Top Busch rookie O'Quinn free to look for rides

By Lee Montgomery

Thursday, November 30, 2006

DAVID GRIFFIN/NASCAR SCENE

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Busch Series Raybestos Rookie of the Year Danny O'Quinn confirmed this week that he has been given permission to talk with other teams about driving for them next season.

O'Quinn won the rookie award for Roush Racing, but Roush officials haven't been able to put a sponsorship arrangement together for O'Quinn for next season, and Tuesday, Roush Racing President Geoff Smith told O'Quinn he was free to look around.

"They're trying to put something together for me over there, but they don't know if anything will come about," O'Quinn said. "It kind of depends on sponsorship stuff. I'm available to talk to other people at this point, while they're still in progress of looking for me. I'm just trying to keep my options open."

Not many rides are still available at this point in the season, however, especially for a driver who doesn't have a sponsor in hand such as O'Quinn. Brewco Motorsports, a Ford team like Roush, has an open seat in selected non-Nextel Cup companion races, but the team needs a sponsor for those events.

O'Quinn said he had yet to start talking with other teams, and Roush Racing remains his preference.

"They've definitely been good to me," O'Quinn said. "I'd definitely like to stay over here. You know how this business works. It's sponsor-driven. Everybody's got to do what they can to keep sponsors and get them. I understand they've got to have sponsors to run the team."