Kenseth doesn’t have long-term goals; Wants to help the organization

What did Kenseth miss most in the last 6 months? “The fans and the competition.”

Kenseth is set to make his debut tonight at Kansas Speedway. For the last 6 months, he’s been on the bench. It was otherwise, a semi-retirement but it was also forced nonetheless.

In November, his professional racing career might have come to an abrupt close. However, a call from Jack Roush has placed Kenseth behind the wheel of the #6 for a part-time schedule in 2018.

Now, he’s back. His first race will begin tonight in Kansas City, Kansas.

What the expectations for Kansas?

“I don’t have any expectations for the weekend to be honest with you. I just don’t know,” Kenseth said from the Kansas Speedway media center.

“I came into this weekend with no expectations. Pretty much just an open mind.”

What did you miss most in the last 6 months?

“I’d say, the fans and the competition.”

“The thing you miss the most is always the competition. That’s why we all started racing on Friday and Saturday nights with a couple hundred people in the stands — Because you like to compete.”

“In any professional sports, that’s the one constant. That you love to compete. No matter what level it’s at.”

“That’s probably the part you miss the most. The last 6 months have been great honestly. I don’t think I’ve ever had a better period in my life.”

What’s the long term goal?

“Professionally, I don’t know that I really have a long term goal. I don’t feel like I have anything to prove to anybody either.”

“Short term, I hope to help the organization. That’s kinda why Jack and I decided to do this. They need to get their performance up. He’s hoping I can help with that. I’m hoping I can help with that.”

Roush-Fenway Racing has a total of 137 wins over the last 31 years. However, since 2014, the team has collectively only picked up two wins. Both of those wins came last year with Ricky Stenhouse Jr at restrictor plate tracks.

“I’m not thinking very far out, to be honest with you. I’m just trying to concentrate on this and do the best we can this weekend.”

“It’s pretty busy at our house. The kids go to school all week. We have Saturday’s and Sunday’s off, I probably spend more time running around with them. Spending more time with them than watching tv [races]. In the last few weeks, I’ve certainly watched more of it.”

This look like an opportunity for you to go out on your own terms. What do you think about that and they way you were kind of forced out in 2017?

“I haven’t given that a thought. That part doesn’t really matter to me I guess.”

Tonight, Kenseth will start 35th on the field. In 10-lap averages, he was last in practice of the 22 cars that made more than 10 laps. However, he also spent the majority of the session making short runs.

More

Related: Matt Kenseth discusses Kansas Speedway

Related: Trevor Bayne insists his health did not play a role in Kenseth’s return

Related: Matt Kenseth will return in the #6 for Roush-Fenway Racing

Related: “We’re gonna make our team and our race cars great again.” -Jack Roush

Related: Jack Roush was still upset that Kenseth left in 2012

Related: Post-retirement Kenseth says, “I can’t envision myself at the race track”

Related: Former NASCAR driver’s home sold – Matt Kenseth

Links

Matt Kenseth | Roush-Fenway | NASCAR

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