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Kenseth Authors Another Hall Of Fame Performance

Charlotte, NC (March 11th, 2013) – Hall of Fame.

There, I said it.

I know he’ll probably be a little peeved – no, make that embarrassed – that I’ve thrown that out there, but why not?

He’s earned it.

Of course, I’m talking about Matt Kenseth and his eventual induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

Now in his 16th NASCAR Sprint Cup season, Kenseth has been the quiet superstar of stock car racing. While others have ridden famous names, bright smiles and big personalities to ‘superstar’ status in today’s media-driven world of NASCAR, the unassuming Kenseth has fashioned his legacy on the racetrack.

On Sunday, Kenseth celebrated his 41st birthday by winning the Kobalt Tools 500 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

It was the 25th victory of his NASCAR Sprint Cup career.

Combined with his NASCAR Nationwide Series statistics, Kenseth now has 51 victories, 245 Top-5 and 399 Top-10 finishes in 725 career starts. That’s a Top-5 once every three starts, a Top-10 every other time out.

Those are epic numbers – Hall of Fame worthy without a doubt.

Throw in a NASCAR Winston (now Sprint) Cup championship in 2003, a pair of victories in the Daytona 500, NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year honors in 2000, and the Cambridge, WI driver should be a lock for the NHOF when his name is finally put up for induction.

After 15 stellar years with the Roush/Fenway organization, Kenseth joined Joe Gibbs Racing this season. With that kind of organization backing him, it’s easy to predict he’ll keep winning until he’s ready to hang up his helmet.

After all, at 41, he’s still young.

And hungry.

Sunday’s brilliant drive – where he outdueled the best car on better tires over the final 30 laps – is evidence of that.

Kenseth’s not done – not yet – not by a long shot.

In typical fashion, Kenseth is sure to downplay any talk about his possible inclusion in the NASCAR Hall of Fame someday. Never one to ‘toot his own horn,’ you won’t ever see him campaigning for a spot in the shrine to the sport’s all-time greats.

He won’t have too.

His numbers already say he belongs.

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