NASCAR'S KENSETH FIGURE IN REOPENED PATERNITY CASE

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© 2007 by Michael Horne

[Updated May 31st, 2007]

Thirteen years after it was settled, a paternity suit naming NASCAR racer Matt Kenseth was reopened in Calumet County Circuit Court for “post judgment adjudication,” at the request of Lisa M. Winius, the mother of Kenseth’s son Ross.

Case Number 1993PA000080PJ, “In Re the Paternity of RJK,” is scheduled for a court trial in Chilton on June 6^th. Kenseth, 35, a native of Cambridge, was a racing prodigy who continues to enjoy unrivaled success on the oval track. In 1994 he was the youngest-ever winner of the prestigious Miller Genuine Draft Championship. He now lives in North Carolina.

Kenseth has winnings of $2,039,373 thus far in the 2007 season, which is only about a third finished, and which may explain why a thirteen year old paternity case was reopened.

According to state law, the custodial parent of an only child is set to receive 17 per cent of the income of the non-custodial parent. According to these figures, Ms. Winius should have received about $346,730 for the first five months of this year, which would be enough to get the attention of a good family lawyer. (Winius is represented by Neenah attorney William J. Hammett.)

And, it does appear that money is the issue in this case.

On January 4^th, 2007, Kenseth’s attorney, Daniel R. Cross of the Appleton firm of Peterson, Berk and Cross, filed a request to “name expert witness to give evidence on racing costs,” which would appear to be an attempt to mitigate the support costs Kenseth is obliged to pay. (Cross did not return an e-mail asking for comment.)

SON A RACER, TOO

Ross Kenseth, born May 25^th, 1993, and the subject of the suit, has followed in his father’s precocious racing footsteps, it appears. He already has a website and a fan club, and he promises a line of merchandise will be forthcoming soon. He’s giving his dad a run for the money in the sponsorship game (everybody knows that’s where the real NASCAR cash lies), having lined up such firms as Fast Signs, Appleton, Rockford Industrial Welding Supply, Inc. and AirTest Technologies, Inc. He promises to race late model cars with his dad this summer (time and places to be announced) and says he is “carrying #20 on his car again this year to show his appreciation for his favorite Cup driver, Tony ‘Smoke’ Stewart and Smoke’s father Nelson, who make his racing possible. … Ross Kenseth Racing is actively seeking sponsors for the 2007 season.”

Maybe mom is suing the wrong guy for support!

[Update: The case has been settled. Check my latest post here.-- Horne]