Fast Facts: Matt Kenseth

Matt Kenseth, driver of the #17 Crown Royal Ford Fusion, won the Cup Series championship in 2003. Here’s a look at the career of the winner of the Bank of America 500 on Saturday, October 15th – the 21st of his career.
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  • Matthew Roy Kenseth was born March 10th, 1972 in Cambridge, Wisconsin. He began racing stock cars at age 16 at Madison (Wisconsin) International Speedway in 1988. After racing and winning titles at numerous area short tracks, Kenseth moved south in 1996 to run in the Hooters Late Model Series; he finished third in the points chase as a rookie.
  • In 1997, when his driver Tim Bender was injured, Busch Series (now Nationwide) car owner Robbie Reiser, a former rival of Kenseth’s on the mid-west short tracks, hired Kenseth as a replacement. In 1998, the pair won their first race in the series.
  • Kenseth made his Cup Series debut in 1998 at Dover, subbing for Bill Elliott, who was attending his father’s funeral; he finished sixth. In 2000, Kenseth, Reiser and their entire team joined Roush Racing (now Roush Fenway Racing) in the Cup Series; Kenseth beat Dale Earnhardt Jr. for the Rookie of the Year title.
  • In 2003, Kenseth became the final “Winston Cup” champion, only the second Wisconsin native to win the title (Alan Kulwicki won in 1992). In 2004, Kenseth won the International Race of Champions (IROC) title.
  • Kenseth married the former Katie Martin in 2000; he has a son, Ross, from a previous relationship, and he and Katie are parents to Kaylin Nicola and Grace Katherine. Ross is now racing late models.
  • Find out more about Matt Kenseth at http://www.mattkenseth.com/.
Fast Facts: Matt Kenseth Fast Facts: Matt Kenseth Reviewed by Paula on Tuesday, October 18, 2011 Rating: 5