NASCAR mailbag: Did Matt Kenseth’s reputation impact the finish at Dover?

Matt Kenseth’s caginess in holding off a pair of young phenoms in Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott made for an entertaining conclusion to Sunday’s race at Dover International Speedway. Their battle featured some of the finest racing of the season and a showcase of NASCAR at its absolute best. It’s no surprise then, that a bulk of this week’s mailbag questions centered on the participants in that finish.

As I watched Matt Kenseth and Kyle Larson, I couldn’t help think how Kenseth reacted to Joey Logano spinning him out last year impacted how Larson raced Kenseth. Does Kenseth now have some kind of mental edge over other drivers because of what he did to Logano?

--Ron

It’s more than reasonable to wonder if Larson’s decision-making was affected by what transpired the last time someone shoved Kenseth out of the lead and cost him a victory. But Kenseth’s reaction last fall was about more than just being denied a win -- it was also about effectively losing the championship. Had Logano executed the same move during the regular season, the odds of Kenseth responding similarly would have been unlikely.

Any psychological edge Kenseth may hold is negated by what happened to him in the aftermath of deliberately wrecking Logano, as NASCAR severely punished Kenseth. That means the veteran knows he doesn’t have the leeway to go around seeking retribution for perceived slights.

The biggest factor why Larson chose not to rough Kenseth up comes down to Larson not wanting to score his first career win in a way that would sully his reputation with a move constituted as dirty. Those kinds of indiscretions are hard to overcome, especially for young drivers, and can make life difficult on the track and off.

Whether Larson will later regret not being more physical Sunday hinges on if he goes on to get that first win and earn a Chase for the Sprint Cup spot. If he does so, then Dover becomes a footnote. If he fails to reach Victory Lane, then he’ll have some regret.

Kyle Larson looked like a future superstar in 2014 and nothing like one last year. So is his near-win a sign of him starting to realize his promise or a fluke run helped by a bunch of strong cars crashing?

--Nick

Anytime a wreck decimates the field and sidelines several contenders it doesn’t hurt one’s prospects -- witness Sunday’s Formula One race when the Mercedes teammates collided on the opening circuit, opening the door for an 18-year-old to win seemingly out of nowhere. It’s important to note, though, Larson led 85 laps even before Jimmie Johnson’s gear troubles created a pileup that collected a bevy of challengers including Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr. and Joey Logano.

In what is a bit of a crossroad season for Larson, it’s encouraging not just that he nearly won Sunday but had a strong run the week before at Kansas Speedway. Although that was wiped away by Denny Hamlin’s go-for-broke pass that put him in the wall, that consistency bodes well for Larson going forward with a lot of good tracks where he could conceivably win.

I love the new All-Star Race format (Thanks Brad Keselowski!) but instead of changing the format every season hoping to hit on something exciting, wouldn’t the better idea be to have the race at a track other than Charlotte? Why not Bristol or Martinsville or somewhere drivers can actually pass?

--Jack

Shifting the All-Star Race among various tracks is a popular notion among fans, but Charlotte is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., a corporate rival of International Speedway Corp., whose stock is controlled by the France family. The politics behind moving the date elsewhere greatly complicate such a transfer to any track out of the SMI portfolio. That means SMI-owned Bristol would be an option, but not ISC properties Martinsville or Richmond.

Then there is the matter of logistics. Charlotte hosting the All-Star Race gives teams an extended stretch of time at home, a valuable commodity in a sport with 38 races spread across 41 weeks. Any move to eliminate this would prompt a backlash by crewmembers, who have to bear the brunt of life on the road -- especially next season when there is one less off-weekend.

It’s worth noting that a lot venom expressed toward Charlotte as the host venue is not with the track itself, but with how aerodynamics and track position are now the overriding factors when it comes to running well on intermediate tracks. NASCAR has taken several measures to address the difficulty in passing, including going to the low downforce aero rules package full-time and Goodyear utilizing a softer compound tire, and the signs are encouraging.

If the aero package, tires that fall off over long runs and the format devised by Keselowski combine to make Saturday’s event a hit, talk about relocating the All-Star Race will subside.

Chase Elliott has more top-10 finishes than any of his Hendrick [Motorsports] teammates and looks like he’s going to win a lot this season. Is he the best rookie to come along in some time?

--Chad

Let’s see Elliott win before deciding where to place him on the hierarchy of outstanding rookies. As Larson’s stellar freshman season two years ago demonstrates, a young driver seemingly destined for greatness can quickly lose their luster if that promise doesn’t materialize into actual victories.

That said, Elliott has been quite impressive thus far with eight top-10s in 12 starts. That feat is made all the more remarkable considering he’s not even of legal drinking age and had to deal with the fanfare that goes along with being anointed Jeff Gordon’s heir apparent.