The fastest car doesn’t win a NASCAR race. The first car to the finish line wins the points, the trophy and the check. Speed is only one aspect of racing and the reason crowds are bigger on race day than for qualifying is because of the competition between teams of machine makers and drivers. Sometimes the winner is the fastest car but usually the winner comes from the best overall team effort.
mattkenseth.com: Matt Kenseth led 40 laps today at California Speedway to capture his first victory of the 2006 season, and the first Nextel Cup points victory in a Ford Fusion. Kenseth started 31st but quickly moved up through the field. No other California winner has come from so deep in the field.Qualifying for the 31st starting position for today’s Auto Club 500, Matt immediately drives past the majority of the field and after a two tire stop on lap 90, Kenseth’s team earns the lead of the race. Looking exactly like the Killer Bees of a couple years ago, the over the wall crew for the 17 team consistently turn out phenomenally quick pit stops that keep the car at the front of the field the rest of the afternoon.
The Associated Press story incorrectly refers to this win as a gift because two of the fastest cars in this long race blew their engines in the last 100 miles. Matt’s 11th Career Cup Victory was absolutely not a gift because neither Greg Biffle nor Tony Stewart yielded anything to anyone. Matt won because his engine was both fast and dependable, and because his pit crew turned out 4 tire stops in the 13 second range and because the driver drove the optimal lines around the 2 mile track.
The message the 17 team was delivering at the circus show that is the Daytona 500 was largely missed when one of the clowns went dangerously crazy. The message that Matt and his crew are ready for their second Cup Championship was definitely delivered today.
