Hamlin lobbied for Kenseth

: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Express Toyota, waves to the crowd during NASCAR After The Lap at PH Live at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on November 29, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images for NASCAR)
: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Express Toyota, waves to the crowd during NASCAR After The Lap at PH Live at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino on November 29, 2012 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images for NASCAR)

LAS VEGAS — Denny Hamlin believes Matt Kenseth will be a perfect fit for Joe Gibbs Racing, and he made his feelings known when Kenseth started discussions with the organization.

JGR announced in early September that Kenseth would drive the No. 20 Toyota for the organization next year. Roughly two months earlier, Roush Fenway Racing had reveled Kenseth would be leaving after 13 seasons of full-time Sprint Cup racing for that organization.

“I was one that definitely pushed for Matt to come over to Gibbs, and I just think that he’s really going to mesh well with me and Kyle (Busch),” Hamlin said. “I know that Kyle does a lot of short-track racing with Matt’s son (Ross Kenseth), and I know that me and Matt have very similar driving styles on the race track.

“I look forward to that communication and just hearing about how he did things versus how we do things, and, really, that’s what makes teams stronger. When Kyle came over in 2008, it was that drive that kind of pushed me to that next level –having someone come over and push you to be better. I think it’s going to be no different with Matt.”

Greg Engle
About Greg Engle 7421 Articles
Greg is a published award winning sportswriter who spent 23 years combined active and active reserve military service, much of that in and around the Special Operations community. Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.