Ross Kenseth

Ross Kenseth (born May 25, 1993) is an American stock car racing driver who currently competes part-time in the Blizzard Series. He is the son of 2003 NASCAR Winston Cup Series champion Matt Kenseth. He has competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series, ARCA Midwest Tour, CRA Super Series and ARCA Racing Series.

Ross Kenseth
Kenseth in 2015
Born	(1993-05-25) May 25, 1993 (age 31) Appleton, Wisconsin, US
Related to	Matt Kenseth (father)
CRA Super Series career
Debut season	2010
Current team	Ross Kenseth Racing
Car number	25
Starts	32
Wins	7
Poles	2
Best finish	15th in 2013
Previous series
2020 2012 2010–2011 2007–2009	Blizzard Series PASS South ARCA Midwest Tour Big 8 Late Model Series
Championship titles
2009 2011	Big 8 Late Model Series Red, White and Blue State Championship
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
2 races run over 1 year
2015 position	54th
Best finish	54th (2015)
First race	2015 Owens Corning AttiCat 300 (Joliet)
Last race	2015 DAV 200 (Phoenix)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 1 0
NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series career
1 race run over 1 year
2015 position	100th
Best finish	100th (2015)
First race	2015 Kroger 200 (Martinsville)
Wins Top tens Poles 0 0 0
Statistics current as of November 14, 2015.

Early life

Born in Appleton, Wisconsin, Kenseth attended college at Clemson University. He is the first child and only son of Matt Kenseth. He has four younger half-sisters from his father’s marriage.^[1]

In late 2015, Kenseth announced his engagement to Amber Odom.^[2] After moving on from racing, Kenseth became an accountant, moved to Miramar Beach, Florida with Odom, and had a daughter and a son with her.^[3]

Racing career

Kenseth racing in the 2013 Slinger Nationals

Kenseth raced primarily in his native Wisconsin and elsewhere in the Midwest early in his career. He began by racing for one season in a legends car before moved up into late models at Columbus 151 Speedway as a 14-year-old.^[4] He won the 2009 Big 8 Late Model Series championship by leading the entire final race at LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway's Oktoberfest 48 race.^[5][6] The series tours Wisconsin and northern Illinois. It was his fifth race win that season and seventh overall in the series.^[6] Kenseth qualified the second fastest for the Snowball Derby in December 2009.^[7] In 2011, Kenseth finished first in the Red, White and Blue State Championship at Wisconsin International Raceway.^[8] In 2012, Kenseth won the Winchester 400 at Winchester Speedway and the All American 400 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.^[9]

Before the start of the 2013 racing season, Kyle Busch offered Kenseth a ride in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series for that year, but no deal was reached.^[9] Kenseth made his debut in the ARCA Racing Series in August 2013,^[10] driving at Madison International Speedway in a car owned by Ken Schrader.^[11] Kenseth won the pole for the event,^[12] and finished sixth in the race.^[13]

Kenseth competed in the CRA Super Series in 2014, driving for Boyne Machine Racing; he took the year off from his studies at Clemson and moved to Michigan to be closer to the team.^[14] In September Kenseth announced that he would make his superspeedway debut in the ARCA season finale at Kansas Speedway in October.^[15]

On April 17, 2015, Joe Gibbs Racing announced that Kenseth would make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut at Chicagoland Speedway on June 20.^[16] Rain forced the race to be postponed by one day; Kenseth qualified second-fastest, led the opening lap, and finished in sixth place in his first NASCAR-sanctioned event.^[17] On October 20, Kenseth joined Hattori Racing Enterprises for his Camping World Truck Series debut at Martinsville Speedway, where he finished 17th.^[18]

Kenseth got back behind the wheel in 2020, driving a Blizzard Series race at Five Flags Speedway.^[19]

Personal life

Kenseth ended his racing career in 2016 and became an accountant for a real estate firm in Miramar Beach, Florida.^[20]

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Xfinity Series

NASCAR Xfinity Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	NXSC	Pts	Ref
2015	Joe Gibbs Racing	20	Toyota	DAY	ATL	LVS	PHO	CAL	TEX	BRI	RCH	TAL	IOW	CLT	DOV	MCH	CHI 6	DAY	KEN	NHA	IND	IOW	GLN	MOH	BRI	ROA	DAR	RCH	CHI	KEN	DOV	CLT	KAN	TEX			54th	50	[21]
	Hattori Racing Enterprises	80	Toyota																																PHO 33	HOM

Camping World Truck Series

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	NCWTC	Pts	Ref
2015	Hattori Racing Enterprises	18	Toyota	DAY	ATL	MAR	KAN	CLT	DOV	TEX	GTW	IOW	KEN	ELD	POC	MCH	BRI	MSP	CHI	NHA	LVS	TAL	MAR 17	TEX	PHO	HOM DNQ	100th	01	[22]

^* Season still in progress
¹ Ineligible for series points

ARCA Racing Series

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

ARCA Racing Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	ARSC	Pts	Ref
2013	Ken Schrader Racing	52	Chevy	DAY	MOB	SLM	TAL	TOL	ELK	POC	MCH	ROA	WIN	CHI	NJE	POC	BLN	ISF	MAD 6	DSF	IOW	SLM	KEN	KAN	94th	220	[23]
2014	Hixson Motorsports	3	Chevy	DAY	MOB	SLM	TAL	TOL	NJE	POC	MCH	ELK	WIN	CHI	IRP	POC	BLN	ISF	MAD	DSF	SLM	KEN	KAN 3		76th	215	[24]
2015	Ken Schrader Racing	52	Chevy	DAY	MOB	NSH	SLM	TAL	TOL	NJE	POC	MCH 1*	CHI	WIN	IOW	IRP	POC	BLN	ISF	DSF	SLM	KEN 4	KAN		51st	450	[25]

References

1. Sawchik, Travis. "Ross Kenseth: Fastest man on Clemson's campus following father’s footsteps in auto racing". September 19, 2012. Charleston, SC: The Post and Courier. Accessed 2013-08-14.
2. Richter, Josh (December 31, 2015). "She said yes! Matt Kenseth's son, Ross, announces engagement". Foxsports.com. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
3. Geyer, Koty (March 24, 2020). "Where Are They Now? A Look at What Ross Kenseth is Up To". Speed51. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
4. Columbus 151 Speedway 2007 Racing Program dated August 24, 2007, Retrieved September 1, 2007
5. Thomas, Howard. "NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Matt Kenseth's son Ross to race in Kalamazoo Klash". July 20, 2011. Kalamazoo, MI: Kalamazoo Gazette. Accessed 2013-08-14.
6. Kuehne, Jordan. "Kenseth Closes Historic Season with Oktoberfest Victory, Big 8 Series Championship". Speed 51. Archived from the original on April 5, 2011. Retrieved September 23, 2013.
7. Secola, Jamie (2009-12-05). "Sons of two NASCAR drivers make their marks at Five Flags". Pensacola News Journal. Archived from the original on March 11, 2014. Retrieved 7 December 2009.
8. Matzek, Joe. "Ross Kenseth joins father, Matt, as Red, White & Blue champion after finishing third in late model feature at Wisconsin International Raceway". August 19, 2011. Appleton, WI: The Post-Crescent. Accessed 2013-08-14.
9. Spencer, Lee. "Kyle Busch hopes to sign Ross Kenseth". November 2, 2012. SPEED Channel (Fox Sports). Accessed 2013-08-14.
10. Estrada, Chris. "Ross Kenseth, son of NASCAR champ, ready for ARCA debut". August 13, 2013. NBC Sports. Accessed 2013-08-14.
11. Kallmann, Dave (August 22, 2013). "Another Kenseth making his move in racing". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Milwaukee, WI. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
12. Madsen, Tamira (August 24, 2013). "Ross Kenseth will make ARCA debut Sunday at Madison International Speedway". Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, WI. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
13. "Teenager wins ARCA race at MIS; Ross Kenseth finishes sixth". Wisconsin State Journal. Madison, WI. August 26, 2013. Retrieved 2014-02-28.
14. Kaminski, Steve (May 15, 2014). "Chasing dreams: NASCAR champ's son moves to Grand Rapids area after joining Jenison team". The Grand Rapids Press. Grand Rapids, MI. Retrieved 2014-09-28.
15. Utter, Jim (September 26, 2014). "Motorsports Notebook: Garage providing Stewart some shelter". That's Racing. Charlotte, NC: The Charlotte Observer. Retrieved 2014-09-28.
16. "Another Kenseth Joins Joe Gibbs Racing". National Speed Sport News. Turn 3 Media LLC. Retrieved April 17, 2015.
17. Turner, Jared. "Ross Kenseth, son of Matt Kenseth, impressive in XFINITY Series debut". FOX Sports. Retrieved June 28, 2015.
18. Spencer, Lee (October 20, 2015). "Ross Kenseth to test NASCAR Truck". Motorsport.com. Retrieved October 20, 2015.
19. Geyer, Koty (September 14, 2020). "Ross Kenseth Getting Back in the Driver's Seat". Speed51. Retrieved September 14, 2020.
20. Geyer, Koty (March 24, 2020). "Where Are They Now? A Look at What Ross Kenseth is Up To". Speed51. Retrieved July 21, 2020.
21. "Ross Kenseth – 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
22. "Ross Kenseth – 2015 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
23. "Ross Kenseth – 2013 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
24. "Ross Kenseth – 2014 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
25. "Ross Kenseth – 2015 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved April 7, 2023.

External links

• Ross Kenseth driver statistics at Racing-Reference