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Matt Kenseth's induction to NASCAR's 75 Greatest Driver list left the former Cup Series driver thinking about one of his old rivals, Jimmie Johnson.
Started to honor the best talents in the sport, the 75 Greatest Drivers list was also the governing body's celebration of the sport's 75th anniversary in 2023.
Kenseth, who was already inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, joined the prestigious list earlier this week. Beating Jimmie Johnson to the Cup Series title in the year 2003, Kenseth is often referred to as the last champion to have won before the 'playoffs' era of the sport started in 2004.
The Wisconsin native has 20 pole awards, 39 victories and 182 top-5 finishes to his name and is the latest driver to join the coveted list.
However, following the announcement of Kenseth joining prestigious the list, the now 51-year-old also had some words for one of his fiercest competitors. Speaking about Jimmie Johnson's absence from the list, the #17 Ford Taurus driver replied to NASCAR's official tweet and wrote:
"As honored as I am to make this exclusive list, I am equally disappointed that my good friend @JimmieJohnson was excluded. He had a solid career and I really feel like he belongs here. #74."
Johnson ties Richard Petty Dale Earnhardt Sr. at seven championships a piece. He is still regarded as one of the most dominant drivers in NASCAR, even with the sport's unpredictable nature and luck-of-the-draw style of racing.
Brad Keselowski reacts to Matt Kenseth's tweet about Jimmie Johnson
It appeared that Matt Kenseth was taking a small dig at the sport and its fans. With NASCAR yet to announce the final 75th driver, many believe it is going to be Jimmie Johnson, owing to his accolades in the sport over the years, along with his current participation as a team owner and part-time driver.
Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing's Brad Keselowski also seemed to find Kenseth's tweet hilarious. The #6 Ford Mustang driver replied to Kensth's tweet and expressed his feelings with a suitable GIF:
The NASCAR Cup Series goes live from the Darlington Raceway this Sunday, complete with throwback paint schemes to remind fans of the sport's rich history.
