Jeff Burton: Kevin Harvick expected to leave RCR at end of 2010 season
By Jared Turner - Associate Editor
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Richard Childress Racing's Jeff Burton missed making the Chase For The Sprint Cup this season for the first time since 2005.
David Griffin
NASCAR Scene
CONCORD, N.C. – Richard Childress Racing driver Jeff Burton acknowledged on Thursday that teammate 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 Lowe’s Motor Speedway, was asked about Harvick’s comments in a prerace television interview last Sunday at Auto Club Speedway where the 2007 Daytona 500 winner indicated he doesn’t 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 he’s going to do everything in his power to do the best job for RCR [and] RCR’s 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 we’re going to work together better actually – not because he’s 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 we’re going.’ By his interview he indicated that wasn’t going to happen, but you never know. “
Harvick, who has been with RCR’s Cup program since being tabbed to replace Dale Earnhardt following the seven-time series champion’s death on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500, hasn’t 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. The Bakersfield, Calif., native has 11 wins in 316 Cup starts, all with RCR.
“The reality of it is if you lose a driver the caliber of Kevin Harvick we have to have a seat available that a Kevin Harvick-caliber driver wants,” Burton said. “And the only way we’re going to do that is to put a race car out there that’s highly competitive. At the end of the day it’s about performance.”
Burton, of course, has endured his own struggles this season, failing to win a race and missing the Chase for the first time in four seasons. The South Boston, Va., native is 18th in the standings heading into Saturday night’s NASCAR Banking 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, where he claimed his most recent victory in this race one year ago.
Does Burton believe that RCR, which put all of its teams in the Chase for the last two years but none in 2009, has turned the corner?
“I think we’ve made a swing,” he said. “I don’t that we’re where we need to be by any means, but if you look at individually, our teams are starting to run better. Collectively, we’re starting to run better. On every weekend over the last couple months, one of our teams has been a strong top-six, top-seven team.
“We haven’t gotten to the place where we’re all doing that yet, but there’s certainly a trend toward running better and getting where we need to be. We’re not there yet. We’re still not leading laps and doing the things we really need to be able to do on a consistent basis, but I think we’re gaining on it without a doubt.”
Burton believes NASCAR’s ban on testing this season at all Cup, Nationwide, Truck, East and West series tracks continues to haunt RCR, which hasn’t been to victory lane in 2009 with any of its four drivers.
But Burton doesn’t believe all the blame for the organization’s struggles should fall on team owner Richard Childress, noting that the company lacked the structure and support to find speed in areas outside of testing.
“As things changed in the sport, we didn’t change quick enough, and we’re all guilty of that,” he said. “That’s not Richard’s fault. Richard relies on the people that work for him to provide him with insight. The owner of the company can’t always be the guy that looks and sees what’s going to happen three years from now.
“He has to have help from the people in the company, and we collectively didn’t do a good job at that. So we’re playing catch-up right now. We will catch up but we are behind.”
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19 responses to "Jeff Burton: Kevin Harvick expected to leave RCR at end of 2010 season". Post a Comment.
aargabright said:
Oct 15, 2009 at 2:55 PMThis sucks.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportgalvan18244 said:
Oct 15, 2009 at 3:00 PMRCR has crappy stuff, cant blame harvick for wanting to leave, if he is smart he will move up his nationwide team and team up with hendrick for engnies and run his own team. look at stewart!
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» Confirm Abuse Reportcjlarsen68 said:
Oct 15, 2009 at 3:43 PMSetting the stage for Harvick to be the third car at SHR in 2011.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportBILLFAN50 said:
Oct 15, 2009 at 3:52 PMIt was kind of interesting that Burton talked about Boyer and Harvick but never mentioned Mears... Will Harvick drive for SHR in a third car in 2011 or start his own team?
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» Confirm Abuse Reportrmdunn3 said:
Oct 15, 2009 at 4:09 PMI hope he starts his own team and leaves that SHR seat open for Kasey. Kevin is a great driver and he is also a good owner, and with his wife's help they should be able to do good in Cup. Or he could retire from Cup and just stick with his truck and Nationwide teams. JMO
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» Confirm Abuse Reportwmvjr1960 said:
Oct 15, 2009 at 4:28 PMWill he be allowed in the shop all year long? Don't want to give away any of those "secrets". If I hear one more crew guy say "we found something" I'll puke.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportJRSMOKEFAN said:
Oct 15, 2009 at 4:51 PMWouldn't surprise me if he merges his program with JR Motorsport and they eventually become a 2-3 car operation by 2012 with Kevin driving f.t. and maybe Danica in some kind of partial schedule if she signs with JR Motorsports. Hendrick engines and schassis of course.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportallangearnhardt said:
Oct 15, 2009 at 5:24 PMI can't imagine anybody wanting to leave the ride that Dale drove....just as long as he signs with SHR and Jr has enough of being the 4th wheel at HMS and takes the # 29 ride....maybe making it the Black 3 again.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportnascarfan247 said:
Oct 15, 2009 at 5:32 PMkevin will do whats best for him good luck kevin
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» Confirm Abuse Reporttrtruckin said:
Oct 15, 2009 at 5:36 PMEven a story about Harvick and RCR brings out the JR. fans. Post #8 your really living in a fantasy world. Kevin is a talented driver and and even better business man. He'll make the right choice as to whether to drive for someone else or expand to Cup. He has the support of a good wife, sharing a great marriage and a great partnership. Best of luck to you Kevin.......
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» Confirm Abuse Reportjerryswiatek said:
Oct 15, 2009 at 6:12 PMDo any of you old timers remember when Childress and Dale were just not getting it all together and Richard said to Dale you need to go to another team that is doing better, And Dale said we started this together and we are going to finish together? That was before the next 5 Championships. And Dale was a little older than Harvick. No big point here but I remember when guys were guys and you could do a house sale on a hand shake
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» Confirm Abuse Reportipopakeg293388 said:
Oct 15, 2009 at 6:26 PMKevin can drive the wheel's off of anything,and he is smart enough to know when to close the book,like he said! He is also a owner,so no OJT. there! He know's what he's doing,and Jeff even hinted that he might not even make a move if thing's change for the better,before his contract is up! He take's pride's in running clean,and finishing a race,so I know he won't just sit there and do nothing! If he hook's up with Tony,which I dought,or JR. which I dought,they are all friend's,and I think would make a good fit,but Kevin want's to be his own boss,just like the other two! I think it would be best if he went on his own! Of course he(Kevin) hasn't called me yet,so I can't give you a firm and final answer!
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» Confirm Abuse ReportMotorsportsPhotography said:
Oct 15, 2009 at 6:38 PM#8, It isnt the ride that Sr had. Its not even close. the crew has changed, the number has changed, the cars are gone. It was a whole new ride. As far as Kevin going to SHR, not. As far as Kevin going to JRM, not. He will race for himself and get chassis and motors from HMS. he lost all factory support for his trucks so GM is out. It would be nice to see him go to EGR. Look at JP. He is running great.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportga20fan said:
Oct 15, 2009 at 7:30 PMI had found it a little suspicious that after Kevin found out he couldn't get out of his contract early, Tony said he had no plans to add a driver next year. It could be coincidental but maybe Tony is holding off so he can hire Kevin as his 3rd driver in 2011. I may be wrong and I usually am, but it did cross my mind.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportPhoenix987 said:
Oct 16, 2009 at 2:40 AMCan anyone else imagine if all the rumors of people heading to SHR in 2011 turn out to come true? Imagine if SHR had Stewart, Newman, Harvick, and Kahne, all fully sponsored, all running well. Couple that with 4 HMS cars running well and potentially Furniture Row getting it together and Regan Smith running well, it might be plausible for the Chase in 2011 to be 8-9 Hendrick cars. Would be scary, but hell they have the best equipment right now. Anyone that can get a ride with them would be insane to turn it down.
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» Confirm Abuse Reportbthompson133 said:
Oct 16, 2009 at 8:38 AMhey jery come to florida, a verbal contract is binding here. what a wonderful place. now if we could just get rid of the lawyers
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» Confirm Abuse ReportJrsTheMan88 said:
Oct 16, 2009 at 8:57 AM#15, the more Hendrick cars, the better! It also means, more Chevys!
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» Confirm Abuse Reportdale-jr-is-the-greatest-driver-alive said:
Oct 16, 2009 at 12:10 PMwell it be good for competion hendrick power house vs SHR power house if pheonix987
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» Confirm Abuse Reportdale-jr-is-the-greatest-driver-alive said:
Oct 16, 2009 at 12:12 PMlol off course other fans arent gonna be happy most chevy fans will tho with that scenario
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