Photo – CIA Stock Photo

Joe Gibbs Racing announced Thursday afternoon at Daytona International Speedway that DEWALT Tools will step up their commitment within the organization, with a primary focus on Matt Kenseth in 2016 and 2017.

Promoting their new DEWALT FLEXVOLT product, the company will sponsor Kenseth in Saturday’s Coke Zero 400 and for four of the 10 Chase races at Chicagoland Speedway, Dover International Speedway, Kansas Speedway and the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway respectively.

Team owner Joe Gibbs confirmed that DEWALT will sponsor Kenseth for 15 races in 2017, replacing Dollar General who is leaving the organization at the end of the season.

DEWALT’s 13-plus year relationship with Kenseth dates back Roush Fenway Racing, where Kenseth steered the No. 17 Ford Fusion in 1999. The 44-year-old driver earned his first Sprint Cup victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the Coca-Cola 600 the following year. The duo won the Sprint Cup championship two years later in 2003.

“I think it’s great that we will be able to see the DEWALT Toyota on track this year for additional races in both the Sprint Cup and XFINITY Series, as well as knowing that DEWALT will be on our No. 20 Camry for the majority of our 2017 races as well,” said Matt Kenseth, “I’ve been so fortunate to be able to reunite with DEWALT these past two seasons, and knowing that we’ll be together for even longer, is really fantastic news for all of us at JGR.

“For me, it’s a dream come true really for DEWALT to come back. A couple years ago, I made my first Cup start with DEWALT and I hope to make my last Cup start with DEWALT – not today of course, but hopefully someday a few years down the road.”

In addition to five races in Cup for Kenseth, DEWALT has pledged six races in the XFINITY Series with drivers Erik Jones and Daniel Suarez respectively. DEWALT will adorn Jones’ No. 20 Toyota Camry in Friday night’s Subway Firecracker 250 at Daytona, as well for upcoming races at Iowa Speedway, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, Darlington (S.C.) Raceway and Richmond (Va.) International Raceway. They will also sponsor Suarez at Kentucky Speedway later in September.

Photo – Sarah Carbill/Getty Images

With Kenseth’s driver contract set to expire at the end of the current season, Gibbs offered little insight to where the negotiations stood, but he did deliver a firm reassurance that the 37-time Cup champion would retire from the organization.

“We don’t talk about our contracts and stuff with our drivers but I will say this, our plan is Matt is going to retire here,” Coach Gibbs said.

Kenseth is currently 10th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings following last Sunday’s race at Sonoma Raceway. So far in 2016, Kenseth has accrued one win, two top-five, six top-ten finishes, and has led for a total of 429 laps.