Kenseth favored again at Loudon

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,” Edwards said, laughing.

Kenseth, 44, 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 Edwards, 37. “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.

The result: Three victories at New Hampshire since 2013, including the past two races held here, after going winless in 26 career starts at the track driving for Jack Roush.

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 victory 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 winning 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.”