Matt Kenseth
Hello everyone -- thanks for joining me. Let's take some questions.

Mary, from Fort Lauderdale, Fl writes:
Matt, How does it feel being not only the 2003 Champion, but also knowing that you have the dubious honor of being the last WINSTON Cup champion? Congratulations, although I'm a Tony Stewart fan

Matt Kenseth
It feels great being the Winston 2003 champion. It feels especially great because it is the last year Winston is sponsoring it.

Krysta, from Folsom, California writes:
Congratulations Matt, every day and every year you will be known as the 2003 Winston Cup Champion My question is what was your most memorable moment in your Busch Series years? Again Congrats and enjoy your off season

nascarkraz

Matt Kenseth
My most memorable moment was my first win in rockingham in 1998. It was a very special day for us -- we didn't have a sponsor and we didn't know if we could continue racing -- so it was a very big day for us.

Patrick, from Indianapolis writes:
Congratulations Matt on your hard earned championship. I am aware that you will race in the occasional "companion race" in the Busch series, what are the chances of you racing in the Kroger 200 at IRP the night before the Brickyard?

Would love to see you there

Good luck in 2004.

Matt Kenseth
Not very good. It is especially difficult to run IRP the way the new shcedules are and not being at the same track. So that is one of the Busch races I choose to skip to concentrate on the Winston cup series.

Jeremy, from Brooklyn, NY writes:
What makes you more nervous, meeting with the president or heading into a turn goin three wide at 180 mph?

Matt Kenseth
At first meeting with the president -- I'm used to racing and this was the first time I've met the president, so I was a little more nervous. It was very cool.

denise, from bristol tn writes:
do you see yourself as a role model as champion?

Matt Kenseth
All I can say is that I will do the best job I can in representing the sport and try to be the best champion I can be.

Mark, from Santa Fe, New Mexico writes:
Does the team with the most money win? Or is it the driver that makes a winner? Is there parity in racing? What makes a winning team?

Matt Kenseth
All the top 30 or 35 teams are well-funded and can afford the same equipment. It is a peoples sport and i feel that the people make the difference when it comes to a winning team.

Mike, from San Antonio, Texas writes:
Congratulations on the championship I understand if you can't really say but I wonder what you drive when you are not racing? Porsche? Viper? Z06?

Matt Kenseth
I have a roush stage 3 mustang that I drive most of the time and when it is real nice outside I like to ride my motorcyle.

David, from Knoxville,Tn writes:
Since you are in an enclosed car can you still feel the G's at tracks like Daytona and Talladega?

Matt Kenseth
Actually there are less G's at Daytona and Talladega because the corners are so big.

Adam, from Virginia writes:
Congrats on a great season, it was very impressive watching you make a habit of charging from the back of the field during the season. Too bad you couldn't do any victory donuts on the South Lawn.

I wondered if you'd comment on NASCAR's schedule changes for 2004? Obviously NASCAR has to walk a fine line between offending its base which while continuing its expansion into new markets. I think many of us would enjoy hearing your take on the growing pains that NASCAR will have to deal with in the coming years.

Matt Kenseth
I think like anything you have to change and grow the sport and I think for the good of NASCAR and the sponsors you have to go where most of the fans are going to show. At Rockingham they couldn't fill the stands up and in California they can -- that's why were are going back to California for a 2nd date.

I think I would be in trouble if I did a donut on the south lawn and tore up the President's grass.

Allegra, from Florida writes:
Matt, As you get ready to go to the banquet, looking back is there one special memory from this year that stands out the most in your mind?

Matt Kenseth
There are a few. Winning the race at Vegas was a highlight. Actually a big memory for me was when I crashed at Kansas and how my crew did such a good job at fixing the car and no one hung their heads -- they kept working. And obviously the biggest highlight of the year was wrapping up the championship at Rockingham.

Tracy, from Euless, TX writes:
What's your favorite race track andor city in America? And do you ever play with remote controlled race cars just for fun?

Matt Kenseth
My favorite race track has always been Dover, Delaware. I ran my first winston cup race there -- it is just a cool track to race around.

I don't play with remote controlled cars. I usually play video games instead of that.

John, from De Motte, In writes:
How do you think the changes to the Ford Taurus (ENGINE HEADS AND BOADY CHANGES) will effect your team next year?

Matt Kenseth
I think they will both be a positive and they should make all the Ford teams stronger.

Paul, from Grand Rapids, Mi. writes:
Now that Nascar is moving away from tracks in the southeast to more uniform tracks in larger markets I feel the racing action suffers from lack of forsight in track design. This was witnessed with the heaps of praise given to Homestead after they raised the banks. Do you Know or think there are plans to alleviate the current situation? Plus, how do you compare racing on traditional ovals as opposed to D-shaped ovals?

Matt Kenseth
It really doesn't have anything to do with the location of the tracks -- racing was great at homestead -- it just depends on how they design the track.

Typically banked tracks make better races for stock cars in my opinion.

Samantha, from Roseau writes:
How did you keep a positive atitude when you got your dnf's and when you didn't finished in the top 15 or 20?? Also how did you keep up your teams atitude??

Matt Kenseth
Just kept digging really -- just picked up the pieces and go on to the next race and try to do better.

Geena, from Knoxville, TN writes:
What do you usually eatdrink before a race, to get you pumped up?

Matt Kenseth
I drink a lot of gatorade all weekend long to get ready for the race. I eat a normal lunch -- spaghetti one day, chicken one day, it just depends.

Robby, from Macon, Georgia writes:
how does it feel to meet one of the best presidents this country has ever known? what do you think the president would say to making a go cart track on the south lawn for the kids. you know like he did with baseball. just wondering.

thanks

Matt Kenseth
A go cart track would be cool -- especially if he would race us.