Latest on the Harvick 2011 rumors

Kevin Harvick is considering his future 2011 and Sprint Cup sponsor Shell is also considering its NASCAR future. That company has been in the Richard Childress camp since 2007, when Harvick won the Daytona 500 for Childress and Shell/Pennzoil. So what Harvick might be thinking, what Shell might be thinking, and what Childress himself might be thinking are all good questions….that none of them are interested in listening to at the moment.

Harvick, it is believed, has been interested in moving to the Tony Stewart-Ryan Newman [#14, #39] operation for Cup racing in 2011. However, sources close to that team indicate that team owner Stewart, though a good personal buddy of Harvick's, may be leaning now toward not expanding to three Cup teams next season. And Toyota has privately expressed disinterest in Harvick, long a Chevy driver, and what effect that might have on any Harvick option with the Joe Gibbs camp is uncertain. Harvick, of course, has the option to move KHI up to the Cup tour itself, though he has not shown much willingness to make the step to driving for such an owner-driver-owned Cup team. Much, naturally, depends on sponsor Shell, which is one of the most lucrative sponsorships in this sport.

Childress would naturally want to keep Shell, regardless of what Harvick decides. MikeMulhern.net