He didn't have famous last name, nor was he labeled as "greatest thing since sliced bread." He wasn't "discovered" by Jeff Gordon, but that did not stop him from becoming champion. He was not a part of a development program from the time he started in late models at age of 15 and was never considered the fans' favorite driver, but Matt Kenseth has been the most influential person in the modern-era of NASCAR.
With the announcement that Kenseth will be leaving Roush Fenway Racing at the end of 2012, many believe he is likely to end up at Joe Gibbs Racing. But what if Kenseth is calling it quits? Hard to believe, but Kenseth is now 40 years old. Not that Kenseth can't still win, he proved he can at Daytona, but Kenseth has hit every great mark in NASCAR. He has a championship, two Daytona 500 victories, twenty-two career Cup wins, was rookie of the year and even won an IROC Championship. Kenseth has had a great career and few can agrue against that. Kenseth very well may continue into 2013 and beyond, but if he is done, his résumé is full to the brim with accomplishments and his legacy is unquestionable.
Matt Kenseth's championship season in 2003 has reshaped NASCAR forever. With only one lone win that year, many called for change. People wanted to see winning rewarded more, not just consistent finishes. In 2004, the Chase was introduced to prevent another season like 2003. Since then we have seen three alterations to the Chase and the biggest being completely rehauling the points system before the 2011 season. In the pre-Chase part of the Modern Era (1972-2003), 17 times the champion did not have the most wins and only 15 times the champion did. In the Chase era (2004-2011), only 3 times has the champion had the most wins and last year we were only one point away from having another champion with only one win but this time under the Chase format.
Was the Chase bound to happen as then-Nextel was stepping up as title sponsor of NASCAR's top division? Maybe but, at that time, people were calling it "The Matt Kenseth Rule." Think about Matt Kenseth. How many drivers have completely changed the system? In all of sports, Bob Gibson and the season 1968 is credited for lowering the pitcher's mount and the lane was widen, inbound passes over the backboard and running starts on foul shots were ban because of Wilt Chamberlain. Like it or not, whose actions have caused as much change to NASCAR in the Modern Era as Matt Kenseth? Notably though, while all those changes have taken place, there is still one problem. NASCAR has yet to find the system that rewards winning races the most.
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