Matt Kenseth is looking for his third consecutive victory and a California sweep. Credit: Autostock

Matt speaks softly, but carries a loud stick shift

FONTANA, Calif. -- A small number of people, namely in Matt Kenseth's inner circle, refer to him as the "Silent Assassin," but Kenseth is hardly a killer.

Camera-killer, maybe. At the very least, camera-preventer.

	RYAN SMITHSON •   E-mail Ryan •   Opinion archive

He might be the most benign-looking and sounding individual in the garage. He garners roughly a fourth of the media attention commanded by a Jeff Gordon. Unlike a Tony Stewart or a Kurt Busch, he isn't even one most-feared drivers amongst his peers.

And, yet, Kenseth is in the midst of a streak that has been startling, and for the most part, overlooked.

Why is that? It is because Kenseth isn't 25 with a head full of black hair? It is because you can't remember the last time he raised his voice? Did the shirtless Gatorade commercials scare even more people away?

Even though Kenseth is the co-favorite (along with Jimmie Johnson) to win the 2006 championship, it is unlikely that the 34-year-old from Wisconsin will ever start racking up the accolades or endorsements afforded drivers with a fraction of the success Kenseth has enjoyed.

At Watkins Glen last month, Gordon entertained 35 warm bodies, sometimes referred to as reporters, during his weekly interview session. Kenseth garnered six.

	The 17 car can be found near the front most race days, or nights. Credit: Autostock
	Inside the Numbers Matt Kenseth in 2006   No. Rank Wins 4 T-1 Top-5s 13 1 Top-10s 14 T-2

Stats are overrated, but here is one that sticks out in my mind: Kenseth has scored 26 top-fives in the last 43 races, dating back to Chicagoland in July.

That is a top-five more than 60 percent of the time. It is simply staggering. And it is why Kenseth must be considered the favorite to win the title for the second time in four years.

Actually, Kenseth's record is misleading. Remember his spinout at Daytona at the hands of Stewart? And the one in Chicagoland this season at the hands of Gordon?

With all due respect to Johnson, who has broken the bank with huge wins in all of NASCAR's top events, Kenseth has been the top driver this season. If Kenseth could ever actually become comfortable on a road course, it wouldn't even be a debate.

Kenseth has 13 top-fives this season. No one else has more than 10. It is harder than ever to score a top-five in NASCAR's top division and, yet, Kenseth has as many top-fives as Mark Martin, Jeff Burton and Denny Hamlin combined.

What is even more amazing about Kenseth's year is that it comes at a time when Roush Racing appears to be on the bit of a downslide.

Roush Racing famously succeeded at getting all five of its cars in the Chase in 2005, but only Kenseth and Martin are going to make it this season. Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards and Jamie McMurray have all had down years. Biffle, who has lost a couple of wins due to bad luck, is the only Roush driver other than Kenseth to win this year.

So why does Kenseth keep such a low profile? Maybe someone will finally discover lost video footage of Kenseth actually raising his voice or leaping over a car to confront a competitor, but don't count on it.

The strange thing is that Kenseth has been one of the foremost drivers when it comes to on-track controversy. Who can forget his demolition-derby with Kevin Harvick at Pocono a few years back? Or his run-ins with Stewart and Gordon this season?

Maybe you have forgotten. Matt Kenseth tends to be forgotten, even as he kills them on the track. Because he comes into this weekend's Sony 500 at Fontana with two consecutive wins, it'll probably get worse.

And no one will notice.

The opinions expressed are solely of the writer.