NASCAR’s seen its share of drivers who step away, only to storm back and make everyone sit up straight. Mark Martin is the poster child for this. After scaling back in 2006 with Ginn Racing and Hendrick Motorsports, most thought he’d ease into retirement. Instead, the guy came roaring back in 2009, signing up for a full Cup Series season with Hendrick at age 50. Five wins and a near-miss at the championship later, Martin proved he wasn’t just back, he was still a force, pulling off a comeback that felt like it defied time itself.

Then there’s Matt Kenseth, who walked away from the sport in 2017 with a resume that screamed Hall of Fame. But when Chip Ganassi Racing needed a driver to replace Kyle Larson in 2020, Kenseth didn’t hesitate. No testing, no warm-up races, just straight into the

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