Former NASCAR Busch Series champion David Green spoke to Sirius Speedway (Sirius Satellite Radio/MRN) about rumors that he has spoken with Hendrick Motorsports about a possible return to the team’s #5 Busch Series Chevrolets next season. Asked to comment on the story, Green said, “It’s interesting you say that. I have not heard anything (about that). As far as I know, we are up for re-signing for next year. My deal with Brewco [#27] each year has been a year deal with an option for the following year. I have had a great time since the start of 2003, and I think toward the end of this month or September, it’s a critical time for Kleenex to re-up for next year, and along with that will come a conversation on my presence here with this team. I have not had any conversation with anybody; Clarence or Todd or anyone else. But I do know that things are going well with their Kleenex program, and I love to represent Kleenex. We’ll see what happens.
Sometimes it’s good to have your name in the rumor mill, and sometimes it’s not. What you’re hearing could be a little bit of news to me, but it always puts a smile on my face.” Asked specifically about the Hendrick rumors, Green said, “Rick Hendrick and the late Ricky (Hendrick) and Lance McGrew and all that team gave me the opportunity of a lifetime in 2002. There’s no question — beyond a shadow of a doubt — that had it not been for them, I would not be here driving. I feel like I would be in my second career, working with a race team. Hopefully, some day, that can be with the Hendrick organization or someone like Robert Yates — one of those two teams — because those are the teams I would love to align myself with after my driving. If there (was) opportunity to do that, I would certainly welcome the opportunity to talk about that. Ricky Hendrick was a great young man who gave me my career back, and now that he’s gone, there’s one thing that I think I still owe him, and that’s to finish out my career (not necessarily as a driver ), but to be with an organization like that and to help that team. That team has been almost like a second home for me, and to race Brian Vickers for the championship in 2003 was very special for me and Ricky and Rick, and the whole party.
“That’s a cool thing to hear, and I would love to hear more about that and see what happens. But first and foremost is the job at hand, and what we’re doing here with Kleenex and the Brewco Team. As you well know, racing is a sport that changes daily. There’s not much security in it, but I’m enjoying what I’m doing now. I want to be competitive, and I feel like this team is turning the corner right now and that we can still represent Kleenex well. It’s all about timing and being in the right situation. This team that Brewco and Kleenex have given me has been like a breath of fresh air. We’re not doing with our job by any means, but we’ve had a tough year and hope to rebound from that for next year. Hopefully these guys will say, “David, we hope to have you back next year and Kleenex wants you back as well,” because I think we have a lot of things that we still owe them. To me, the job’s not done until we get that done. That’s the job at hand.”(Sirius Satellite Radio/MRN)(7-22-2005)
