Another year of discontent; Brickyard fortune-telling

1. Kevin Harvick doesn't seem very happy these days at Richard Childress Racing. Odds he's able to get out of his contract one year early?

David Caraviello: Richard Childress does not strike me as the type of team owner who makes a habit of capitulating to drivers' demands. But if Harvick really does want out, there's nothing worse than having a driver who doesn't want to be there. The Gibbs people realized that last year and let Tony Stewart out a year early. Sometimes that's best for all involved.

Mark Aumann: I wound up listening to his radio transmissions for the race at Chicagoland, and that was like a microcosm of his entire season. He started in the middle, worked his way almost into the top 10 despite missing the setup, and then the power steering failed. It just seems like they cannot find the magic bullet that will turn their momentum back in a positive direction. And you could really hear the frustration and dejection in Harvick's voice.

Duane Cross: I believe Richard has addressed this: Kevin -- and his sponsor -- will be in the No. 29 in 2009. The entire RCR stable is having issues this year; it's knee-jerk to think Harvick will be moving on because "garage talk" says he wants out. Kevin knows how this game is played; he's a driver and a team owner. He knows this business from both ends -- and he's also not one to cut bait when the fishing gets slow.

Mark Aumann: I just don't know if Childress can afford to let Harvick go. If he's losing General Motors assistance money (and that may be rumored to be $2 million a car) and Shell-Pennzoil, that's a huge financial hit.

David Caraviello: Well, in the few public comments he's made, Kevin has appeared very coy. If he really doesn't want to be there, how is staying going to be positive for all parties? A full season of a guy playing out the string, just biding his time until he moves on? That's never productive. And Shell-Pennzoil has a contract with RCR, right? Not the driver?

Mark Aumann: I realize it's business, but Kevin's road to Cup wouldn't be as straight and successful without Childress making the decision to bring him up after Dale Earnhardt's death at Daytona in 2001. Whether there's any "employee loyalty" factor, I don't know.

Harvick staying put

Kevin Harvick is under contract with Richard Childress Racing for one more season, and the team expects him to drive the No. 29 in 2010.

RCR released a statement responding to a recent report on SI.com that Harvick wanted out of his deal and was hopeful of moving to Stewart-Haas Racing.

Richard Childress says RCR has a multi-year contract with Harvick and sponsor Shell-Pennzoil. Childress says "Shell will be the sponsor and Kevin will be the driver of RCR's No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet Impala SS in 2010."

-- The Associated Press

Duane Cross: Everyone is associating Harvick as the third car at Stewart-Haas -- but folks, fact is Rick Hendrick may need a place to move Dale Earnhardt Jr. Who's to say Brad Keselowski won't be driving the fourth car at Hendrick in 2009? (And yes, I fully realize the roles most likely would be reversed; Junior's not going anywhere ... yet.)

David Caraviello: Of course, RC has the documents on paper saying both Kevin and the sponsor are sticking around another year. But that hasn't stopped drivers from moving before. If Kevin is committed to that final year, he needs to say it. If he's not, it might be best for everyone involved to part ways.

Mark Aumann: Right now, Stewart is like the "team du jour." I think anybody who can turn left and make the tires squeal a little bit is rumored for that spot. And I don't even know if Tony wants to take on a third team. Has anybody actually asked him? And again, a lot of this is absolute speculation. "What ifs." Somebody gets out the calculator, adds 2 and 2 and somehow that equals 5.

David Caraviello: Yeah, it is a little crazy how everybody in the garage seems to be pining to be part of a third team that doesn't exist and doesn't have sponsorship. I mean, from a sponsorship perspective, do they even have the full season covered on Newman's car? You don't snap fingers and put all this together, as Tony well knows.

Duane Cross: Maybe Rick, Richard and Tony can put together a super team under the Chevy banner. Everyone shares info, and their 12 drivers dominate in 2010, sweeping the Chase! It's a lot easier to speculate this crap on paper than it is to make it happen.

Mark Aumann: But every sport has its rumor mill. Baseball's trading deadline is coming up, and you're hearing Roy Halliday trade rumors. In football, it's the continuing Brett Favre saga. And in most cases, there's about a 10 percent chance of anybody being right.

Duane Cross: It's Halladay, hoss.

Mark Aumann: Halladay Inn? Or would that be Halladay Out?

Duane Cross: Exactly, Mark -- and it's the root of why I loathe "silly season." We're talking about these guys' lives -- their business lives, their driving lives, their personal lives. I certainly don't think anyone wants their job evaluations to be publicized and scrutinized as most of these owners' and drivers' are.

Mark Aumann: Well, I guess that's why the speculation is there. With four wins in his first three seasons, Harvick showed this great potential. But he hasn't won in almost two full seasons, and now people want to guess at the reasons why. And it's got to be more complex than "if he was somewhere else, things would be better."

David Caraviello: And honestly, how much of Kevin's considerable popularity comes from the fact that he succeeded Earnhardt in what was once the No. 3 car? He's big among the purists and hardcore types who once loved the Intimidator. Obviously, his accomplishments as a driver stand on their own. But how much of that cachet does he risk losing if he goes somewhere else?

Duane Cross: Kevin's fan base is solidly his now -- but you're right, many fans followed him because of the Earnhardt connection. Through the years, Harvick has proved he is a top-shelf driver -- and that's why his future is up for public debate. Personally, I hope he stays through 2010, and then if he wants to leave he does so on his own terms. (Continued)