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Kenseth adds to his racing legacy with Daytona win

Actor Tom Cruise prepares to drive the pace car at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Daytona 500 in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Sunday. PHOTO: AFP

Daytona 500 winner Matt Kenseth sampled the champagne in Victory Lane, posed for a few photos and then got on a plane and went home.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t be bothered to celebrate; Kenseth needed a winning wardrobe.

The winner of NASCAR’s biggest race is obligated to a whirlwind of promotional activities leading up to Sunday’s race at Auto Club Speedway in California.

“I wasn’t prepared, kind of on purpose,” a weary Kenseth said on Monday. “One year, I was kind of thinking, ‘Well, you win at this place and they don’t let you go home afterward. You’re gone all week. I’ll bring some clothes down here.’ That was, I think, the worst 500 I’ve ever had.”

“So I told [my wife] Katie, ‘If that happens, I’ll worry about it then.’ So I had to worry about it last night,” he said.

PIT STOP

When he arrived back in Charlotte, North Carolina, he did some quick packing, grabbed a little — very little — shuteye in his own bed and was back on his plane at 5am to return to Daytona for the traditional early morning induction of the winner’s car into the Daytona 500 Experience, just outside the track.

Team owner Jack Roush, whose Roush Fenway Racing team fields five Cup cars, said he was particularly happy for Kenseth, who gave the owner his first 500 victory.

“He’s an incredible driver, as good in this business as I’ve ever seen, as I believe there’s ever been,” Roush said.

And Kenseth showed plenty of emotion, stepping from his No. 17 Ford with tears in his eyes and a catch in his voice.

Sometime soon, Kenseth will find time to celebrate the 17th Cup victory of his career.

‘NEAT’ EXPERIENCE

But, first, those obligations, including an appearance on Monday night on the Late Show with David Letterman.

“My dad used to watch Letterman a lot and I used to watch it a lot,” said Kenseth, who’s done the Top 10 list twice but never met the host. You just do the top 10 list, he walks by and shakes your hand and leaves. So, this time, I think I get to sit down and talk to him. I’m not sure, but that would be neat.”

The new Daytona 500 winner deserves his moment in the spotlight — if he can stay awake long enough to enjoy it.
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