Kenseth goes for 3rd straight win at New Hampshire
LOUDON, N.H. >> Carl Edwards had another hard race to the finish against Matt Kenseth. The Joe Gibbs Racing teammates had skipped the track for the bike path, and what Edwards thought would be a leisurely ride between colleagues turned into a competitive duel on two wheels.
“It was a pretty hard ride,” said Edwards, laughing.
The 44-year-old Kenseth flashed the kind of speed that made Edwards wonder how he continued to turn back the clock on all modes of transport.
“He’s somehow figured out how to age backward now,” said the 37-year-old Edwards. “He’s getting faster, he’s getting stronger, he’s figured something out here for sure and it gives guys like me hope, you know?”
Kenseth has certainly figured out New Hampshire Motor Speedway since making the move in 2013 to Joe Gibbs Racing. Winless in 26 career starts at the track driving for Jack Roush, Kenseth has three wins at New Hampshire since ‘13 and has won the last two races here.
He had a bit of luck to win the fall 2015 race when leader Kevin Harvick’s gamble to stretch his fuel backfired and Kenseth took the lead to clinch his spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship. His first New Hampshire win of this season came under similar circumstances. Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch each led more than 120 laps before faltering over the final 75 laps, paving the way for Kenseth to stretch his Magic Mile win streak.
“I think a lot of it has to do with, obviously the equipment and the people working on it, and all that stuff, but it’s hard to figure out sometimes,” Kenseth said. “This used to be probably one of my worst tracks on the circuit, honestly, and now it seems like it’s been one of our best. That doesn’t mean it’s going to be this week, but it has been in recent past.”
Edwards joked before Friday’s qualifying session that he’d like to steal some tips from Kenseth and crew chief Jason Ratcliff and try and earn his own win at the track.
“I can lean on that and look at that and understand what he does,” Edwards said.
Byron wins 1st Trucks Chase race
LOUDON, N.H. >> William Byron aced the inaugural Chase race in NASCAR’s Trucks Series.
The Liberty University freshman dominated at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and won for a whopping sixth time this season.
This win came with extra credit: the 18-year-old Byron became the first driver to advance to the second round of the Chase.
“It’s a great run for our team,” he said. “We needed this to get back into Chase form.”
NASCAR expanded its Chase format this season to include the feeder Xfinity and Truck Series, its champions now crowned in a four-driver shootout at the season finale.