Toyota ride with Waltrip on the table for Mayfield

Toyota ride with Waltrip on the table for Mayfield

By David Newton, NASCAR.COM
July 14, 2006
06:10 PM EDT (22:10 GMT)

LOUDON, N.H. -- Jeremy Mayfield has been offered the opportunity to drive for Michael Waltrip Racing next season.

That could open the door for Elliott Sadler to move into Mayfield's No. 19 Evernham Motorsports Dodge as Bob Dillner of SPEED reported during Friday's qualifying for Sunday's race at New Hampshire International Speedway.

Waltrip said an announcement on Mayfield could come within the next week or two.

"It's more the ball's in his court," Waltrip said after qualifying 39th. "We've got a lot going on next week. We're going to Atlanta to do some stuff with UPS and Aaron's.

"Hopefully, it will come together and as soon as it does we'll let the world know. We've got a lot of things we need to accomplish between getting him signed and the 2007 season."

Mayfield, who has a year plus two option years left on his contract at Evernham Motorsports, has expressed frustration with this season in which he is 32nd in points after making the Chase for the Nextel Cup the past two years.

Team owner Ray Evernham left the door open for a change during a news conference last week at Chicagoland Speedway, where Mayfield questioned Evernham's commitment to the No. 19 team.

"All I can tell you is we hear rumors that he's going somewhere, and we thought it would be nice to talk to him if that's the case," Waltrip said of Mayfield, who is also from Waltrip's hometown of Owensboro, Ky. "Now we're waiting for him to call us back and tell us if all of that is going to happen or not."

Mayfield, 37, would join Waltrip and Dale Jarrett at MWR. He was not available for comment after qualifying 37th.

Sadler denied that he's had discussions with Evernham or anybody from Evernham Motorsports about leaving Robert Yates Racing, but admitted there have been discussions with other teams.

You'd be surprised at how many cars will open up next year," said Sadler, who drives the No. 38 RYR Ford. "I have not made my decision on what I want to do next year. Can I tell you something different in two or three weeks? Maybe.

"Right now, I need to concentrate on what we're doing here. I owe it to my sponsors. I owe it to Robert and Doug [Yates]."

Sadler said he had a 45-minute conversation with Robert Yates on Wednesday at Indianapolis. He said the talk centered around improving an organization that already has lost Jarrett and UPS, and hasn't won but one race in more than a year.

He disputed reports that he had until tomorrow afternoon to let Yates know if he planned to stay.

But Sadler confirmed he has an out in his contract that has two years remaining after this season.

"I don't know anything about a deadline or day," Sadler said. "Right now, I want to focus on that No. 38 car. I really want to get one more win in it."