Driver Erik Darnell doesn't know where he'll compete in 2010
Related story: Erik Darnell's future with Roush Fenway Racing appears uncertain
CONCORD, N.C. – Erik Darnell is running four of the last six NASCAR Sprint Cup races of 2009, but his future beyond that remains in major limbo.
Despite still being under contract with Roush Fenway Racing, Darnell is essentially a free agent in 2010 because the organization does not appear to have a ride available for the 26-year-old in any of NASCAR’s top three series.
Darnell has run a part-time schedule this season in Roush Fenway’s No. 6 Nationwide entry in addition to seven scheduled Cup starts for Roush Fenway affiliate Hall of Fame Racing, which is run out of the Yates Racing shop.
Roush Fenway co-owner Jack Roush confirmed on Tuesday that his organization likely won’t have room for Darnell in its Cup or Nationwide stable. Hall of Fame Racing likely isn’t an option since it will be splitting away from Roush Fenway after the season, and Roush Fenway’s sponsorship priorities are half of Matt Kenseth’s Cup schedule and half of Colin Braun’s Nationwide schedule as well as a full Nationwide season for Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
“They haven’t said anything for sure for next year, but on the other side of that, they still really haven’t told me to go look anywhere else yet either, so I’m going to remain optimistic that we might be able to put something together whether it’s part-time Cup, part-time Nationwide, whatever it may be,” Darnell said.
Darnell has a total of seven races left on his 2009 NASCAR schedule. He’s set to compete in Friday night’s Nationwide Series Dollar General 300 at Charlotte, plus the upcoming Nationwide races at Memphis Motorsports Park and Homestead-Miami Speedway. Darnell is scheduled to run the No. 96 in the Cup races at Talladega, Texas, Phoenix and Homestead.
“With the way things are right now, obviously this is very sponsor-driven, and you can’t do it without having some money, and unfortunately for me right now, as far as I know, they don’t have anything in place for next year, but that’s been the case for a little while now anyway, and I knew that kind of getting into the 96 car,” Darnell said. “It’s just kind of up to me go out there, I guess, and try to get some decent runs and try to spark some interest for something for next year, but just like a month or so ago, I didn’t really have any clear idea of what was going to happen next year, and I still don’t right now.”
Darnell says he could consider returning to the Truck series, where he competed for Roush Fenway from 2006-2008, with another team but that wouldn’t be his first choice.
“I just want to drive,” he said. “I’m a race-car driver. This is what I want to do and I want to do it in one of the top three series. …
“I just want to race wherever it may be. I’d like it to be here, I want to stay with Roush Fenway, but regardless of what happens here I want to race somewhere.”
