TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Sometimes, at least for some people, the more things change the more they stay the same.

That could be the case with Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 29 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing.

With at least Kasey Kahne's long-term future secure, Harvick is the last big-name free agent in waiting in NASCAR. Kahne announced recently that he has signed to drive the No. 5 Chevy for Hendrick Motorsports beginning in 2012, and both he and owner Rick Hendrick have said they will work out the details of where he's driving in 2011.

Meanwhile, Harvick's options for 2011 and beyond appear to be severely limited. Perhaps with that in mind, Harvick admitted Friday at Talladega Superspeedway that lately most discussions regarding his future have been with none other than his current employer, Richard Childress.

"Richard Childress and myself have a great relationship, and we've been talking about a lot of things for several months," Harvick said. "It's not any different than what we would normally do at this particular time.

"The cars are running well, everybody is communicating well, and I don't know what else to say other than Richard and I have had many, many, many, many, many, many, many conversations over the last several months. Where all that leads, I don't know. Right now I'm driving the 29 car and we'll see. I don't see where anything is going or this and that. I know Richard and I have had a lot of conversations over the last three months."

Reached in between Cup practices in the Talladega garage Friday, Childress said that he's optimistic Harvick, whose current contract expires at the end of this season, will be back to drive Cup cars for RCR next season and going forward. Both Childress and Harvick hinted that perhaps Harvick, who already owns Chevrolet teams that race in the Truck Series and Nationwide Series, might even be offered a larger role of some sort at RCR.

"We've had some real good talks, and we're just going to play it out and see what happens. I feel good about some things," Childress said. "I just know the things that we've talked about, and hopefully things will work out for everybody."

Harvick was asked if he could fathom working out any kind of deal with someone along the same lines of Kahne, who is set for 2012 and beyond but not necessarily for next season -- at least at the moment. (Continued)