Tony Eury Jr. said Saturday he plans to remain under the Hendrick Motorsports banner. Eury, who is currently in the second season of a five-year contract with HMS, certainly has plenty of options even staying in the role he had Saturday night assisting with the #5 JR Motorsports Chevrolet in the Nationwide Series. JRM will field two cars in the NNS the Nos. 88 and 5. Dale Earnhardt Jr. said Saturday that Kelly Bires is verbally committed to replace Brad Keselowski, while a variety of drivers (including Earnhardt Jr., Ryan Newman and Michael McDowell) will pilot the #5. When asked if Eury had visited Richard Childress Racing recently to discuss a potential job, he just laughed. “Who said I wasn’t up there just to tour the museum?” Eury replied. Eury has spent the last three months since he resigned from his role as crew chief of the #88 Cup car completing a long awaited “honey-do” list. Professionally, he’s been working on the development of the new car for the Nationwide Series. He still enjoys the occasional taste of being a crew chief with the #25 Cup car, but adding a full-time deal would preclude him for doing many things that he loves. And what about Eury joining Keselowski at Penske Racing next year, a possibility reported Saturday by The Charlotte Oberserver? “I’m happy at Hendrick Motorsports,” Eury said. “We wish Brad well. We hope he finishes fifth behind the four Hendrick cars.”(FoxSports)(9-7-2009)
