Matt Kenseth not considering retirement, unsure of future with Joe Gibbs Racing

As speculation swirls about his future, Matt Kenseth said he is not considering retiring while speaking with reporters Tuesday at the NASCAR Hall of Fame in downtown Charlotte.

Kenseth’s contract with Joe Gibbs Racing expires at the end of 2017. With JGR developmental driver Erik Jones signing just a one-year contract to drive for Furniture Row Racing next season, it’s created questions about whether Jones could replace the 44-year-old Kenseth, who would then retire.

“I don’t really feel like I’m that close where I really can put a date on it to be honest,” Kenseth said, via NBC Sports. “I feel great. More times than not, I’m having fun. I feel like we’re really competitive more times than not. And we’re capable of winning races, and I think we’re capable of winning championships. That’s just way on the bottom of my list of things to think about or worry about at the moment.”

Kenseth began competing full-time in NASCAR’s top division in 2000, winning Rookie of the Year over Dale Earnhardt Jr. In 600 career starts, Kenseth has collected 38 victories and claimed the 2003 Sprint Cup championship.

Kenseth joined JGR, which also fields cars for Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards, in 2013. He has amassed 14 victories for the team owned by the Super Bowl-winning head coach. By winning at Dover International Speedway in May and New Hampshire Motor Speedway in July, Kenseth qualified for this year’s Chase for the Sprint Cup playoffs. He is one of the championship favorites.

FRR team owner Barney Visser told Sirius XM Radio last week he was “fairly certain” Jones would only stay with the team one season. The Colorado-based team has been a single-car operation since its formation in 2005, but decided to expand when funding became available. Martin Truex Jr. drives FRR’s No. 78 Toyota and Jones will drive the No. 77 car with primary sponsorship from 5-Hour Energy.

The news Jones signed with FRR, a JGR affiliate team, didn’t surprise Kenseth, who says he was apprised of the ongoing negotiations to elevate Jones, but at no point has he discussed his future with the team beyond 2017.

“I’ve been involved in a lot of those talks, so I knew that was happening, but I can’t say we’ve ever sat and had the conversation as to what exactly is 2018 going to look like and 2019,” Kenseth said, via NBC Sports. “I don’t think anybody probably knows 100 percent sure.”

When Gibbs was asked about the makeup of his team’s driver lineup on Tuesday and whether Jones would remain in Sprint Cup and move back to JGR in 2018, the owner described the situation as “probably unclear right now.”

“It’s strictly right now a one-year deal and they have the agreement with him,” Gibbs said, via USA Today. “Furniture Row did it. We’ve just got to see what’s going to happen in the future. He’s a Furniture Row (driver). Furniture Row put this deal together.”