While rumored to be the top choice of Toyota when that auto maker ventures into NASCAR Nextel Cup Series competition in 2007, driver #29-Kevin Harvick says none of the future moves he makes will entail the role of owner/driver. In fact, Harvick’s comments Friday at Bristol Motor Speedway sounded more like the five-year Cup veteran would rather remain with current car owner Richard Childress than either exit to start his own Cup program – he already fields Busch and Truck entries through Kevin Harvick Inc. – or leave to drive for another owner. Harvick is in the final year of his contract with Richard Childress Racing, although there are contract options available to Childress to re-sign the driver. And while the two have mutually agreed to discuss their future later this year, Harvick said Friday that there was no specific date set to have any issues resolved. The talk of Toyota, he said, is speculation. “… As far as [Toyota] courting me, I don’t know what would fall into that category. Everything up to this point is speculation of what’s happening. Right now, there’s nothing done or nothing happening anywhere from any manufacturer or anything.”(SceneDaily.com)(3-25-2006)
AND There was also a new report, from usually reliable sources, that Harvick is also entertaining a job offer from a current rival team on the tour, possibly Ford’s Jack Roush, although Roush wasn’t here to discuss that.(Winston Salem Journal)(3-25-2006)
