Posted on Fri, Aug. 12, 2005
Harvick not happy?
RCR driver wants to see increased performance
By JIM UTTER
ThatsRacin.com Writer
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – Nextel Cup driver Kevin Harvick said Friday he has "put on hold" any further negotiations with Richard Childress Racing over an extension of his contract which concludes at the end of next season.
"We want to see how things are going to go and evaluate the performance side," said Harvick, who has driven RCR's No. 29 Chevrolets since the second race of the 2001 season.
"I strictly want to see what the improvements are going to be in a lot of different areas, and I'm going to take my time and evaluate it. I want to take care of things early, but I don't want to be at the point where I don't want to be somewhere or (Childress) doesn't want me here."
Harvick, 29, said the top issue that needs to be addressed before he feels comfortable signing a contract extension is performance.
"We need to be a top-10 team week-in and week-out," Harvick said. "Richard is doing a lot of things and making changes on the race teams, and I just want to see where all of that is going.
"I don't want to run a race team. I want to be the driver. I don't want to have to work five days a week in the shop, but I will if I have to."
Despite drivers Kurt Busch and Jamie McMurray announcing new deals for the 2007 season already, Harvick said he would not put himself in that position.
"Richard has always fulfilled his commitments, and I have given him my word I would do that for him," Harvick said. "I will fulfill my commitments 100 percent."
http://www.thatsracin.com/mld/thatsracin/12370438.htm
Posted on Fri, Aug. 12, 2005
MB2 withdraws contract extension for Riggs
By JIM UTTER
ThatsRacin.com Writer
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. - The three-year contract extension MB2/MBV Motorsports has offered driver Scott Riggs to remain with what is now the No. 10 Chevrolet team has expired and the team is holding off offering another, team officials confirmed Friday.
MB2/MBV offered Riggs a three-year extension in May, but Riggs has been unwilling to sign it, waiting for the team to secure a new sponsor. Current sponsor Valvoline is leaving for Evernham Motorsports at season's end.
"We offered Scott a contract in May, and we met again in July and were still willing to execute it then," team general manager Jay Frye said. "The last time we met was (last month) at Pocono, and at that point we were not as willing to take the risk, depending on the sponsorship.
"At this point, we're not saying it's not going to happen – we would still like it to happen – but there are now other factors that will influence our decision."
Among those factors would be input from a new sponsor.
"At this point we don't have a sponsorship yet, so everything is in essence wide-open again," Frye said.
Riggs, 34, whose original contract is up at season's end, is one of the few available experienced drivers for next season. In 56 Cup starts, has one pole, two top-five and five top-10 finishes.