Matt Kenseth

Birthday: March 10, 1972
Hometown: Cambridge, Wis.

YEAR-BY-YEAR NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES RECAP

2007 -- Finished fourth in series points. ... Has finished in the top 10 in the standings for six consecutive seasons, tied with Jimmie Johnson for the most. ... Won two races -- California (February) and Homestead. Has won at least one race in six consecutive seasons. ... Finished season with 13 top-fives and 22 top-10s. ... Led a lap in 20 different races, leading the most in four of them.

2006 -- Finished second in series points. ... Won four races -- California (February), Dover (June), Michigan (August) and Bristol (August). ... Won back-to-back races (Michigan and Bristol) for the second time in his career. ... Tied for the series high with 15 top-five finishes. ... Only spent one week outside the top 10 (finished 15th in season-opening Daytona 500). ... Was either first or second in points for 27 of 36 weeks. ... Led 1,132 laps, second among all drivers.

2005 -- Finished seventh in series points. ... Led a career-high 1,001 laps ... With 12 races to go before the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, rallied from 24th place in the standings and 320 points out of 10th to make the Chase.

2004 -- Finished eighth in series points. ... Finished with two wins. Won back-to-back races early in the year at North Carolina Speedway on Feb. 22 and Las Vegas on March 7. ... His win at North Carolina Speedway was a photo finish with Raybestos Rookie of the Year Kasey Kahne -- and a series season highlight. ... Began the 10-race Chase in fifth place and finished eighth. ... One of only four drivers to be ranked in the top 10 all season.

2003 -- Won the series championship. ... Finished with one win, 11 top-fives and a series-high 25 top-10s. ... Only two DNFs, the first at Kansas in the season's 30th event, and the second at Homestead in the season finale, after clinching the series crown. ... Spent 35 of 36 weeks in the top 10, his only week outside it coming after a 20th-place finish in the season-opening Daytona 500. ... Assumed the points lead after a fourth-place finish at Atlanta, the season's fourth race, and held it for 33 consecutive weeks. ... Clinched the title following a fourth-place finish at Rockingham in Week 35.

2002 -- Finished eighth in series points. ... Won a series-high five races (Texas, Phoenix, Michigan, North Carolina and Richmond), a career-best. ... Finished with 11 top-fives and 19 top-10s. ... Pole-sitter at Dover spring race.

2001 -- Finished 13th in series points. ... Finished fourth at Michigan, Talladega, New Hampshire and Phoenix for his only top-fives. ... Had only six qualifying attempts of 20th or better and none better than 13th. ... Team won the 2001 World Pit Crew Competition championship at Rockingham in October.

2000 -- Finished 14th in series points. ... Won NASCAR Sprint Cup Raybestos Rookie of the Year title over Dale Earnhardt Jr. ... Won the circuit's longest race, the Coca-Cola 600, at Lowe's Motor Speedway for his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup win. ... Followed that performance with a second-place finish the following weekend at Dover.... Posted 11 top-10 finishes, including the Daytona 500.

1999 -- Finished 49th in series points. ... Drove five races for Roush Fenway Racing in preparation for his rookie season. ... Scored his first career top-five finish at Dover, where he finished fourth. ... Also ran at Michigan, Darlington, Charlotte and Rockingham in second half of season.

1998 -- Finished 57th in series points, driving in only one race. ... Drove the No. 94 Ford in place of Bill Elliott at Dover so Elliott could attend his father's funeral. ... Finished sixth in the race.

PREVIOUS RACING HISTORY

Won the 2004 International Race of Champions (IROC) competition by winning the final two races in the four-race schedule. ... Has 23 career NASCAR Nationwide Series wins in 222 starts. ... Has won at least one race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in five consecutive seasons, nine of the last 10. ... Finished third in 1999 NASCAR Nationwide Series standings with four wins and two poles. ...Was second in 1998 NASCAR Nationwide Series points race with three victories. ... First NASCAR Nationwide Series win came at Rockingham. ... First NASCAR Nationwide Series ride in April 1997 was with a team owned by Robbie Reiser, his crew chief in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for eight years. ... Started just 21 races that season and finished second in the Rookie of the Year race. ... Was running second in the American Speed Association standings when he left for the NASCAR Nationwide Series. ... Began his short-track career at age 16, winning his first feature in his third race while he was still a high-school junior. ... Won 10 features in his first two seasons at tracks around Wisconsin and had 46 super late-model victories over the next three seasons. ... Won Alan Kulwicki Memorial race in 1993 and track titles at Madison International and Wisconsin International tracks the following year. ... Won another track title at Wisconsin International in 1995 and had 15 wins in 60 races. ... Made his NASCAR Southeast Series debut in 1995, finishing in the top-three in three of four starts. ... Won one race and finished third in the Hooters ProCup Series in 1996.

NOTEWORTHY

Worked on father's racecar for three years before starting to drive it. "My dad made me a deal when I was 13," Kenseth said. "He would buy a racecar and drive it if I would work on it and keep it up. Then, when I turned 16, I could drive the car. It was hard work but it was also a great experience and really prepared me to do more than just steer the car." ... Avid Green Bay Packers fan who exchanged helmets with quarterback Brett Favre at a 2003 Monday Night Football game at Lambeau Field.