Baldwin has offers from DEI, Bill Davis Racing

CONCORD, N.C. -- Winston Cup crew chief Tommy Baldwin told NASCAR.com Tuesday afternoon that he has contracts in-hand from Bill Davis Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc., and is currently mulling over which situation is best for him in hopes of making a punctual decision.

	Tommy Baldwin: Ward Burton's crew chief since 1998

"As of right now, I don't know what's going to happen, to be honest with you," Baldwin said Tuesday as his team tested at Kansas Speedway. "I've just got to really take a good look at what the best situation is for myself.

"I probably got a couple more days to think about what I'm going to do. I've got both their paperwork."

Baldwin took over as crew chief of Ward Burton's No. 22 team with eight races remaining in the 1998 season. And after three second-place runs in 1999, they broke through to Victory Lane at Darlington in 2000. Since then, they've won four total events, including this year's Daytona 500.

But a yearning to join forces with lifelong friend Steve Park at DEI makes the decision quite arduous. Park presently has no crew chief for 2003 after Paul Andrews left last week to head up Jeff Burton's No. 99 crew at Roush Racing.

Fate?

Related  Tommy Baldwin: More Info  Winston Cup: Crew Chiefs

"Our ultimate goal, when we all first moved down here was someday for all of us to get back together, Steve to drive, me to crew chief," Baldwin said. "We grew up together. The opportunity has been around for the past three, four months, whether Steve came over to Bill Davis Racing or vice versa.

"Whether all the stars are lined up right now, I'm not sure. We know what our ultimate goal is, someday. I just don't know if the timing is right right now."

Baldwin is adamant that he is happy at Bill Davis Racing. Davis has given him free reign over the team, not to mention the leeway to start his own NASCAR Busch Series operation under Davis' roof. Both are rarities of the highest degree.

	Steve Park has been without a crew chief since last week, when Paul Andrews left to join Roush Racing. Credit: Autostock

"Bill's been awful good to me and he's allowed me to do whatever I've needed to do with his organization and in the meantime build up my organization," Baldwin said. It's helped both situations."

Contrary to popular belief, Baldwin said his developing Busch team would not weigh heavily into his decision. And for now, he won't be overly troubled with contract talks, anyway. He is focused on New Hampshire, where his team won in July.

"You just have to stay focused on New Hampshire right now," he said. "I don't know what my decision is right now. I'm real happy where I'm at, at Bill Davis Racing. I've just got to fix a couple things, paperwork wise, and we'll see what happens.

"I think we've got a real good chance at most of the races coming up, and think we can still win one, two more races this year. That's why we've got to stay focused on this."