Who will drive the No. 18 Chevrolet next season is still the measure of some debate. Credit: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images

Nextel Cup Silly Season already in full swing

Labonte, Green, McMurray, Rudd among movers and shakers

Surprisingly enough, Bobby Labonte is presently a fixture of the Nextel Cup Series rumor mill. When asked about his future at Joe Gibbs Racing, the 2000 Cup Series champion was quite noncommittal.

	Bobby Labonte Credit: Chris Stanford/Getty Images
	Inside the Numbers Bobby Labonte's Cup numbers Year Starts Avg. Finish 1991 2 36.0 1993 30 19.1 1994 31 21.9 1995 31 16.3 1996 31 17.4 1997 32 13.7 1998 33 14.2 1999 34 9.0 *2000 34 7.4 2001 36 14.1 2002 36 19.8 2003 36 16.1 2004 36 15.8 2005 32 22.5 Overall 434 16.0 * -- won Cup championship

"If I stay there, I stay there. If not, I won't," Labonte said. "I have a contract through 2008 and I plan on agreeing to agree."

Are you happy?

"It doesn't matter -- whether I'm happy or not doesn't matter."

Labonte added he's "been rumored for a while, even rumored to retire. There's nothing to say about it, because there's nothing to say."

Among the rides Labonte is reportedly considering are Petty Enterprises' legendary No. 43, and Chip Ganassi Racing's No. 42.

Petty said Tuesday no driver will get a committment from Petty Enterprises until a sponsorship deal is completed for his No. 45 Dodge.

That, Petty said, is the primary reason Jeff Green is leaving Petty to drive the Haas Racing No. 0.

Petty also said he has spoken with Labonte, but also with Dave Blaney, Johnny Benson and several other drivers regarding the No. 43 opening.

"I've heard the Bobby Labonte rumor, too!" Petty said. "Keep me in the mix and maybe it'll come true. But I'll be real clear here, we can't sign anybody at Petty Enterprises as an owner until we get the 45 car deal done. We're about two-thirds of the way there.

"That's the reason Jeff [Green] left to drive for the 0 car, is I can't commit to him. I could probably commit to Bobby Labonte before I committed to anybody, because, live I've said before, if Jeff Gordon wanted the ride I'd commit to him right now.

"And I'd probably commit to Bobby Labonte right now. But I'm kind of waiting, seeing where things shake out with the 45. I'm confident things will shake out good."

Petty also wanted to make one thing clear -- he will not be the driver of the No. 43 in 2006.

"You can kill that rumor right now," he said.

As the No. 42 turns

If Labonte -- or anyone else, for that matter -- were to man the No. 42 Dodge, Jamie McMurray would be free to move over to Roush Racing's No. 97 Ford, thereby freeing up Kurt Busch to move to Penske Racing's No. 2 Dodge.

	Jamie McMurray Credit: Chris Stanford/Getty Images
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McMurray said last weekend at Martinsville that he feels confident the situation is resolvable, and all parties involved are working to make that happen.

As for McMurray's replacement in the No. 42, Labonte isn't the lone driver mentioned. Ricky Rudd, current driver of the No. 21 Motorcraft Ford, is also a rumored candidate.

Rudd said Friday following a season-best qualifying effort at Martinsville that he wasn't ready to discuss what lies ahead.

"When everything comes out and all the hands get played, I think everyone will see there were reasons why things needed to kept under wraps," Rudd said. "The time has not come to divulge that. I wish I could.

"I wish I could tell everybody what's going on, but it's not time to do that. I just hope the fans that have been with me through thick and thin will understand that when the day comes."

Other notables

Meanwhile, Denny Hamlin has secured his position in the No. 11 Chevrolet and Ken Schrader is reportedly moving to the No. 21 Ford in 2006. Calls placed to Wood Brothers Racing were not immediately returned.