Borland plans to return to Stewart-Haas Racing for 2009
Matt Borland isn’t sure exactly what the future holds for him when Haas CNC Racing turns into Stewart-Haas Racing, but the team’s competition director plans to return to the team in 2009.
Borland will have two new high-profile competitors in Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman – a driver Borland worked with for nearly seven years – driving his cars.
“Hopefully, I can just keep helping out with the team wherever fits best, whatever that role might be,” Borland said Sunday at Michigan International Speedway. “We haven’t had many conversations yet.
“[The drivers] both have a lot ahead of them as far as the rest of this year and the Chase [For The NASCAR Sprint Cup]. I think they’re trying to get all that stuff done this year and put in the best effort they can there, and then we’ll focus on next year.”
Borland was crew chief for Newman at Penske Racing from the time Newman started driving stock cars in 2000 through 2006. He then was paired with Dale Jarrett for the start of 2007 at Michael Waltrip Racing. That pairing didn’t work, and Borland landed at Haas CNC Racing in May 2007.
With Newman joining the Stewart-Haas Racing team next season, Borland expects to work in some capacity with his friend.
“It’s great to have him coming here next year,” Borland said. “It’s good to have another friend on board. It’s great. Obviously he’s an incredible driver. I’m looking forward to some good things.”
Borland said he has not been involved yet in hiring discussions for crew chiefs for the drivers and did not know whether Hendrick Motorsports’ Darian Grubb, rumored in the garage to be Stewart’s crew chief for next season, would make the move.
“I’m not sure what all is going to happen – a lot of those things are still up in the air,” Borland said. “There is a lot of work to do and a lot of planning. … Obviously with two new drivers, they’re going to have a lot of input on who’d they like.”
Several people have asked Borland about working for the new team.
“There’s a lot of people interested in working with both of those guys,” Borland said. “There’s a lot of excitement about that. It’s been good from that aspect. At the same point, there’s a lot of good people that work at Haas, and it’s just a matter of trying to keep improving and expand and do some things we haven’t been able to do in the past.”
Borland’s main focus is to improve the team’s current overall performance. The No. 66 with driver Scott Riggs just returned to the top 35 in owner points and is 35th, while the No. 70 team (various drivers) is 43rd in owner points. The teams also were mired in controversy when the crew chiefs and car chiefs were suspended for six races and the team was docked 150 points for an illegal wing bracket adjustment at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in May.
“Everything we progress on right now will help next year and help this year,” Borland said. “We’ve got a long ways to go with what we’ve done to ourselves this year. So we’re still trying to dig out of that mess and make ourselves better for this year, too.”
