Kenseth eyeing job driving school bus if NASCAR fails

TALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) - Matt Kenseth has no job lined up for next season, but he has a backup plan should there be no seat for him in NASCAR.

"You know, I was thinking about maybe driving a school bus," Kenseth said Friday. "I thought it'd be fun. I drive the kids to school every morning, and I thought it'd be fun driving them home, too. I think I'll be OK. I think they'll be able to eat either way."

Kenseth's proclamation came with a straight face. It's Kenseth's attempt at avoiding the topic about his future.

Kenseth is being replaced by Erik Jones at Joe Gibbs Racing next season and has yet to land a ride for 2018. So with just six races remaining, it's a critical time for Kenseth to put together a plan.

So long as he's in the playoffs, Kenseth said he won't distract from his championship chances by publicly discussing job prospects.

"The school bus thing is appealing," he said. "I said a few weeks ago I wasn't going to talk about next year any more, as long as we're alive in the playoffs. We're certainly not one of the favorites right now, we haven't done the things we wanted to do, but we're certainly still alive."

Kenseth is winless this season, but in the second round of the playoffs. He will race Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway, and deadpanned that he's not romanticizing about this possibly being his final restrictor-plate race. Kenseth is a two-time Daytona 500 winner.

"I think except for the very first time you come here, every time you come here you think it possibly could be your last race here," Kenseth joked. "I don't really feel any different today than any other time except for the first time I came here."

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