MATT KENSETH
CREW CHIEF: Jason Ratcliff
TEAM: Joe Gibbs Racing
POINTS: 15th
WINS: 5
TOP 5s: 12
TOP 10s: 20
LAPS LED: 927
POLES: 4
WHAT WENT RIGHT: Kenseth tied for the second-most number of wins in the Sprint Cup Series in 2015, a significant rebound from 2014, when he went winless. … Had a per-race average start of 11.5, second-highest in his career. … Had 29 lead-lap finishes. … Earned $6,806,416, eighth-highest amount of Sprint Cup drivers in 2016.
WHAT WENT WRONG: Kenseth’s season self-destructed after he intentionally wrecked Joey Logano at Martinsville during the Chase, payback for Logano spinning Kenseth at Kansas one week earlier. NASCAR suspended Kenseth for two races, essentially ending his championship hopes. … Finished a career-low 15th in the final standings.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2016: Now that he’s paid his penance for wrecking Logano, it’ll be interesting to see if there will be any carryover between the two drivers going forward in 2016. … Kenseth turns 44 on March 10, making him one of the oldest full-time drivers on the Sprint Cup circuit. … Teammate Kyle Busch’s championship run in 2015 will likely be a significant motivational tool for Kenseth in 2016. Kenseth has earned just one championship in his Sprint Cup career (2003).
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