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Two-time Daytona 500 winner Matt Kenseth was recently inducted into the 2023 NASCAR Hall of Fame from the Modern Era ballot. His fellow driver Hershel McGriff and crew chief Kirk Shelmerdine are two other members who have also been selected to be in the Hall of Fame.
After being inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, Kenseth gave credit for his achievements to those who have worked with him during his career.
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During an interaction with NBC Sports, Matt Kenseth reflected on his 18-year-long Cup Series career after his Hall of Fame selection. The 50-year-old former driver feels blessed after having worked with so many great people. He added that different people have had different influences on his career and that these people have taught him so many things throughout his stock car racing career.
Kenseth said:
“I didn’t really think about that. Like, I didn’t really think about numbers and accomplishments or really anything like that. Honestly, it’s just been a time where I have kind of reflected a little bit more on my career and you know, all the people I've worked with, and how blessed I was to work with so many great people. I mean one of them sitting right there in between you. I have just had so many different influences on me and so many different mentors and so many people have taught me so many things and really, they deserve credit.”
He continued:
“I mean that the driving isn’t really the hardest part, it's all the rest of it. And I had a lot of great people that did all that for me through the years. So just fortunate and just so blessed to have had all those people in my life and I have some success. And to be able to cap off a like this”
“Kind of like the perfect bookend” - Matt Kenseth
Matt Kenseth made an impact from the beginning of his racing career by winning the 2000 NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year Award. He also has 29 Xfinity races victories.
As for the NASCAR Hall of Fame selection, Kenseth said it was the result of the hard work that he had put in throughout his career.
He said:
“It’s not for anything you did today, but what you did throughout your career. Kind of like the perfect bookend. To go into the Hall of Fame when everything is said and done and all over, to kind of look back at it, it’s pretty neat.”
Over an 18-year-long career, Kenseth has achieved almost every important milestone in NASCAR. He claimed his first Cup Series Championship in 2000. He won Daytona 500 twice, the Southern 500, Coca-Cola 600 and the All-Star Race.
The Cambridge native has made 687 Cup race starts and managed to win a total of 39 races. He made the Cup Series play-offs in 13 of 14 seasons and has also been runner-up twice.
