Matt Kenseth celebrates after winning the 2012 NASCAR Daytona 500 Sprint Cup series race at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fla. Former NASCAR champion Matt Kenseth will once again come out of retirement to compete for Chip Ganassi Racing as the replacement for fired driver Kyle Larson. Larson lost his job two weeks ago. The Ganassi team announced Monday, it will go with two-time Daytona 500 winner Kenseth for the remainder of the season. (AP Photo/John Raoux, File)

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Former NASCAR champion Matt Kenseth will again come out of retirement to compete for Chip Ganassi Racing as the replacement for fired driver Kyle Larson.

Larson lost his job two weeks ago for using a racial slur while competing in a virtual race. Although Ganassi development driver Ross Chastain was assumed to be the leading contender to replace Larson in the No. 42 Chevrolet, the team instead announced Monday it will go with the two-time Daytona 500 winner.

“I think Matt gives us the best chance to win, run up front and compete for wins,” Ganassi told The Associated Press. “I’ve always gone with the mantra of trying to take the best driver available, and he’s the best driver available right now. And he brings something to our sponsors that they need right now. Stability. No baggage. Family man. Daytona 500 winner. Championship winner.”

Kenseth, a Cambridge, Wis native, is in a class of drivers that includes Hall of Famers Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Richard Petty and David Pearson as the only competitors to win a Cup Series championship, rookie of the year award and the Daytona 500.

“This was an unexpected opportunity for sure. I can’t say racing was even on my radar two weeks ago,” Kenseth said. “After spending some time thinking about it and all the unique circumstances surrounding all of us right now, it just seemed the timing and the opportunity was perfect to come back.”

Ganassi said the team will petition NASCAR for a waiver to make Kenseth, the 2003 Cup champion, eligible to race for the title this season. NASCAR completed just four of its 36 races before the season was suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Kenseth retired from Joe Gibbs Racing after the 2017 season when Gibbs chose to give his seat to a younger driver. But he came back for 15 races to aid the rebuild at Roush Fenway Racing, his original team, in 2018. He turned 48 on March 10.

“I know I have a lot of work ahead of me to get up to speed in a relatively short period of time, but I’m looking forward to the challenge,” Kenseth said. “I started my career in a Camaro and I can’t wait to finally race a Chevy in the Cup Series. I also need to thank Chip and all his partners for this opportunity. Hopefully we will be on the track soon.”

Kenseth drove Fords for Roush and Toyotas for Gibbs. He was Cup rookie of the year in 2000 driving for Roush, where he won his only championship. He has 39 career victories and won the Daytona 500 in 2009 and 2012.

Kenseth joined Gibbs in 2013 and was an immediate title contender. He qualified for the playoffs — which began the year after he won the Cup title with just one win — in every season he was eligible but one.

Kenseth began his racing career in 1988 at the age of 16 at Madison International Speedway, driving a Camaro. He made his debut in the NASCAR Southeast Series in 1994 behind the wheel of a Chevrolet.

The mid 1990’s is when Kenseth established himself as a short track star throughout Wisconsin. Winning multiple track championships at Wisconsin International Raceway in Kaukauna, as well as a track championship at Madison. He also won a Red, White, and Blue state championship series at WIR in 1995.

Kenseth once raced at Norway Speedway in an ARTGO series race in the early to mid 1990’s, taking home the checkered flag, driving a car owned by Mike Butz. He also had success at Wisconsin tracks LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway and Slinger Super Speedway.