Matt Kenseth came into the sport under the mentorship of Mark Martin and the two seem more and more similar every year. Kenseth is now a 10-year veteran and one of the most-respected drivers in the garage. He’s had disagreements with drivers in his younger days but those rough edges have long been polished. Kenseth is still competing and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see his son, Ross Kenseth, join the Roush stable when he turns 18 to bring us the latest father-son pairing in NASCAR.

What Kenseth lacks in flash he makes up for in tenacity. Before Kevin Harvick took the label Kenseth was often NASCAR’s best closer. How many people remember Kenseth finished 5th in the final points standings last year? Exactly. We haven’t seen the last of the fast Crown Royal #17 in victory lane this year.

NASCAR Sharkfin Soup from Las Vegas

by Charlie Turner

Thanks for stopping by OnPitRow.com and the Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie blog. The best NASCAR and IndyCar news and opinion, exclusive pictures and video. I'm Charlie Turner. Follow me on Twitter @onpitrow

March 8, 2011 12:38 pm CST No Comments

Let’s hope that for once, “what happen’s in Vegas”, doesn’t stay in Las Vegas.

The Kobalt Tools 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was a return to normalcy. No more crazy racing, like the pairs competition at Daytona and freaky Phoenix. Well maybe no more until Bristol. But we’ll see I guess.

Vegas was traditional. Lots of fast laps and the near impossibility of passing. Cookie Cutter Classic.

Fins Up.

Roush-Fenway Racing. Matt Kenseth took the pole and Carl Edwards won the race, but all the buzz all weekend was about how strong the Fords were through the bumps in turns one and two.

Tony Stewart said he gave the race away, but second place ain’t a bad place in this race.

Juan Pablo Montoya and Marcos Ambrose finished 3rd and 4th. Strong all day.

Dale Earnhardt Jr got his second straight top ten.

Danica Patrick finished fourth in the Nationwide Series race on Saturday. Best finish by a female in major NASCAR competition. She will break that record too.

Fins Sinking Low

Kyle Busch came into Vegas leading the points and with a home track advantage. Why didn’t Joe Gibbs Racing change The Shrub’s engine when they found Denny Hamlin’s issue?

Robby Gordon and Kevin Conway. As NASCAR fights go, this one’s fins are so low….

NASCAR Fans. Off week? Are you kidding me?! It’s only the fourth weekend of the season! Talk about a buzz kill.

Photo credit: Round girl Cindy by BethAnne Heisler - OnPitRow.com

NASCAR Pictures: Fast Finishing Carl Edwards Looks Good in ‘11

by BethAnne, Special To NASCAR commentary and driver pictures, 2011 NASCAR schedule, video, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

I am the field producer/photographer of the syndicated radio show/website ON PIT ROW. When Steve and Charlie ask me to 'jump', I say "Yeah right."

January 10, 2011 5:30 pm CST 1 Comment

Exclusive NASCAR Driver Photos: Carl Edwards 2010

2010 was not a Ford year in the Sprint Cup Series. Roush Racing, Richard Petty Motorsports and others never put together anything threatening to the Hendick Motorsports - RCR Chevies or the Joe Gibbs Toyotas. But three Roush Fords made the 2010 Chase to the Sprint Cup and Carl Edwards finished strong enough to earn Charlie’s early 2011 Sprint Cup champ call. Here are some of my favorite 2010 photos of Carl Edwards.

Photo credit: BethAnne Heisler for OnPitRow.com

Roush-Fenway Drivers Feeling Good Vibrations? Not

by Charlie Turner

Thanks for stopping by OnPitRow.com and the Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie blog. The best NASCAR and IndyCar news and opinion, exclusive pictures and video. I'm Charlie Turner. Follow me on Twitter @onpitrow

October 30, 2010 7:27 pm CDT 1 Comment

Abandon ship! Abandon ship!

That is, or maybe should be, the line of thought - theme of advice - you get from the NASCAR prognosticators, when it comes to the Roush-Fenway Racing drivers heading into Talladega.

The Roushketeers’ cars have vibrations. And there ARE no Good Vibrations in a Cup Car at a Plate Track.

Paint it however you want, but after two practices at Talladega, the following was the most positive comment that I read from a Roush driver (Greg Biffle) (thanks to SceneDaily.com) …

“Depending on the vibration, it blurs your vision a little bit because your head is vibrating against the headrest, or you’ve got to hold your head off the headrest,” he said. “You forget about it after they throw the green flag.”

Uh, no you don’t. You try to ignore it after the green flag. Then you kind of wait for the worst. No confidence - no win.

Bad Vibrations.