It’s possible Ricky Stenhouse Jr. may have a brand new teammate at Roush Fenway Racing next season.
As the current NASCAR Silly Season has continued to build up momentum, one of the seemingly forgotten Cup Series rides has been the No. 6 Ford of Roush Fenway Racing. That was Trevor Bayne’s seat until the team decided to change direction partway through this season, bringing in reluctantly retired Matt Kenseth to take over during some races.
It was a great story because Kenseth first shot to stardom at the team formerly known simply as Roush Racing, but it might be one that is cut short after its current chapter. While there were hints early on that the Wisconsin native might be sticking around after this year, the latest rumors are that RFR might be looking to move on from both Bayne and Kenseth and start fresh.
That word comes from well-connected SportsBusiness Journal reporter Adam Stern:
Plans for '19 for @RoushFenway's No. 6 are unclear right now, as @MattKenseth is not guaranteed to return and most industry execs think it's unlikely that @TBayne6 will be back.
— Adam Stern (@A_S12) August 31, 2018
— There have been rumblings that RFR is exploring new drivers for '19, but no clear name has emerged. pic.twitter.com/cEKOTAcMW5
Performance would be an easy explanation for Roush Fenway Racing wanting to try someone new. Bayne seemed to regress a bit to start 2018, recording zero top-10 finishes in 11 races to start the season, at which point the team announced Kenseth would be sharing the ride. Alas, he hasn’t been able to coax much better results out of the 6 (zero top-10 finishes in eight starts, with a best of 13th), and at 46, he’s not exactly the kind of young driver many teams are choosing in the current NASCAR climate.
So if not Bayne or Kenseth, then who? Only RFR knows that for sure. The 6 wouldn’t seem to be a really desirable landing spot for the likes of Martin Truex Jr. or Kurt Busch (though he, like Kenseth, has a history with the team) as it would represent a step down in competitiveness. It could be an option for a driver like Cole Custer, whose path to the Cup Series seems blocked right now with Stewart-Haas Racing. Or it could be a lifeline for someone like Matt DiBenedetto who has never been given a shot with above average equipment and support.
It’s safe to say, though, that the 6 is a car we shouldn’t forget about as the annual game of musical seats gets underway after Homestead. It might be more open than we’ve suspected for the last few months.