Sprint Cup - Roush Fenway Looks To Add To Fast Start With Sprint All-Star Victory

CONCORD, May 20, 2011 : Roush Fenway Racing’s Cup program will take a break from Sprint Cup point racing this weekend and focus on the Sprint All-Star Challenge event. Holding the Sprint Cup points lead, the organization will set its sights on winning the famed Sprint All-Star event for the fourth time in team history, and for the first time since 2005 when Roush Fenway posted back-to-back victories in 2004 and 2005.

Matt Kenseth led only five laps, but put up Roush Fenway’s second Sprint All-Star win in 2004. He also posted a second-place near miss in the 2009 event.

“The racing is a little bit different with the format, the pit stops and the pit stop qualifying and all that,” said Kenseth. “If you’re in position to win the race at the end, you’re going to race as hard as you can. Really, I think that happens every week. This kind of racing is really competitive and if you have a chance to win and you’re in a position to win, you’re going do everything possible to try and win that race.”

In addition to three Sprint All-Star wins, Roush Fenway has finished runner up in the All-Star race on four occasions, including a two-three finish with Greg Biffle and Kenseth in 2008.

Mark Martin drove Roush Fenway to its first Sprint All-Star race win in 1998 and added another trophy to the mantel when he won the race again in 2005.

Jeff Burton posted Roush Fenway’s only win in the All-Star Showdown, racing the No. 99 Ford into the big show in 2003. David Ragan will look to do the same thing with his No. 6 UPS Ford tomorrow night.

Roush Fenway has three guaranteed spots in the Sprint All-Star Challenge, with Kenseth, Biffle and Carl Edwards all locked in the show via Sprint Cup victories within the past year.

The Sprint All-Star Challenge is set for 9:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday night and will be televised live on SPEED. The Sprint All-Star Showdown is set for 7:00 p.m. EDT.