Matt Kenseth started the season with victories at the Daytona 500 and at California Speedway. After that, the free fall didn't end until he failed to qualify for the Chase for the Championship.
Kenseth talked about his team's troubles after Saturday night's race at Richmond, Va., and what's ahead for the No. 17 Ford at Roush Fenway Racing. Here are excerpts of that interview:
Q: What are your overall feelings about failing to qualify for the Chase?
A: This is disappointing how we ran here the last three or four times for some reason. But really since California, we went to Vegas, and broke in the second lap or first lap and everything has really been downhill since there so I can't say I'm really surprise that had we didn't make it. I'm really disappointed we didn't make it, but we just didn't perform good enough. Yeah, there's mistakes here and there and some points left on the table but you can say that every year. Basically we just didn't perform good enough. We didn't run good enough to be in and the way we ran the last three months, we didn't deserve to be in there.
Q: Do you feel like you deserved to be in the Chase?
A: We've won a couple races and there are cars in front of us that are going get in that haven't won races, so I think that all the top 12 deserve to be in there no matter what - if that's what the rules are. We all have the same opportunity to gain points, lose points from Daytona all the way until after the race is over here Saturday night, so I think whoever the top 12 end up being, those are the guys that should be in there because they're the ones that have enough points to be in the top 12 after the race.
Q: Can anything take your mind off what happened?
A: Nothing really, to be honest with you. I think about performance. I think about making the Chase. I think about what we can do to get the team running better and what I can do better. Really, when you go to Daytona you've got your mind on the Chase and pursue getting in and pursuing a championship.
Q: Will you dwell on it?
A: No, I honestly feel the same today as I felt four weeks ago - the day before the race. We're always trying to do better and finish as high as we can, make the chase, it's something we always try to do. All you can do is your best. You put your best foot forward. You race as hard as you can race. You do everything you can to prepare and have the best pit stops you can and hope at the end of the day it's good enough.
Q: In drag racing, there was some controversy when John Force lost a race on purpose to help a teammate qualify for the playoffs. Do you see something like that happening some day in NASCAR?
A: I don't know. All of that stuff is possible and it happens all year from Daytona to here. I don't want to misspeak, but somewhere not too long ago I know there was one car that pulled over and let his teammate lead a lap - he had to slow way down to let him lead a lap, passed him back, and took off so that's the same thing.
Q: Has anyone from Roush Fenway ever told you to slow down and let a teammate pass you?
A: That has not ever happened to me. I've never had anybody do that to me and I've never done that to anybody at this point, so I don't really foresee that happening. Everybody is trying to get the best run they can. Certainly, if you have a teammate or a friend or somebody you respect or they respect you on the track, and maybe you have a chance to lead a lap and get points - just like any other week all year - that stuff probably happens, but I certainly don't think you're going to see teammates or anybody do anything goofy to change the outcome.
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