Talk of JTG Daugherty split from MWR premature

JTG Daugherty Racing hasn't decided on an affiliation for next season, and retaining its relationship with Michael Waltrip Racing is still an option, team owner Tad Geschickter told Sporting News on Thursday.

"Unless MWR has ended the relationship since I've been up here, there's no truth to it -- I certainly haven't heard about it," Geschickter said in a phone interview during a break in a meeting with one of the team's sponsors.

Geschickter said his phone had been "blowing up" in the wake of a report on CBSsports.com that MWR had terminated its relationship with JTG Daugherty, which fields Toyotas for Bobby Labonte, and speculation in the same story that JTG Daugherty might align itself with Richard Petty Motorsports.

"I haven't talked with Richard Petty Motorsports," Geschickter said. "There's no truth to that at all."

Geschickter said that, to his knowledge, MWR was still exploring its capacity to supply cars to JTG in light of possible expansion. MWR has talked with Clint Bowyer about the possibility of driving a third car for the organization next season, but no deal has been announced.

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