Matt Kenseth’s return to Roush Fenway Racing hasn’t been the panacea the organization had hoped it might be, but the No. 6 team made progress in Sunday’s Pocono 400 after losing a lap to eventual race winner Martin Truex Jr. near the end of the first 50-lap stage.
After starting 26th, Kenseth spent the first two stages outside the top 20 before taking a wave-around under caution after the completion of Stage 2. Kenseth and crew chief Matt Puccia parlayed the return to the lead lap into a respectable finish—Kenseth’s best since returning to the team—but the team has miles to go before it will become competitive with the elite of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
“It was a struggle all day for us,” Kenseth said. “I felt like we got fortunate at the end with some pit strategy by Matt and some cautions that got us back in position to finish 13th. “But we didn’t run that well. I feel like we made a small amount of headway today, but we still have a bunch of work to do.”
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.
- NASCAR to debut new short track package at Phoenix - February 28, 2023
- The Wrench Who Stole Racing - December 16, 2022
- Matt DiBenedetto’s excellent run comes to abrupt, violent end - February 17, 2019
