Harvick Future Unsure In 2011

Kevin Harvick says he doesn't know where he's driving next season, but he has had a lot of talks so far with team owner Richard Childress.

Harvick's future with RCR may have taken a huge hit after Shell's decision to transfer from the Harvick #29 to Kurt Busch's ride starting next season. Harvick says he "doesn't particularly agree" with the way the swap came down.

"There's sponsors that come and go," Harvick told David Newton of ESPN. "This particular situation there were a lot of business-to-business decisions that took place."

Busch's #22 car will have Shell while Brad Keselowski will drive the #2 in 2011 with Miller Lite staying there. Penske is losing Mobil as a sponsor, so they picked up Shell. Newton also says Bud is in play because of Kasey Kahne's departure for Hendrick. This also makes the HQ wonder about Sam Hornish and the #77...

Harvick says he will likely stick with Chevrolet no matter where he lands next season, and says there's no "pressing need" to make a decision now.

Harvick is fourth in the points race entering Sunday...

Here's the Big One from last week that involved Harvick- something he may have to avoid to improve his bottom line for the rest of the season...
((HT: SlicedSmoke14/NASCAR on Fox))

Harvick Wants Out At RCR...?

((HT: ESPN/Newton))

Richard Childress Racing driver Kevin Harvick ((pictured, thanks autoracingdaily.com)) would like to be released from the final year of his contract that expires in 2010, a source close to the situation said on Wednesday.

"He's making that evident," the source said.

Harvick is 25th in points and hasn't won a Sprint Cup race since the 2007 Daytona 500.

According to a report on SI.com, Harvick would like to move to Stewart-Haas Racing and take his primary sponsor, Shell/Pennzoil, with him. The report said Shell's contract expires after this season, but multiple sources told ESPN.com the deal runs through 2010.

Sources added that it is unlikely RCR owner Richard Childress would let both the driver and sponsor go, particularly in today's economic climate.

In a statement released Wednesday, Richard Childress Racing said it expected Harvick to honor his contract.

"Richard Childress Racing has a multiyear contract with Shell-Pennzoil that includes the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. Shell-Pennzoil remains a great partner for RCR and Kevin Harvick as well as our sport overall. RCR also has a multiyear contract with Kevin Harvick that includes the 2010 season. That said, Shell will be the sponsor and Kevin will be the driver of RCR's No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet Impala SS in 2010."

Harvick moved into a full-time Cup ride for RCR in 2001 after the death of Dale Earnhardt. He has since formed his own Truck Series and Nationwide Series teams under Kevin Harvick Inc. Before that he drove in the Truck Series for Spears Motorsports.

Tony Stewart and SHR teammate Ryan Newman are among several drivers sharing a ride in Harvick's No. 33 Nationwide car this season. Among the sponsors are Old Spice and Army, which are primary sponsors for Stewart's Cup team.

A spokesman for Harvick had no comment when contacted by ESPN.com.

UPDATE: Richard Childress, pretty much, squashed it... at SI.com

Kevin Harvick is under contract with Richard Childress Racing for one more season, and the team expects him to drive the No. 29 in 2010.

RCR released a statement Wednesday responding to a report on SI.com that Harvick wanted out of his deal and was hopeful of moving to Stewart-Hass Racing.

Richard Childress says RCR has a multiyear contract with Harvick and sponsor Shell-Pennzoil. Childress says "Shell will be the sponsor and Kevin will be the driver of RCR's No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet Impala SS in 2010."

Harvick is 25th in the points standing this season. He hasn't won a Cup race since the 2007 Daytona 500.

Here's that win at Daytona in 2007
((HT: NASCAR on FOX))

RCR Flip-Flops Crews For Talladega

((HT: FoxSports))

Richard Childress will swap the crews for slumping drivers Kevin Harvick and Casey Mears following this weekend's race at Talladega Superspeedway.

Both teams have underperformed this season, the first in which Richard Childress Racing is fielding four full-time cars. Harvick has slipped six spots in the standings to 16th over the past two weeks, while Mears is 22nd and off to a slow start in his first year with RCR.

The drivers will swap their entire crews after Sunday's race.

"The decision to interchange the (teams) was made to make both programs stronger and more successful," team owner Childress said Wednesday. "Our main objective has always been to have all four of RCR's teams qualify for the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Neither team has had the success this season that we know they're capable of, so we decided it was time to make a change to improve the two teams and the overall strength of RCR.

"We feel this change positions us to achieve that goal."

Todd Berrier and his crew will move from Harvick's No. 29 team to Mears' No. 07 next week. Berrier has been with Harvick since the Nationwide Series, and took over the Cup program in 2003. The duo won eight Cup races together, including the 2007 Daytona 500 and the 2003 race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Berrier also led Harvick to the Nationwide Series championship in 2001.

Gil Martin will take his crew to Harvick's car. He has been with the No. 07 team since the 2006 season, and led Clint Bowyer into the Chase the past two seasons.

Martin previously worked with Harvick on the No. 29 car in 2002, leading Harvick to a win that season at Chicago.

"Todd and Gil are proven winners who have strong and successful teams behind them," Childress said. "Chemistry is an important part of any successful organization and I felt it was time to change the makeup of these two teams. We've done this before with positive results."

RCR is considered one of the top four organizations in NASCAR, but its teams have yet to collect victories at the same pace as Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing and Roush-Fenway Racing. All three teams have multiple victories this season, but RCR is so far winless.

Still, Bowyer has been strong driving the expansion No. 33 team, which is comprised of many of the crew members who helped him to last year's Nationwide title. Bowyer was as high as second in the standings early this season, but has slipped to sixth over the past two weeks.

Jeff Burton, the fourth RCR driver, is 11th in the standings.