Don’t worry, NASCAR fans: All is well in the Roush Fenway Racing garage.
Matt Kenseth will share the No. 6 Ford Fusion with Trevor Bayne for the remainder of the 2018 season, with his first race coming Saturday at Kansas Speedway. As great as it is to see Kenseth back with the team he began his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career with, the move also marks a lesser role for Bayne, who’s driven the No. 6 full-time since 2015.
But in an interview Tuesday at RFR headquarters in North Carolina, Kenseth eliminated any concerns over looming tensions between he and Bayne.
“I talked to Trevor on the phone the other day for half-hour or hour; had a good conversation with him,” Kenseth told NBC Sports’ Nate Ryan. “Look forward to seeing him today.
“I think that he’s fine with me. We had a really good conversation, actually. I’m looking forward to working with (Bayne and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.). If you’re another driver filling in, it’s obviously not the driver’s decision, it’s an ownership thing. So certainly I don’t think Trevor and I have any problems at all.”
When Kenseth takes the track in Kansas, the No. 6 will look a bit different than fans are used to. Wyndham Rewards will serve as anchor sponsor when Kenseth drives the car, while AdvoCare will continue to fill anchor duties when Bayne races.
Kenseth, 46, is a 39-time winner in NASCAR’s premier series. He won the 2003 Winston Cup championship, making him the final driver to win the title under that name.
He also has built a reputation of (intentionally) being the sport’s worst interview.
