NASCAR notes: Harvick’s status doesn’t worry owner

Harvick's status doesn't worry owner

Richard Childress doesn't appear to be too concerned about Kevin Harvick's possible departure at the end of the 2010 season.

Childress said Saturday night at Lowe's Motor Speedway that he's focused on helping his struggling team move on following a disastrous 2009, not Harvick's status.

Harvick hinted during a television interview recently that he has no plans to remain at Richard Childress Racing when his contract expires next year.

"We'll just see how everything plays out in the future," Childress said. "I didn't see Kevin's interview. I've heard some comments on it, but whatever happens, happens."

Childress is more concerned about turning around RCR's program, which failed to land any of its four Cup cars in the Chase for the championship a year removed from putting the cars of Harvick, Jeff Burton and Clint Bowyer in NASCAR's playoffs.

The longtime owner said peaks and valleys are to be expected, but admitted he's a little baffled by the stunning dropoff for one of the series' most successful teams.

"It's such a fine line with this car," Childress said. "If you look at it, other than three, four or five cars people can be off and on and when you get off sometimes it's hard to get back on."

Win without winning?

Despite tweaking the regular-season points system to reward drivers who won races, there's still a chance Juan Pablo Montoya could win the title without making his way to victory lane.

Montoya entered Saturday night's race at LMS trailing Jimmie Johnson by 58 points. The Colombian star has four straight top-fives since the Chase began, the kind of consistency that proves his spot in the Chase was no fluke. If Johnson or Mark Martin falter over the second half of the Chase, Montoya could sneak up and win the title without taking the checkered flag.

And Martin is OK with that.

"To be honest with you, whoever scores the most points wins, no matter what," Martin said.

Trick or treat

NASCAR's decision to move the fall race at Talladega until the seventh race of the Chase did more than add another wild card factor, it also set up an interesting prospect: having Halloween on the infield of the massive oval.

The race is on Sunday, Nov. 1, meaning drivers -- if they so choose -- could play a little dress-up and hang out with the rowdy infield fans on Halloween.

Jeff Gordon joked he'd love to go in disguise and maybe hear what the fans have to say about him. Don't expect Ryan Newman to join in, however.

"I don't do that stuff," Newman said. "Seriously. Look at me, I eat enough candy."

Thinking pink

A handful of Cup drivers ended up trading paint in the fight against breast cancer.

The Cup cars of Kyle Busch, Michael Waltrip, Elliott Sadler, Bill Elliott and Bobby Labonte were outfitted in pink to raise awareness for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure.

The NASCAR Foundation also presented Komen organizers with a check for $28,000 donated by fans who participated in a walk at LMS on Saturday morning.

The fight against breast cancer is a particularly important issue for Sadler, whose mother, Bell, was diagnosed with two years ago. The cancer is now in remission following treatment.

-- The Associated Press