Richard Childress Racing driver #31-Jeff Burton acknowledged on Thursday that teammate #29-Kevin Harvick is expected to leave the company when his contract runs out at the end of the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Burton, speaking at Lowes Motor Speedway, was asked about Harvicks comments in a prerace television interview last Sunday at Auto Club Speedway where the 2007 Daytona 500 winner indicated he doesnt plan to compete for RCR beyond 2010. I think that everybody is behaving in a very professional manner, and everybody is understanding that Kevin has a year left on his contract and hes going to do everything in his power to do the best job for RCR [and] RCRs going to do everything in their power to do their best job for him, Burton said. [Teammate] Clint [Bowyer] and I are going to continue to work with Kevin the same way we always have, and I think were going to work together better actually not because hes leaving but because we need to. And things change. Kevin may look around eight months, 10 months from now and say, You know what: Things have really changed here, and I really think this is the place that were going. By his interview he indicated that wasnt going to happen, but you never know. Harvick, who has been with RCRs Cup program since being tabbed to replace Dale Earnhardt following the seven-time series champions death on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500, hasnt won a points-paying event since his Daytona 500 triumph in the 2007 season opener. Harvick missed the Chase this year and is 21st in the standings.(SceneDaily)(10-15-2009)
