News — Tony Stewart of Joe Gibbs Racing is being courted by Haas CNC Racing and other teams for when his contract runs out.

Views — The ol’ leverage trick: get an offer from somewhere else and play it against your employer for a better deal.

After last year’s Dale Earnhardt Jr. saga, you’d think NASCAR would make some kind of rule that would prohibit teams from approaching, and entering into contract discussions with, drivers already under contract with other teams. 

This whole drivers-under-contract-and-talking(ormoving)-to-other-teams deal just doesn’t seem right. And it’s brutal for sponsors, who can build marketing programs around drivers only to have them split and leave the sponsors (and licensees) holding the bag on obsolete team gear.

After NASCAR’s merchandising took a big hit last year with oodles of unmoveable red gear from a certain St. Louis brewery, you’d think something would change.

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News – Carl Edwards re-ups with Roush Fenway for three years.

Views – Columbia, Mo.’s, favorite son is NASCAR’s most marketable personality not named Earnhardt. Dude’s got charisma, and he can drive, too. Plus, he rides bikes, so as a two-blog, motorsports-cycling guy, I gotta like that.

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News – Greg Biffle wants to re-up with Roush.

Views – After a falloff last season, Biffie’s driving like he’s on a mission to get a new deal with Roush, being as he’s in the top 12 in the points standings. It’s the ol’ contract run that we’ve seen so many times in other sports, and that’s the way it should be done. Prove your worth on the field/track, instead of running around playing one offer against the other.

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News — Dale Earnhardt Inc. wants to exercise its option on Martin Truex Jr.’s contract for next year. Truex has yet to exercise his portion of the mutual option.

Views — DEI might lose another Jr. The question is: Where would he go?

I’d say Hendrick Motorsports would sign him and reunite him with his buddy and mentor Dale Earnhardt Jr., ‘cept DEJ’s unwillingness to work with Jeff Gordon as a drafting buddy (re: TEAMMATE) at Talledaga portends to trouble in the House of Hendrick and takes away some of DEJ’s leverage to bring in the other Junior. Fourth-wheel Casey Mears has struggled mightily with Hendrick, but he’s well-liked and pals with Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. I can’t imagine Hendrick gassing Mears, bringing in Truex Jr. and thereby pitting the Juniors vs. Gordon-Johnson. But I could be wrong.

Maybe Gibbs should court Truex to give Stewart something to think about. Does Stewart really think he can win at Haas CNC, regardless of whether he’s got an ownership stake? Haas ain’t exactly set the world a fire in NASCAR.

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