Kenseth uses quiet control to lead Winston Cup chase

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The five Winston Cup drivers at Roush Racing couldn't be more different. There's a veteran, a politician, a brash youngster and a rookie.

In the middle of them all is Matt Kenseth, the vanilla flavor of the group.

He's also the Winston Cup points leader.

Quiet and reserved, Kenseth knows his personality is dramatically different from teammates Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, Kurt Busch and rookie Greg Biffle.

"We're definitely all unique personalities," Kenseth said. "Mark is the extreme one, Burton is a politician. Greg is ready to conquer the world, and Kurt is the same way.

"I guess I don't really fit any of that. I'm the conservative one."

So Kenseth quietly goes about his business, which for the past year has been winning races.

He won a series-high five races last season, and would have easily won the Winston Cup championship if not for a string of equipment failure and bad luck. Instead, he finished eighth in the standings well behind Martin (second) and Busch (third).

But so far this year, the No. 17 Ford has escaped the inconsistencies of last season, took over the series lead after the fourth race of the year, and leads Dale Earnhardt Jr. by 51 points in the standings.

Kenseth has one victory, seven top 10s and has finished every race. Should he keep up this pace, no one will catch him in his bid for his first Winston Cup title.

The strange part is that most of his accomplishments go unnoticed.

He's overshadowed at Roush by all of his teammates and his flashier rivals get most of the headlines and commercial opportunities.

"I guess maybe I don't get into the other stuff, but I don't really care about any of the extras," he said. "I got into this for the racing and I'm really just here to race."

Because of that attitude, the 31-year-old Wisconsin native can slip through the garage unnoticed or enjoy an entire meal in a restaurant with few interruptions from fans.

Kenseth has turned into NASCAR's great unknown.

Except for his rash of recent victories -- he's got seven wins in just over three seasons and beat Earnhardt for rookie of the year in 2000 -- Kenseth has gone about his business with little or no fanfare.

"I know I'll never get the same attention as Junior, but that doesn't bother me," he said. "It doesn't matter. I just want to be successful as a racer. That's what is important."

Kenseth does have his quirks, and those who know him say it takes some time to understand his dry sarcasm.

His favorite band is Metallica and his cat is named "Lars" after its drummer, Lars Ulrich.

He grew up in Cambridge, Wis., (population 800) and he and wife, Katie, use their few breaks in the Winston Cup schedule to return home and visit with friends and family.

The two spend the rest of their free time riding motorcycles with fellow driver Jeff Green and his wife, or hanging out with Kenseth's 9-year-old son, Ross.

Unless you know him very, very well, the rest is a mystery.

"The longer Matt and I race each other, the more I get to know him," said Burton, Kenseth's teammate since 2000. "He's very straightforward, he tells you what he thinks. He also tries very hard to fit in and not step on any toes."

Kenseth made that clear minutes after his ninth-place finish at Talladega two weeks ago when he lost the lead on a controversial pass by Earnhardt.

Asked after the race if he thought Earnhardt's pass was legal, Kenseth declined to comment.

"I don't want to say anything, because it will just cause me trouble," he said. "So I'm going to mind my own business and go home and be happy with ninth place."

Kenseth made his Busch Series debut in 1997, and ran the full Busch season the next year. That's where he caught the eye of Martin, who brought Kenseth to Roush Racing in 1999.

Although he credits Martin for much of his success, Martin and Burton often credit Kenseth for helping them understand chassis setups and new technology.

And his team, led by crew chief Robbie Reiser, is the best in NASCAR and has pushed the other Roush squads to improve.

The No. 17 crew has won the annual pit crew competition two years in a row and played a pivotal role in Kenseth's victory earlier this season at Las Vegas with quick pit stops.

But a suggestion that the speedy stops are the main reason why Kenseth is successful is one of the rare things that can get a rise out of him.

"I don't let many things aggravate me," he said. "But I read a letter to the editor that said the only reason I win is because of my pit crew. I try not to let stuff like that bother me, but that letter kind of irritated me."

Burton said Kenseth is more sensitive than anyone thinks.

"I think Matt really cares about what people think about him," Burton said. "But you want that in a teammate. You don't want someone who doesn't care, who only thinks about himself.

"So Matt is someone who cares, but in the right things. Being known and being famous aren't high on his list. Winning races and being a good teammate are."