Kenseth keen to build momentum

Kenseth locked himself into the Chase last weekend at Bristol despite not finishing the race after being involved in a late crash caused by a spin from Ricky Rudd. He currently ranks fourth in the standings, but would start the Chase eighth having only won once this year.

The 2003 Nextel Cup champion has been the only driver to make the Chase in all four years that the format has been used, but has yet to win the title under it.

He expects to contend for victory again this weekend at Fontana, where he swept the Busch and Nextel Cup events back in February, to get further bonus points towards the Chase.

"I'm looking forward to going back to California," Kenseth said. "We've usually been pretty strong on that type of track and we've had some success there before, so coming off a disappointing weekend at Bristol, it's definitely good to be going to a track you feel you can run well at."

The Roush Fenway driver, who was runner-up to Jimmie Johnson in the championship last year, believes he and his team need to step up their level to be able to put themselves in position to contend for the Nextel Cup title again.

"We're locked into the Chase now and that feels good and all, but we've got to start running better and build some momentum," he added.

"Of course, last year, we had all the momentum in the world heading into the Chase and couldn't get it done once in the Chase, so momentum isn't everything.

"But, we still want to score some good finishes in these next two races and get our cars running the best we can for those final 10 races."

Kenseth led the standings last year when the Chase started but lost the lead to Johnson with three races to go. Despite winning four races during the season, he was unable to get any victories in the last ten events, finishing runner up through the same consistency that won him the title in 2003, when he won only one race.

"It's good to be locked into the Chase," said Kenseth's crew chief Robbie Reiser. "Now we just need to go out and win one of these next two and pick up some bonus points before the Chase starts.

"I think this weekend is a great opportunity, but we have to do everything right because there are a lot of cars running really good right now."

This weekend Kenseth will be driving the same car that he took to Victory Lane in February at California Speedway, a track where he has won a total of six times between his Busch and Nextel Cup series victories.