NASCAR Cup

Homestead: Katt Kenseth preview

KENSETH AT HOMESTEAD Kenseth's history at Homestead is a tale of two stories. The team finished no better than 19th and averaged a 30th-place finish in its first five trips to HMS. However after that Kenseth railed off three straight finishes of ...

Published: Nov 19, 2009, 6:15 AM

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KENSETH AT HOMESTEAD

Kenseth's history at Homestead is a tale of two stories. The team finished no better than 19th and averaged a 30th-place finish in its first five trips to HMS. However after that Kenseth railed off three straight finishes of sixth or better, including a win in 2007. He has averaged an 8.75-place finish in his last four at the track. The average would be even better had the team not finished 25th last season after leading 73 laps, but gambling on fuel late.

END OF AN ERA

This weekend will mark the end of an era for Matt Kenseth and Roush Fenway Racing. After more than a decade serving as the primary sponsor for Matt Kenseth and the No. 17 team, DEWALT will run its last race aboard the No. 17 Ford Fusion this weekend at Homestead. One of the most successful partnerships in NASCAR history, the duo of Kenseth and DEWALT teamed for the 2000 Rookie of the Year Award, the 2003 Championship and the 2009 Daytona 500 win during their 10-plus year tenure together.

IN THE LEAD

Kenseth did not lead a single lap at Homestead during his first seven visits to the track, but he has led a total of 287 laps in the last two races at HMS; leading 214 during his 2007 win and 73 last season.

DOUBLE DUTY

Kenseth will make his 15th and final Nationwide Series start of the season at HMS. In 14 starts in '09 he has one victory (Darlington), two poles, six top-fives and nine top-10 finishes. It will be Kenseth's 11th Nationwide start at Homestead, where he has totaled one win ('06), four top-fives and seven top-10's. He has led 135 laps in his last five NW races at HMS, including 91 in 2006.

MATT KENSETH

"Homestead is pretty cool and I think the racing is really exciting there. It's really unique with the way it's built right now and the way the banking is and the elevation changes and all that stuff, so it's pretty cool. They did a great job and spent the money and did the research and they weren't scared to go out on a limb and build it like no other track.

"There are a lot of different lanes you can look for. It's a lot of fun. It's the only track we have that's that big that is a true oval without the dogleg, and the backstretch being higher than the frontstretch, it makes all four corners a lot different, so it's a fun track. I think the racing there is as good as anywhere now. I think all the drivers and teams and the fans, everybody loves going down there and it's a great event to have at the end of the year and to crown all the champions, so it's really unique."

FAST FACTS

* Kenseth has one win (2007), two top-five and three top-10 finishes in 9 races at Homestead.

* Kenseth has led 287 laps in the last two races at Homestead.

* Kenseth has finished top six in three of the last four at Homestead.

* Kenseth led 214 of 267 laps in his 2007 victory at Homestead.

* Kenseth has one win, four top fives and seven top-10 finishes in 10 Nationwide races at HMS.

* The race will mark the final race with DEWALT as the primary sponsor of the No. 17 Ford.

-credit: rfr

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