Chip Ganassi Racing has found its replacement for Kyle Larson.
Veteran driver Matt Kenseth will take over the No. 42 Chevrolet Camaro whenever the 2020 NASCAR season resumes, CGR announced Monday. Larson was fired two weeks ago for using a racial slur during an iRacing event and remains indefinitely suspended by NASCAR.
“I have always said that when we have to fill a driver spot, that I owe it to our team, our partners and our fans to put the best available driver in the car,” team owner Chip Ganassi said in a statement. “We are doing exactly that with Matt. Throughout my time in NASCAR, I have always admired the way Matt Kenseth raced. He has proven to be a consistent winner, strong competitor, and respectful driver, and I’m glad we are able to add another NASCAR champion to the team for the remainder of this season.”
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Credit One Bank, the primary sponsor of the No. 42, publicly endorsed Ganassi’s decision to hire Kenseth.
Who saw this coming? 👇 https://t.co/lsQrlcS8hd
— Matt Kenseth (@mattkenseth) April 27, 2020
https://twitter.com/CreditOneBank/status/1254875704774275074
Kenseth, 49, last competed in 2018 when he drove a partial schedule for Roush Fenway Racing. His last full-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season was 2017 for Joe Gibbs Racing.
Kenseth in a statement admitted he had no immediate comeback plans until he received the call from Ganassi.
“This was an unexpected opportunity for sure,” he said. “I can’t say racing was even on my radar two weeks ago. After spending some time thinking about it and all the unique circumstances surrounding all of us right now, it just seemed the timing and the opportunity was perfect to come back.
“I know I have a lot of work ahead of me to get up to speed in a relatively short period of time, but I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
A former Cup Series champion, Kenseth has amassed 39 victories, including two Daytona 500s, over his 18-year career. His last trip to victory lane came in 2017 at Phoenix Raceway.
As for when Kenseth could make his debut in the No. 42, NASCAR reportedly is targeting mid-May for a possible resumption of the 2020 season.
