A driver's a driver, even if he's an open-wheel driver

The candidates for rookie of the year in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series looks like the starting grid for the Indianapolis 500. Dario Franchitti, Patrick Carpentier, Jacques Villeneuve and Sam Hornish Jr. are all racing stock cars in 2008.
Matt Kenseth was asked to give his perspective on the influx of open-wheel drivers into NASCAR this year.
"From a fan standpoint or something, I think it's kind of cool," said Kenseth, driver of the No. 17 Ford for Roush Fenway Racing. "Help bring some different fans maybe, fans paying attention to the sport that maybe didn't before or watched other things."
But from a driver's perspective, Kenseth said it makes little difference to him who he is racing against even if they are international stars.
"I think it's really cool to be able to race against guys like Juan Pablo (Montoya), Jacques, all those guys you seen race on TV, race on Formula One, Indy 500 winner, all that," Kenseth said. "It's cool when you think about it like that, that you're on the track with them."
Still, Kenseth said he doesn't pay much attention to he's racing against when he's on the track.
"When you're out there competing and racing, I mean, you don't necessarily care who you're racing against," Kenseth said. "You're just trying to beat them and you're trying to figure out how to get yours in front of them all."