HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Kasey Kahne is thinking about leaving Richard Petty Motorsports after his current contract expires.

The driver of the No. 9 car said Friday that he is keeping his options open for 2011, the year after his current deal with the RPM organization runs out. The George Gillett-owned team has undergone a number of mutations in recent years, including an absorption of Petty Enterprises prior to this season, and a planned merger with Yates Racing that will result in the team fielding Fords in 2010.

But beyond that, Kahne said he is looking elsewhere.

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At this point, I have one year left. I want to do the best job for Richard Petty Motorsports.

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KASEY KAHNE

"Come January, I can start looking around. I can talk to other people," he said Friday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. "I would imagine the Gilletts are going to talk to me at that point. But as of right now, the Gilletts haven't talked to me, and I'm just kind of doing my job, doing the best that I can through the end of the season. The ups and downs of the team have made it difficult for me to really say, 'Man, I'm going to be here for 10 more years.' I really don't know what's going to happen. Truthfully, I don't know what's going to happen right now."

Kahne qualified for the Chase this season, but blew an engine in the opening race at New Hampshire and was never a threat to win the title. The Washington state native has occasionally expressed frustration this season at the muddled management structure at RPM, which has yet to officially announce that the Yates deal has been completed.

"I used to try and stay in the loop, and then things don't happen that they say will," Kahne said. "At this point, I have one year left. I want to do the best job for Richard Petty Motorsports in my final year. It's up to them what happens. They do their thing, and I'll do mine. All I can do is make myself better at driving race cars and communicating with [crew chief] Kenny Francis. If I do that, I'll be happy next season."

Right now, though, the unknowns surrounding his organization make it difficult to think about 2010.

"We don't have a 'for sure' yet [agreement with Yates]," Kahne said. "I think the season needs to get over with for the management side of things, and just figure out exactly what we're doing, get us pointed in the right direction so that the teams can start working and preparing for 2010. As far as the 9 team, I think we've done a pretty good job throughout the year. I don't feel like I need to be done racing for the year. I'm still pretty excited at where we're at right now. I think the [merger] needs to be done. It needs be able to focus on getting things straightened out and pointed in the right direction. There are too many unknowns."