Roush delayed Kenseth NASCAR Cup seat call after 'raw' first exit
Jack Roush delayed calling Matt Kenseth about a NASCAR Cup series comeback with Roush Fenway Racing because he was still "raw" about Kenseth's first exit

Kenseth's only top-tier NASCAR title came with the team in 2003 when it was known as Roush Racing, and he departed at the end of '12 to move to Joe Gibbs Racing and ended a 13-season spell with the team.
He lost his seat at JGR to rookie Erik Jones ahead of the 2018 season and failed to secure a full-time drive elsewhere, before Kenseth was announced as a part-time driver with RFR on Wednesday.
RFR CEO and co-owner Roush said he delayed calling Kenseth because he did not stay for a potential second title tilt.
"When I contacted Matt to see if he had an interest in being involved in a limited programme with objectives that we've set forth, his question to me was, 'Why did it take so long for me to call?'" he said.
"I still had a little bit of a rawness over the fact that he left me when he did. "We had another championship out there, I thought, that we could have had in short order.
"I missed that, so it took me a little while to get over it."

Kenseth said the return came at the right time, but added he had discussed post-racing career options.
"Certainly that [a career after racing retirement] came up in some of the discussions, for sure," he said.
"As much as just the driving, the rest of it interests me.
"You're not going to drive forever, so I think still being part of something competitive, trying to make something better, trying to figure out how to do it better than the next guy and go beat everybody is still there, whether you're in the car or whether you're not.
"Not being in there every week will certainly be different. It's something I've never done before, so I can't really tell you what it's going to be like probably until I do it for a while."
Kenseth added he had not yet spoken to Bayne about sharing the car, with the move potentially preventing Bayne from competing in the playoffs if he was to qualify.
NASCAR rules dictate a driver must compete in the full-season, with the rule originally implemented to prevent drivers missing end of season races once a playoff berth was finalised.
"I have not spoken to Trevor yet," said Kenseth. "I was going to give that a week or so to settle down.
"My hope is that after a few days when things kind of shake out, we can get together face-to-face, sooner than later, hopefully, next week, and sit and have a long talk because I really feel like there are a lot of things I could probably help him with.
"My hope is that he embraces that and turns this into something to drive him and he can get better."

Previous article
2003 NASCAR champion Kenseth returns to Cup series with shared drive
Next article
Ganassi's McMurray escapes huge Talladega NASCAR practice crash

About this article
Series | NASCAR |
Author | Tom Errington |
Roush delayed Kenseth NASCAR Cup seat call after 'raw' first exit
Trending
Why a British prospect is trying to make it in NASCAR
There has never been a full-time British driver in the NASCAR Cup. But Alex Sedgwick, who is rising through the stock car ranks, wants that to change and could be a trailblazer for European talents to reach the top echelons of the NASCAR ladder
How Earnhardt’s death changed American motorsport
It's 20 years since legendary driver Dale Earnhardt Sr died at the Daytona 500, but the legacy of his crash continues today through the pioneering safety work done by NASCAR
The NASCAR subplots to keep an eye on in 2021
This weekend's Daytona 500 kickstarts a NASCAR Cup season that promises plenty of intrigue courtesy of new owners and a refreshed calendar. Here's what you need to know ahead of the new season
How a second-chance NASCAR ace is rebuilding his career
From a disgraced NASCAR exile, Kyle Larson has been given a shot at redemption by the powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports squad. Replacing seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson is no easy billing, but Larson has every intention of repaying the team's faith
Autosport's top 5 NASCAR machines
The American stock car scene is more famous for its close racing and occasional punch-ups, but there have been some fantastic machines too. As part of Autosport's 70th anniversary celebrations in 2020, we picked out five of its best
Why NASCAR's latest second-generation champion is just getting started
Chase Elliott's late charge to the 2020 NASCAR Cup title defied predictions that it would be a Kevin Harvick versus Denny Hamlin showdown. While the two veterans are showing no signs of slowing down, Elliott's triumph was a window into NASCAR's future
Why Johnson’s playoff failure won’t tarnish his legacy
The last season of a retiring NASCAR great has shown promise, and may have resulted in another playoff push without small issues outside his control. 2020 won't be the year Jimmie Johnson would have wanted, but it won't be what he is remembered for
Why a Le Mans winner is heading into the “unknown world” of NASCAR
Comparing Porsche's 919 HYBRID LMP1 to NASCAR is motorsport's equivalent of apples and oranges, but this weekend one of Weissach's top works aces will pit his skills against the regulars and revive the tradition of the 'road-course ringer'