CONCORD, N.C. – Ricky Stenhouse Jr. spoke publicly Friday at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the first time since finding out he would not return to Roush Fenway Racing in 2020.

Roush Fenway Racing announced earlier this week that Stenhouse, the driver of the No. 17 Ford Mustang for the last seven years, would be replaced by Chris Buescher next season.

Stenhouse’s departure ends an 11-year relationship with Roush Fenway Racing that saw the Mississippi native earn two NASCAR Xfinity Series championships and two Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victories for the team.

“It was unfortunate, for sure,” Stenhouse said Friday afternoon. “Definitely tough timing for myself and my group to try to find another option, but, all in all, I’ve got to look back on the 11 years that I had with Jack and winning races and championships and getting my first Cup win and being competitive – not as consistent as what we wanted, but the end of it all I’m very thankful that Jack took a chance on a dirt racer from Mississippi to come drive his car.

“It was fun, a little emotional with the relationship Jack and I have.  It’s the only team I’ve ever been at, so I’m looking forward to see what’s next.  Like I said, there’s a lot of work to do on that, but, all in all, I’m definitely looking forward to these last eight with the great partners that we have, everybody on the 17 team.  I’ve worked with a lot of them since my Nationwide (Xfinity Series) days, so it will be tough, but it will be a fun eight races with them.”

Stenhouse explained that he found out about Roush Fenway Racing’s decision to part ways with him Wednesday morning.

“I got a text on Tuesday night to say, ‘swing by the shop tomorrow at 11.’  I’ve gotten plenty of those texts before, so I didn’t really think anything of it and then my agent called me, I was drinking coffee at 7:30 Wednesday morning getting ready to go work out and he was like, ‘Hey, they called me to come to the shop,’” Stenhouse recalled. “So, when he said that, I was like, ‘that’s probably not very good.’  We went in the shop at 11, so I found out just soon before everybody else did.

“I didn’t really have any knowing (idea) that it was coming, but that’s part of it.  I know people get fired every day from their jobs and I can’t feel sorry for myself.  I’ve got to make sure that we look forward, like I said, to these eight races and what can we land to showcase what I’ve got for 2020.”

Sunday’s Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway will be Stenhouse’s 249 NASCAR Cup Series start. In his NASCAR Cup Series career he has two wins, both coming in 2017, as well as 15 top-five and 33 top-10 finishes.

However, he’s failed to finish 25 races because of crashes or crash related damage. This year he’s failed to finish on the lead lap 15 times in 28 races. His replacement, Buescher, hasn’t finished on the lead lap in 11 events this year. Buescher currently sits 20th in the NASCAR Cup Series standings while Stenhouse is 23rd.

Stenhouse admitted he felt blindsided by the team’s decision to replace him so late in the season, making it harder for him to find a competitive opportunity for 2020.

“Yeah, pretty blindsided.  Obviously, eight races left or whatever we have left is pretty late in the game,” Stenhouse said. “Halfway through the season would have been a little nicer to be able to go look for something else to do, but it’s their business and I’ve got to go with it.  Like I said, no hard feelings.  I’ve been angry at times, but, for the most part, I look back on all of it and I’m super thankful.”

As far as next year is concerned, Stenhouse has had little time to think about it. He said he’s leaving that to his management team.

“My agent has been talking to everybody. He’s trying to figure that out,” Stenhouse said.