Kevin Ramsell talks with Matt Kenseth at the 2008 All-Star Race at Madison International Speedway (Scott Lofquist Photo)By: Kevin Ramsell
I will be the first to admit, when NASCAR announced that the 2009 Daytona 500 was declared to be over and Matt Kenseth was the winner, I had tears in my eyes just like Matt and many others did as well. For many Wisconsin race fans, Kenseth winning the Daytona 500 has a more personal meaning than any other “Great American Race.”

I called Roy Kenseth to congratulate him and he said they were going to the Sports Page Bar in Cambridge to celebrate and I hopped in my car to join them. How often will anyone get the chance to celebrate it with the father and sister of the Daytona 500 champion?

On my way down, I got a call from Jim Tretow, Public Relations Director of the Milwaukee Mile and also the Public Address Announcer for Daytona International Speedway. Tretow, who also has been following Kenseth since the days he ran his late model around the Midwest tracks, had the honor of interviewing the new champion in victory lane.

Tretow asked him about growing up and working with his father on the race car and racing around the local tracks, and if he ever imagined being where he was now, in victory lane at Dayona? Matt’s answer was simply, “never in a million years.”

The race fans that followed Kenseth through his journey are full of pride for what was accomplished. I and many others have watched his racing career grow in front of our eyes.

For me, it’s going back to 1993 when I attended my first Oktoberfest Race Weekend and he held off Ken Lund for that win. A year later, he won the championships at Madison International Speedway and Wisconsin International Raceway. It was also that year that I was on a pit crew for a limited late model team and each week my job was to get the fuel. As I lugged back the two five gallon containers, I would always walk by Matt’s pit and he would acknowledge me with a simple nod.

Fast forward to 2003 when I got the opportunity to work with Roy at Madison and got to know Matt. After working for Roy the last five years, I have gotten to know Matt pretty well. Probably too well, that he has given me a nickname of “Hemi” and I will not go into what that stands for.

At the abrupt celebration party, some were like Matt’s wife Katie, just in shock. As the televisions showed the replays and the celebration it started to sink in for many, even his father. Who by the way, (and he has witnesses to back it up), called how the race would end, even stating which driver would bring out the caution. Although Roy said it was starting to sink in, I have the feeling that it didn’t become real until after he and Matt talked later that evening.

I keep asking myself, as well as many others, who would have ever thought we would ever say the phrase, “I know the Daytona 500 champion.” And the best part is that there are many who can say that. From my parents who are living in Florida that watched Matt race at the local tracks to the fans who did the same and celebrated when he won the championship in 2003 to winning another Slinger Nationals last year.

It’s the local tracks that create the stars we see on television today. And it’s important that we continue to support those local tracks by attending the weekly racing action. The future stars are racing in our backyard today. In fact, many are already watching another Kenseth race around the local tracks today, Matt’s son Ross.

Just like we are used to seeing an athlete transform from the high school level to the college level and then the professional level, local short tracks and regional series do the exact same thing in the world of racing. The local tracks rely solely on the support of the race fans who attend their events. If we didn’t have those short tracks, would the emotions that many of us feeling today with Matt’s win be there?

It brings this reminder, the local tracks were where we first saw him race. It was at the local tracks that we witnessed his talents grow and develop. And it’s the local tracks that he still returns to today and still competes at when his schedule allows.

This year when he returns to compete at the local tracks, not only will he be introduced as the 2003 Winston Cup Champion but now will be and forever be known as the 2009 Daytona 500 champion.

And the best part…we all know him.

Congrats Matt!!!

Your Pal, “Hemi”