Sharing plans to leave NASCAR a relief for Kenseth
Matt Kenseth has always been a “take it in stride” kind of guy, and he insists that’s the way he’s looking at the latest turn in his racing career, even if it’s the last one.
No, of course, this isn’t how Kenseth would have drawn up his departure from NASCAR. And yes, of course, he is disappointed he’s stepping away in two weeks because there are no opportunities for him.
But, this is his reality.
“I wish things would have worked out differently or got handled differently or all that kind of stuff, or (I) could have finished (my) career there or at least had the opportunity to another year or two,” Kenseth said Monday. “That part, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t really disappointed the way that all went down.
“But other than that, no. Probably August or so I 80 or 90% accepted it. You have to embrace it and have to make the most of it.”
Kenseth, the 2003 champion and a two-time Daytona 500 winner from Cambridge, said publicly for the first time Saturday he would step away from NASCAR at the end of this season. If a top-notch opportunity came along, he’d certainly be interested, but at age 45 he really isn’t expecting that either.
Kenseth has two races — Sunday in Phoenix and the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup finale in Homestead, Fla., a week later — to add to a résumé that includes 38 victories and 20 poles, 180 top-five finishes and 235 top-10s in the top division. The first of those wins came in a crown jewel event, the 2000 Coca-Cola 600, and with his two Daytona 500s victories and a Southern 500, he won three of NASCAR’s four crown jewels.
If nothing comes along after this season, Kenseth will finish a career that began in 1998 with 650 starts in NASCAR’s top division.
Joe Gibbs Racing announced this summer that 21-year-old Erik Jones would replace Kenseth in the No. 20 Toyota.
“Man, I’m a super-blessed guy,” Kenseth said in his first comments with reporters in his home state. “I’ve had an awesome career for a lot of years. I’ve been in good cars with good people my whole entire career.
“Got to work with a lot of great people, got a great family at home, got a lot to look forward to looking forward. There’s nothing to be too disappointed or upset about. At the end of the day, JGR did exactly what they committed to, and so did I.”
Kenseth said he began to see the handwriting on the wall as Gibbs and Toyota worked with Furniture Row Racing to build a second Cup team for Jones to team with Martin Truex Jr. this season.
Kenseth was still hopeful of finding a spot with a winning team until late this summer when Hendrick Motorsports hired 24-yearold Alex Bowman and 19-year-old William Byron for its two openings next year.
“There’s probably opportunities to go do something if you want to just want to go do something, but I’ve been fortunate throughout my career that I’ve felt the top teams all wanted me and wanted me to be over there and do all that,” Kenseth said.
“July or August, that’s when I probably knew in my heart it probably wasn’t meant to be to continue racing at this level.”
Kenseth has felt a certain sense of relief having publicly admitted what he had anticipated for a year and, realistically, had accepted late in the summer.
“You kind of get tired of being at the track and people asking, ‘Do you have a ride for next year?’ and (about) what you’re doing next year,” he said. “It’s kind of nice to clean that up before the end of the year, and I think it’s nice for your fans.
“I’ve had a lot of friends and family lately come to the racetrack … trying to come and see the last few races and stuff. So part of it is nice, to get it out there and get rid of the indecision and thinking about it all the time.”