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Matt, Jack and The Blick: Oh My!

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by Steve Wronkowicz

I am co-host of the syndicated radio show: ON PIT ROW. Charlie likes to call me an "idiot". I'm not an "idiot"; I just prefer not to let the facts get in the way of my opinions.

February 27, 2009 1:15 pm CST 2 Comments

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Matt Kenseth will attempt to do what no other NASCAR driver has ever done - win the first three races of a season.

Drew Blickensderfer, Kenseth’s new crew chief has been given a bunch of credit for Kenseth’s 2009 turn around.  Of course the fact that Matty drives for one of the preeminent teams in all of NASCAR doesn’t hurt.  Jack Roush and Roush-Fenway Racing have fielded top notch race cars in varied forms of motor sports.

Roush got his start in racing fielding pro stock drag racers and winning championships in IHRA, AHRA and NHRA.  Roush then took is championship ways to the Trans-Am and IMSA Series and won 24 national championships and 12 manufacturer’s championships before moving to NASCAR with Mark Martin in 1988.  His race teams have won two championships in the Cup series with Kurt Bush and Matt Kenseth.

Blickensderfer was a successful crew chief before making the move to the #17 team with Kenseth behind the wheel.  Blickensderfer’s first crew chief position came in 2006 when he led driver Danny O’Quinn Jr. to rookie of the year honors in the Nationwide Series.  In 2007 Blickensderfer took over as crew chief of the #17 Nationwide car and continued there to began the 2008 season.  He then moved over to lead Carl Edwards’ #60 team.  Edwards rallied to win seven of the final 19 races–including three of the last four.

Kenseth has 330 starts in the Cup Series and has posted eighteen wins, ninety top fives and 164 top tens to go with his one championship.  He has led six percent of the laps he has raced in his twelve seasons, winning over $60 million.

NASCAR is a team sport; argued by some outside the sport, but true none the less.  But which part of the team is the most important?  Does the car owner, or the car itself, the crew chief or driver hold the biggest hammer when it comes to making a successful team?  The Kenseth, Robbie Reiser, Roush combo led to a championship in 2003.  Replace Reiser with Chip Bolin in 2008 and the combo couldn’t find victory lane.  Move Bolin back to engineer, insert ‘The Blick’ and Matty is on the way to a possible NASCAR record breaking feat.

photo credits: Icon Sports Media

Filed under: Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch, NASCAR, Nationwide Series, On Pit Row The Fastest Two Hours on Radio, Roush Racing, Sprint Cup Series 

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Comments

2 Responses to “Matt, Jack and The Blick: Oh My!”

  1. Mark Martin Moving Back into NASCAR Championship Form | Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie on April 21st, 2009 7:39 am

    [...] race in 2005.  Martin’s first retirement tour encompassed the 2005 season, until car owner Jack Roush talked Martin into running one more year while his replacement, David Ragan, spent a year in the [...]

  2. They Shoot Horses Don’t They: Kenseth Mercifully Misses the Chase : Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie on September 16th, 2009 7:08 am

    [...] Matty and “The Blickster” were the story back then. And may be again shortly. But the circumstances are sure different now. [...]

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