JR Motorsports could move up to Cup

UPDATE #2 Tony Stewart said he is getting closer to determining what he will be doing next season and beyond. Stewart, who is signed with Joe Gibbs Racing through 2009, is entertaining offers of leaving the organization to go to another team that would include the two-time Cup champion as a team owner. “I’m getting closer, that’s the good thing," said Stewart, who first acknowledged he was considering leaving JGR four weeks ago at Talladega. “I feel like I’m on the backside of the hill getting everything done. We’re a lot closer than we were." If Stewart wants to race somewhere else in 2009, he would need to get released from his contract with Joe Gibbs Racing. He has admitted the issue has been discussed but denied that he has gotten the release for the team where he has spent his entire 10-year Cup carrier. “We haven’t gotten it," Stewart said of the release. “I have not asked for it." SceneDaily

05/20/08 Tony Stewart, who is exploring options outside of Joe Gibbs Racing, reportedly could be a partner with JR Motorsports. But Stewart's contract doesn't expire until after the 2009 season and team president J.D. Gibbs has said he will hold Stewart to it. "I don't know with Tony. If he goes over there [Haas CNC], he might be able to talk Martin into it. But I don't know. I mean no way would I even do that to Martin, even if he wanted to." Stewart has acknowledged that Haas CNC is one of several organizations to have offered part ownership as an incentive to join the team. JR Motorsports merged with the Nationwide program at Hendrick Motorsports this year after Earnhardt went to drive for HMS. The engines and chassis already are supplied by Hendrick and that could continue with a move to the Cup series. ESPN.com

05/17/08 Dale Earnhardt Jr. from a weekly top 12 drivers press conference:

THE OWNERSHIP THING, WHEN YOU’RE OUT THERE RACING WITH BRAD KESELOWSKI, ARE THERE THINGS THAT GO THROUGH YOUR MIND AND ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT HIM OR ABOUT THE RACE? “Well, I get mad when he messes up and I see him in a wreck or something. But normally I just hope he’s doing what he’s supposed to be doing and running good and having a good night. But his night doesn’t go right or something happens to the car, it’s sort of bums you out a little bit and it’s hard to revert back to concentrating on what you’re trying to do with your car."

IS THERE ANY CHANCE YOU’LL MOVE UP TO THE CUP LEVEL WITH THAT TEAM ANYTIME? “I used to say no way, no way. But it’s almost as expensive to run in the Nationwide Series. And their going to bring a CoT in and we won’t be able to race in the Nationwide Series with the CoT probably. That’ll just be too expensive to switch all that over."

WOULD YOU DO IT AS EARLY AS NEXT YEAR? “Yeah, maybe. If the right opportunity comes along with the right sponsorship and driver, we’d love to do it. And it would cost the same amount of money to do that, as it is to run the Nationwide Series. It’s harder to get sponsorships. And the CoT program is going to be too expensive for me to justify creating a whole new program with CoT stuff, so I’d just as soon go into the Cup Series or get out of the Nationwide Series altogether."

COULD YOU GET MARTIN TRUEX JR. IN THAT CAR? “No. Why would he want to come drive for me? He’s in good stuff now and he’s going to have great opportunities from other people. And I would never do that to him (laughter). For the first year coming out of the box, man we’ll struggle like hell. Come on, man. He’s going to have deals offered to him by these great companies around here and from DEI. I’ll be at the bottom of that list, right there with Haas and a couple of other people (laughter). I don’t know with Tony (Stewart) if he goes over there (Haas), he might be able to talk Martin into it. But I don’t know man. I mean no way would I even do that to Martin, even if he wanted to." GM Racing PR