Will Tracy replace Harvick?

According to this ThatsRacin article, Nextel Cup driver Kevin Harvick said Friday he has "put on hold" any further negotiations with Richard Childress Racing over an extension of his contract which concludes at the end of next season. "We want to see how things are going to go and evaluate the performance side," said Harvick, who has driven RCR's No. 29 Chevrolets since the second race of the 2001 season.

"I strictly want to see what the improvements are going to be in a lot of different areas, and I'm going to take my time and evaluate it. I want to take care of things early, but I don't want to be at the point where I don't want to be somewhere or (Childress) doesn't want me here."

Harvick, 29, said the top issue that needs to be addressed before he feels comfortable signing a contract extension is performance. "We need to be a top-10 team week-in and week-out," Harvick said. "Richard is doing a lot of things and making changes on the race teams, and I just want to see where all of that is going. I don't want to run a race team. I want to be the driver. I don't want to have to work five days a week in the shop, but I will if I have to." [Editor's Note: One has to wonder if Paul Tracy would replace Harvick if he decides to leave the team. Perhaps Childress is hedging his bets by running Tracy this year to see how he stacks up. Maybe in Tracy he will find a better driver than Harvick.]