Roush/Fenway Invades Chicagoland Speedway

19 races into the 2009 season, and so far the racing gods have been very generous at yielding first time wins to one team (Stewart/Haas), and three drivers (Brad Keselowski, David Reutimann, Joey Logan) in the Sprint Cup Series.

Wins don’t come very easy, especially at tracks where some teams just cant seem to find the right chemistry to make it into victory lane. One of these such teams is the 5 car stable of Roush/Fenway Racing.

The “man in the hat” as he is sometimes referred to, has yet to put anyone of his five drivers in victory lane at the site of this weekends Sprint Cup Race.

Chicagoland Speedway, along with Indianapolis Motor Speedway are the only two tracks that Roush/Fenway has gone winless at, but Jack Roush is hoping that this weekend will be his turn to get his first win at the 1.5 mile, D shaped oval.

Matt Kenseth, driver of the No. 17 DeWalt sponsored Ford, is the only Roush/Fenway driver who has found any kind of success while finishing second twice, and that was in 2005 and in 2007. Matt Kenseth has also led the most laps in a single race at Chicagoland with 176 (2005), while Kyle Busch ranks second with 165.

While looking back at last year’s race, three of the Roush Fenway drivers finished inside the top 10—Greg Biffle (fourth), Matt Kenseth (seventh), and David Ragan(eighth) which could be a good sign of things to came. Three Roush Fenway drivers also led laps at the 2008 race—Greg Biffle (43), Carl Edwards (15), and Matt Kenseth (seven).

Roush/Fenway has proven in the past they can get it done at the 1.5 mile tracks, with a 35.6 percent win percentage, that includes 41 wins—although a win at Chicagoland has eluded the Roush Fenway team in the Sprint Cup Series.

The Roush/Fenway drivers have yet to also win a pole here. When you look at the rundown of the drivers past performances at Chicagoland, it really makes one think how can a team have so much trouble, especially when they have done so well at the other tracks of this length.

Matt Kenseth, who almost seems to have a handle at this D shaped oval, had this to say to go along with his two top fives, four top 10s while leading 300 of the 2,138 laps that he has run here.

“It takes a fast car and good pit stops all night to win at Chicago. Being only a 400-mile race you have to be good from the start to be in contention for the win at the end."

"It’s the closest track to my hometown, so it is kind of like my “home track,” so we get to see people from up there, and it’s always great to be back in the Midwest racing."

Carl Edwards, who is sitting fifth in points so far this season, and was the teams hottest driver last season while finishing second in the points standings has also found Chicagoland not to his liking.

In four starts, Carl one top five, and one top 10 leading only 15 out of 973 laps that he has run.

“I think we have the potential to do really well this weekend in the Aflac Ford Fusion. Last year we were running away with the race and we had a little trouble. The splitter broke and we ended up falling back.”

Greg Biffle, has also seen his share of bad finishes while making his seventh start on Saturday night.

In six previous starts, Biffle only has one top five, and one top 10, and has led only 77 laps out of the 973 that he has completed.

Hopefully Biffle’s optimism can get him his first win of the season. “Chicago is really kind of a straight-forward mile and a half."

"It drives like it has more banking than it does. It drives like it’s got quite a bit of bank. You have to have a good aero package and track position is really important."

"I don’t think the track is any harder than any of the others.”

Jamie McMurray, by far has the worse record out of all the Roush drivers, at this 1.5 mile asphalt beast.

In the 2,325 miles that he has traveled around this eight year old track, McMurray has only led 1.5 miles, which equals 1 lap in 1,550 trips around this speedway.

In six official starts. McMurray who also has no poles, and has only been able to finish in the top 10 once, spoke these words about Saturday nights upcoming race.

"Racing at Chicago has just been a tough place for me to get a solid finish at and I’m still not sure why exactly that is."

"I’ve always seemed to struggle there, but I’m trying not to think about it too much and just go into this weekend seeing how our car handles.”

David Ragan, who is Roush/Fenways youngest addition.

Has only had two starts at Chicagoland while picking up a top 10 just last year.

Ragan has run 552 laps out of a possible 554 laps run at this track, is also without a pole or has yet to lead a lap.

Its no big secret that Roush/Fenway will have to downsize to four teams next season, with either McMurray or Ragan getting the walking papers.

Whatever decision is made, its interviews such as this one that make this young driver a crowd favorite.

“It takes a fast car and good pit stops all night to win at Chicago. Being only a 400-mile race you have to be good from the start to be in contention for the win at the end."

"I don’t know why the Roush Fenway teams haven’t won a race at Chicago. Maybe this weekend will be the weekend.”

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