Kenseth needs big finish to bookend his big '09 start

Matt Kenseth absolutely owned the first two weeks of the 2009 Cup Series season. Now, if he wants to remain in contention for this year's series championship, he'd better assert ownership of the final two weeks of the pre-Chase portion of the schedule.

And that portion starts this weekend with Sunday's Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

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It was an uneasy courtesy laugh that Kenseth issued this week when he was asked about his current circumstances. Probably because he, too, has a tough time figuring out just how those circumstances have come about.

Kenseth won the Daytona 500 in February and followed that up with a victory at Auto Club Speedway in California.

What a high. People joked about Kenseth being the first driver to win every race in '09. His usually dour team owner, Jack Roush, joked about how new crew chief Drew Blickensderfer may finish his career undefeated.

The joking ended in Week 3 when Kenseth suffered an engine failure just after taking the green flag at Las Vegas. His finishing position was 43rd. Last.

In the next three races, he finished 12th at Atlanta, 33rd at Bristol and 23rd at Martinsville, and the battle to stay Chase-relevant was on. When Kenseth takes the green flag Sunday, he will do so barely clinging to the 12th and final playoff spot.

Behind him in the standings are four hard-chargers who are within 161 points of him. Two of those drivers -- Kyle Busch and Brian Vickers -- are 34 and 39 points back, respectively.

That is, they are just a dropped lug nut from catching and passing him in points. (Continued)