There wound up being no need to be wary of Kenseth: he had the best debut in NASCAR's top division in nearly 20 years. That would have come in handy for the other drivers needing to avoid the kid in his debut, as well. ![]() The car had a "groovy" 1960s paint scheme in honor of the sandwich's 30th anniversary ( check it out, maaaaan), making it plenty easy to spot from the grandstands and on television when racing among the other 42 cars. The next day, Kenseth hopped in Elliott's McDonalds "Get Back with Big Mac" Taurus. finished eighth, allowing Kenseth to wipe 43 points off "Little E's" lead with five races remaining. On Saturday afternoon, Kenseth dominated the MBNA Gold 200 for his third and final victory of the 1998 Busch Grand National season. Martin, who had recommended his protege to drive the car, won the pole. As it turned out, he made the show easily, qualifying 16th-quickest (the top-25 fastest cars on the first day were locked in on speed in the old two-round style of qualifying that went away after the 2000 season). That meant Kenseth would be able to use a provisional spot to make the field if he couldn't go fast enough in first or second-round qualifying. 94 team was ranked 18th in the standings. Though Elliott had already endured a tough season on the track even before the passing of his father, the No. Rather, Kenseth got the nod to drive Bill Elliott's Ford as Georgia's first family of motorsports grieved the loss of their patriarch, George Elliott. Kenseth would wind up making his debut at Dover on September 20, but it was not intended for him to run that race. He'd attempted his Cup debut in one of Roush's cars at Talladega that April, but he wasn't quite fast enough to make the show. A protege of Mark Martin, Kenseth's future as a driver for Roush Racing in Winston Cup competition was all but assured. in the battle for the championship crown. 17 Chevrolet and sat 140 points behind Dale Earnhardt Jr. Through 25 races on that tour, he'd won twice in Robbie Reiser's No. In September 1998, Matthew Roy Kenseth was enjoying a breakout first full season in the NASCAR Busch (now Nationwide) Series. One never knows what might come out of Kenseth's mouth as he deadpans his way through a conversation. While he may not provide the sort of juicy soundbytes of contemporaries Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick, the soft-spoken Wisconsinite's interviews are can't-miss events. He also possesses one of the best - and most dry - senses of humor in the sport. ![]() Earl Trophies he earned for his 20 Daytona 500 triumphs. He has a Winston Cup at home on his mantle, alongside two Harley J. Matt Kenseth is certainly one of today's top stars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
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