Matt Kenseth doesn’t expect to return to Joe Gibbs Racing in 2018

Matt Kenseth doesn’t expect he’ll return to Joe Gibbs Racing next year, but the former Monster Energy Cup Series champion isn’t ready retire and would like to find a ride for the 2018 season.

Kenseth, 45, wouldn’t go into details, but said returning to JGR for a sixth season wasn’t an option and that he didn’t know which team he would race for next year. Kenseth’s contract expires at the end of the current season.

"I do not think I will have the option to race for JGR next year, unfortunately," Kenseth said Friday at Kentucky Speedway.

"I'm not really worried about it. As of today, I do not have a job for next year, so I certainly hope to still be racing. I think I've got some wins left in me and hopefully can race for championships. Right now, my focus is on finishing up this year."

Kenseth has won one championship (2003) and 38 Cup races since he started racing Cup full time in 2000. Fourteen of those wins have come with JGR, who he signed with in 2013 after beginning his career with Roush Fenway Racing.

But Kenseth is winless over his previous 34 races and currently just three points ahead of Joey Logano for the final provisional spot in the 16-driver playoff field.

"It has not been a good year at all — not nearly up to my standards or my team standards," Kenseth said.

Kenseth’s departure opens up an avenue for JGR to bring Erik Jones in-house after loaning the 21-year-old rookie driver to affiliate Furniture Row Racing this season.

JGR farmed Jones out with the understanding it would be just for a year as the team determined its 2018 driver lineup, which includes Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, and Daniel Suarez, all of whom are under multiyear contracts. Jones currently ranks 17th in the points standings

“I don't know where I'm going to be yet,” Jones said Thursday. “They haven't let me know.

"Hopefully I know soon. It's kind of getting down to that point. I guess it's July now, so I'm sure we'll have an answer here soon."

If Kenseth chooses to continue racing, he’ll have options. Possibilities include Hendrick Motorsports where he would replace the retiring Dale Earnhardt Jr, or switching seats with Jones and joining FRR, which is also backed by Toyota and shares a close technical alliance with JGR.

I don't really have anything to talk about for what I am doing," Kenseth said. "At this point, I don't have anything going on for next year."

Hendrick signing Kenseth would presumably be a bridge to ensure the No. 88 car remains competitive until 19-year-old William Byron, who is racing in the second tier Xfinity Series, is ready to move to Cup.

Team owner Rick Hendrick said Saturday night prior to the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway that there is no timetable to name Earnhardt’s replacement, and was noncommittal about promoting Byron to Cup after a single season in Xfinity.

“We got a lot of moving parts,” Hendrick said. “We’re not in any hurry.”