I know that we’re just at the quarter post of the season…but, to this point, I think it’s safe to say that Matt Kenseth’s move to Joe Gibbs Racing has been everything both sides hoped for…and more.
I have no doubt that their ultimate goal is a title, but it hasn’t taken much time at all for Kenseth to get on the same page with crew chief Jason Ratcliff. They have already made two trips to Victory Lane and, I’m not sure I’ve ever seen Kenseth happier. He’s relaxed and genuinely appreciative of the team that Gibbs has put around him.
While the on-track performance has, possibly, exceeded expectations…the off-track influence of Kenseth may get partial credit for Kyle Busch’s start…and his apparent maturation when it comes to dealing with the media and NASCAR. In fact, we’ll probably never know just how much influence Kenseth has there.
Most of us figured that Kenseth would be in the Roush camp for his entire career. But, this move is a perfect example of the benefits of trying something new.