NASCAR getting new garage boss; Harvick, Kahne contract status; more baby news

The Associated Press is reporting that John Darby, Sprint Cup series director, will train his replacement before moving into a managerial role, unidentified sources told the AP.

Darby is the garage boss. Think of him as police chief of the garage who reports to NASCAR VP of Competition Robin Pemberon, NASCAR President Mike Helton and NASCAR Chairman Brian France. The report states that Darby is expected to move into a managerial role that gives him oversight of NASCAR's reserach and development center. The announcement is expected to come Thursday when the media tour visits NASCAR. No announcement on who will replace Darby.

# Contract talks have been the big issue on the media tour so far. Roger Penske said that Penske Racing has picked up the option on Kurt Busch for 2011 but financial matters have not been finalized and Busch said he has a clause in his contract that still allows him to look around, if he so chooses even with the team picking up the option.

Also, Joe Gibbs Racing announced this week that it had signed a long-term deal to keep Kyle Busch. The team would not reveal the details.

That leaves Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne as the top free agents heading into 2011. Harvick was outspoke at times last year about how his Richard Childress Racing team performed and there were questions of if he would remain with the team. He's back but so are the questions.

Childress says that "when the time comes, we'll talk'' about a contract extension with Harvick.

When asked if a strong start could lead Harvick to remain with RCR, Harvick noted that the team ran well early last year and showed signs of strength before things went bad. "You would have never known it was going to be a complete disaster five races in,'' Harvick said. "You just have to let it all play out. You'll know. You know pretty early what's going on and what direction you need to work in.''

Asked about how he feels entering this season with his contract status beyond this season uncertain, Harvick said: "I feel as good about everything that is going on as I have. The contract thing, it is what it is. I'm not going to dwell on that. My goal is to have fun and we're going to race a lot Nationwide, Truck and Cup. We're going to be in the race car a lot and I just want to have fun with racing and life and do everything in the middle and just make it a good  year. If it's like last year, it won't be any fun.''

As for Kasey Kahne, he returns to Richard Petty Motorsports, which completed its merger with Yates Racing in the offseason and returns Kahne to the Ford camp after starting there and leaving for Ray Evernham's team (and leading to a lawsuit with Ford). Kahne also was outspoken at times last year about the direction of the team and his thoughts about his future.

What will it take to keep him at RPM? Kahne said, it's simple:

"Just performance,'' he said. "That's all I've ever really asked for. It's all I ever wanted to do is run well and race well.''

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SPEED READS

# Carl Edwards says his wife is due to deliver their first child on Feb. 17. The Daytona 500 is Feb. 14. Edwards, though, noted he was born 2 1/2 weeks late. Edwards also said his wife recently tricked them while they were out, claiming her water broke. His response, he admits, was Holy ... !!!!

# Elliott Sadler says his wife is due to deliver the couple's first child in about 4 weeks. "This is the best offseason I've ever had and it's been so exciting, getting the room ready and things ready for a little baby boy to come along,'' Sadler said.

# Car owner Richard Childress says his organization has technical alliances with Furniture Row Racing (78 car or Regan Smith) and TRG Motorsports (71 car of Bobby Labonte). Childress says he's had talks with Furniture Row Racing about them acquiring the points to the 07 car, which Childress will not run this year because of lack of sponsorship. The 07 car with Casey Mears finished in the top 35 in car owner points last year and has with it the guarantee of starting the first five races of this year. Childress. Thus, if Furtniture Row Racing merged with RCR (allowing Childress to remain listed as owner of the car) it could get the 07 car's points and be guaranteed a starting spot in the first five races. Furtniture Row Racing ran a partial schedule last year and did not finish in the top 35 in car owner points. Such a deal would be subject to NASCCAR approval.

# Front Row Motorsports announced it will expand to three teams this year. The team announced Tuesday tat it will add the No. 38 car with David Gilliland driving it for a majority of the races. Robert Richardson Jr. will drive the car at the Daytona 500, Talladega in the spring and Daytona in July. Gilliland can't drive the No. 38 car at Daytona because he has a deal  to drive the No. 49 BAM Racing car at Daytona next month. Front Row's other drivers this season will be Travis Kvapil and rookie Kevin Conway.

# Goodyear is scheduled to do a tire test today and tomorrow at Texas Motor Speedway. Scheduled to test are Kurt Busch, Greg Biffle, Tony Stewart and Brian Vickers. The teams are scheduled to test with both a rear wing and also a spoiler. Car owner Richard Childress says preliminary testing his team has done shows, in his opinion, the spoiler won't provide enough downforce and will need to be larger. Teams are testing a spoiler 4 inches tall in the center and at a 70 degree angle.

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