engine was found to be about 3 grams below the NASCAR-mandated minimum weight of 525 grams. The engine was assembled by T.R.D., USA, Wed, 08 May 2013 15:42:49 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/kenseth_team_penalties_reduced/13577420 http://network.yardbarker.com/all_sports/article_external/kenseth_team_penalties_reduced/13577420 Kenseth, team penalties reduced http://www.yardbarker.com/all_sports/articles/kenseth_team_penalties_reduced/13577420 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Matt Kenseth has another strong plate-race car but loses out in final dash… Sun, 05 May 2013 20:56:22 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/cup_kenseth_eighth_despite_dominant_day/13556282 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/cup_kenseth_eighth_despite_dominant_day/13556282 CUP: Kenseth Eighth Despite Dominant Day http://www.yardbarker.com/nascar/articles/cup_kenseth_eighth_despite_dominant_day/13556282 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Matt Kenseth won two races on restrictor plate tracks last season winning the season opening Daytona 500 and the fall race at Talladega. On Sunday the Sprint Cup cars return to the 2.66 mile superspeedway for the Aarons 499. Even with his success at Daytona and Talladega, Kenseth was quick to point out that the target is always moving but credited the rule changes of 2012 for some of his success. “I think when they changed the rules package to start 2012, with the lower spoiler and got rid of the tandem drafting and all that kind of stuff, that really seemed to help me.  I didn’t feel like I was really that great at that tandem drafting and wasn’t really necessarily in your comfort zone or something you felt like you were really good at.  There was just a lot going on there and it wasn’t necessarily my favorite kind of racing.” said Kenseth in a Tuesday teleconference. In four restrictor plate races last season Kenseth had two wins and an average finish of 2.0, numbers that are vast... Wed, 01 May 2013 10:23:39 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/kenseth_rule_change_good_for_cars_style/13527152 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/kenseth_rule_change_good_for_cars_style/13527152 Kenseth: rule change good for cars, style http://www.yardbarker.com/nascar/articles/kenseth_rule_change_good_for_cars_style/13527152 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png If Matt Kenseth believed his fresh start at Joe Gibbs Racing would also include a bit more favorable treatment from the sanctioning body, reality quickly set in on Wednesday. After his engine failed post-race inspection last week, NASCAR nailed the No. 20 team with the reduction of 50 driver points and a six-week suspension for crew chief Jason Ratcliff and team owner Joe Gibbs, along with a $200,000 fine for Ratcliff and the inability to collect owner points during the hiatus. While Kenseth accepts that his team broke the rules by having one of its connecting rods measure less than NASCAR's mandated weight, the 2003 Sprint Cup champ considers the penalties "grossly unfair." "It's borderline shameful," Kenseth said. "There's no argument the part was wrong. They weighed it and it was wrong. However, there is an argument that there certainly was no performance advantage. If you can find any unbiased, reputable, knowledgeable engine-builder and if they saw the facts, what Thu, 25 Apr 2013 19:26:08 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/kenseth_says_penalty_outweighs_misdeed/13484830 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/kenseth_says_penalty_outweighs_misdeed/13484830 Kenseth says penalty outweighs misdeed http://www.yardbarker.com/nascar/articles/kenseth_says_penalty_outweighs_misdeed/13484830 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/3/2/32189d5c3d02965373b54e1ea7fecd2f4b1a306d/mini/Pep_Boys_Auto_86f0.jpg With regard to the penalties NASCAR issued on Wednesday to Joe Gibbs Racing and driver Matt Kenseth for an engine violation, NASCAR knew that the whole world was probably going to be watching to see what it did, especially, probably, the group in the Penske camp. Penske Racing was penalized 25 driver points for Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano and seven crew members were suspended for six points races after a violation in the rear of the car discovered at Texas Motor Speedway. Those penalties are currently being appealed. On Wednesday, NASCAR announced that Kenseth's engine was found to be in violation of the rules during a postrace inspection at the sanctioning body's Research and Development Center. It penalized Kenseth 50 points and the win will not count for bonus points in the Chase for the Sprint Cup or in the wild-card race to make the field. Crew chief Jason Ratcliff was fined $200,000 and suspended six points races and team owner Joe Gibbs was fined 50 owners points and his license as team o Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:49:32 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/nascar_consistent_in_kenseth_penalty/13484215 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/nascar_consistent_in_kenseth_penalty/13484215 NASCAR consistent in Kenseth penalty http://www.yardbarker.com/nascar/articles/nascar_consistent_in_kenseth_penalty/13484215 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/8/3/83b454b69193dbb352f9f14f622f04ee5a7923de/mini/OReilly_Challenge_Practice_7224.jpg Matt Kenseth won the STP 400 at Kansas Speedway last Sunday but a post race inspection showed a rule violation with the engine of his Toyota Camry. A connecting rod in the engine of his Toyota weighed 2.7 grams under the minimum requirement hitting Kenseth with a 50 point penalty and dropping him from 8th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings to 14th. His pole which would have qualified him for the 2014 Sprint Unlimited at Daytona International Speedway was also disallowed. In addition to the penalties to Kenseth, crew chief Jason Ratcliff was suspended for six races and fined $200,000. Team owner Joe Gibbs was fined 50 owner points and also had the license of the No. 20 car pulled for six races. Kenseth was upset at the severity of the penalties for Gibbs and Ratcliff. “I can’t get my arms around that,” Kenseth said Thursday during a news conference at Richmond International Raceway. “I couldn’t feel any worse. There’s no more reputable, honorable, hardworking guy than them two... Thu, 25 Apr 2013 15:20:38 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/kenseth_calls_nascar_penalty_grossly_unfair/13483279 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/kenseth_calls_nascar_penalty_grossly_unfair/13483279 Kenseth calls NASCAR penalty “grossly unfair” http://www.yardbarker.com/nascar/articles/kenseth_calls_nascar_penalty_grossly_unfair/13483279 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png Matt Kenseth says NASCAR's penalties against his team are ''grossly unfair'' and ''borderline shameful.'' Kenseth's team was hit with some of the harshest penalties NASCAR has handed out on Wednesday after his race-winning engine at Kansas failed the post-race inspection. He says one of eight connecting rods on the engine was too light - by 2.7 grams. Kenseth was docked 50 driver points in the standings - two more than he earned for the victory. But he says he's angrier about the penalties given to Gibbs and crew chief Jason Ratcliff. Both were suspended six weeks. Gibbs also had his owner points frozen, and Ratcliff was fined $200,000. The points penalty dropped Kenseth from eighth to 14th in the standings. Thu, 25 Apr 2013 14:44:13 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/kenseth_not_pleased_with_penalties/13483087 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/kenseth_not_pleased_with_penalties/13483087 Kenseth not pleased with penalties http://www.yardbarker.com/nascar/articles/kenseth_not_pleased_with_penalties/13483087 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png When it comes to engines, no matter who it is involved or what it is, NASCAR does not want anybody messing with them. I think that was clear in the penalties assessed Joe Gibbs Racing and driver Matt Kenseth on Wednesday, with the driver and owner each losing 50 points and crew chief Jason Ratcliff getting suspended six points races and fined. NASCAR Sprint Cup director John Darby, president Mike Helton and vice president of competition Robin Pemberton have made it perfectly clear: There is no gray area, there is no room for mistakes, the rule book is black and white, and we're playing off of the black-and-white rule. It's not going to be an interpretation, so don't come to us and say, "We're sorry, somebody made a mistake." People will argue, "Three grams, one rod, there's no performance enhancement there," but I'm sure there's always going to be someone else who will say there is. So here's NASCAR dilemma. I hate it for Ratcliff because I feel like thi Wed, 24 Apr 2013 20:42:00 -0400 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/kenseth_penalty_shows_no_stance/13481125 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/kenseth_penalty_shows_no_stance/13481125 Kenseth penalty shows no stance http://www.yardbarker.com/nascar/articles/kenseth_penalty_shows_no_stance/13481125 http://www.yardbarker.com/images/yb_logo_square_grey.png NASCAR fans have almost made it through the dreaded two month offseason that the sport must experience each year, as tomorrow’s Sprint Unlimited—formerly known as the Budweiser Shootout—marks the first Cup Series event of the year and comes a day before the much anticipated Speedweeks in which the drivers qualify for the Daytona 500 this Sunday, battle for the chance to improve their starting position on Thursday in the Budweiser Duels, and then race for the right to bring home the Harley J. Earl Trophy on Sunday. The 2013 season will be one full of many significant changes to the Cup Series, namely in the race cars used. The much-maligned Car of Tomorrow is now a thing of the past, as NASCAR finally abandoned the transitional car design and switched to the Gen 6, which makes the cars most distinguishable according to their manufacture and rids the sport of the box-shaped car that featured unattractive spoilers and front splitters that constantly were bent and banged to a point in w... Fri, 15 Feb 2013 21:49:27 -0500 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/the_pack_is_back_10_drivers_to_watch_in_the_nascar_sprint_cup_series_this_season/12927595 http://network.yardbarker.com/nascar/article_external/the_pack_is_back_10_drivers_to_watch_in_the_nascar_sprint_cup_series_this_season/12927595 10 NASCAR drivers to keep an eye on in 2013 http://www.yardbarker.com/nascar/articles/the_pack_is_back_10_drivers_to_watch_in_the_nascar_sprint_cup_series_this_season/12927595 http://www.yardbarker.com/media/5/7/57f83360f32d766cf02b4e515f6552ef914f4c64/mini/dprs.jpg