Ross Kenseth to make Xfinity debut at Chicagoland

April 17, 2015 Greg Engle Main Page, NASCAR News Top Story, NASCAR Xfinity Series, Top Stories 0

Ross Kenseth
Ross Kenseth
Ross Kenseth

BRISTOL, Tenn.—Second-generation driver Ross Kenseth, 21, will make his NASCAR XFINITY Series debut in the stand-alone June 20 race at Chicagoland Speedway, Joe Gibbs Racing announced Friday.

And the son of 2003 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Matt Kenseth will be able to showcase his talent in excellent equipment. He’ll be piloting the No. 20 JGR Toyota for his maiden voyage in one of NASCAR’s top touring series.

The car will sport the livery of Dollar General, one of Matt Kenseth’s sponsors on the Cup side.

“It’s pretty surreal–it still is,” Ross Kenseth said Friday at Bristol Motor Speedway. “It probably won’t set in until you’re in the car for the first time. But to be able to put a deal together with Coach Gibbs and JGR and Dollar General, it’s been a dream come true to be able get that first start.

“To be able to do it in top-notch equipment and have a really competitive car like that is really exciting.”

The Chicagoland race takes place during an off week for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, giving Matt Kenseth the chance to attend his son’s debut.

“Certainly, I don’t think the opportunity could be any better than this,” Matt Kenseth said. “I feel like the 20 is one of the best (XFINITY) cars out there this year with Wheels (crew chief Mike Wheeler) running that thing. …

“It’s exciting for me, and it’s an off weekend, so I’ll be able to be there and be part of that. Looking forward to see how he does. It’s a great shot, and he’s worked really hard for it.”

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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.