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Kenseth crashes during testing run

FORT WORTH, Texas — Matt Kenseth had his testing at Texas Motor Speedway cut short when he crashed his car because of an issue with his front right tire.

Two days after losing his NASCAR Sprint Cup points lead with a 20th-place finish at Talladega, Kenseth had the session-ending crash Tuesday during a week-delayed Texas test that includes the top eight drivers in the points standings.

“Well, it was up and down. It ended down,” Kenseth said. “We just had a tire problem and crashed, so we’re done for the test. ... When you run nine laps and one blows apart for no reason, that’s always a cause for concern for sure.”

Five-time Cup champion and points leader Jimmie Johnson, who now has a four-point lead over Kenseth with four races left, wasn’t even aware that his closest competitor had crashed during the test.

Kenseth said the car he crashed in turn one wasn’t the Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota he plans to race at the high-banked, 1½-mile Texas track on Nov. 3, which comes after Sunday’s race at Martinsville.

Carl Edwards said he didn’t see what happened to Kenseth, but that the Roush Fenway team didn’t have any tire trouble.

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