| Born Matthew Roy Kenseth, this NASCAR star was | | | | Series, the Hooters Series (1996) and the ASA Series |
| raised in Cambridge, Wisconsin and was brought into | | | | (1997), Robbie Reiser approached Kenseth to race |
| the world on March 10, 1972. Matt's family had | | | | for him in the NASCAR Busch Series. The chemistry |
| already been involved before Kenseth himself took | | | | between the two was great as the debuted at the |
| the racing world by storm. His father, Roy Kenseth, | | | | Nashville Speedway in 1997 and managed to grab the |
| made a deal with him in which the young Kenseth | | | | 11th place. Matt was able to bag two top-five and |
| was to work on and up keep the race car that he | | | | seven top-10 finishes in 21 starts and was able to |
| wanted and only drive it once he turned 16. That | | | | finish second for the Rookie of the Year title. |
| nurtured discipline and an appreciation for cars in Matt | | | | Matt Kenseth went on to run his first full Busch |
| as he learned early on that there was more to do | | | | Series season in 1998 where he came in second for |
| than just steer the car. His love for cars gained him | | | | the championship points and he made his first |
| the nickname "Motor" from his father whom Matt | | | | NEXTEL Cup start. Later on he competed in the |
| also says was his biggest childhood hero. | | | | McDonald's Ford, Dover Downs after taking Bill Elliott's |
| He began his official racing career when he turned 16 | | | | place and garnered much attention when he managed |
| and he proved he had something more in him when | | | | to get the sixth-place in his first run with a major |
| he won his first feature event in only his third race. | | | | racing event. Matt continued to excel in almost every |
| He was racing at Columbus 151 Speedway and | | | | event he participated in and in 2000, he was awarded |
| Jefferson Speedway near Cambridge. He worked for | | | | the Winston Cup Raybestos rookie of the year and |
| four years selling and shipping parts for late model | | | | during then he also managed four Busch Series wins |
| racecars chassis manufacturers after he received his | | | | in Daytona, Fontana, Dover and Charlotte. |
| diploma from Cambridge High School. | | | | In 2001, Matt's pit crew won the Unocal 16 |
| When he reached 19, Matt Kenseth was already | | | | Rockingham World Pit Crew Competition, setting a |
| being pitted against reputable drivers. His win in | | | | new world record. Although his racing was not as |
| LaCrosse, Wisconsin then propelled him to greater | | | | good as his rookie year at the start of the season, |
| heights as he became the youngest winner in | | | | Matt still managed to steadfastly finish up with good |
| ARTGO Challenge series history. Soon after that, | | | | three top-five finishes. The next several years would |
| Matt was burning up tires on the Wisconsin racing | | | | see Matt rising steadily on the racing scales. In 2006, |
| tracks with big wins and titles at various tracks | | | | Matt had three career bests (15 top-five finishes, a |
| around Wisconsin. One of his biggest achievements | | | | 9.8 average finish and 14.6 average start). He got a |
| would be when he won the Miller Genuine Draft | | | | career high of 1132 laps, had three Busch Series wins |
| National Championships in 1994 at age 22. He was the | | | | and finished second in NEXTEL Cup championship |
| youngest driver to ever win such an event | | | | standings to name the few things that happened to |
| After various successful races in the NASCAR All Pro | | | | Matt in 2006. |