BROOKLYN, Mich. – Rumors surfaced Friday afternoon at Michigan International Speedway that Monster Energy and Kurt Busch appear headed to Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates for the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.
Speculation is Busch would leave Stewart-Haas Racing at the end of the season and take longtime partner Monster Energy to the No. 1 Chevrolet and replace driver Jamie McMurray who is in a contract year at Chip Ganassi Racing.
A spokesman with CGR told Motorsport.com the team does not discuss its driver contract discussions in public.
Last December, SHR opted to pick up the 2018 season for Busch.
Busch, 40, the 2004 premier series champion and a 29-time winner in the series, has driven for SHR since 2014 and this year carried Monster Energy as a primary sponsor on the team’s No. 41 Ford. Entering Sunday’s Consumers Energy 400, his tenure at the team includes five wins, highlighted by a victory in NASCAR’s crown jewel Daytona 500 in February 2017.
While the rumors are swirling about what will actually occur, Stewart-Haas Racing co-owner Gene Haas told a small group of reporters prior to Cup qualifying that he hopes there’s a possibility for the Las Vegas, Nev. native to return in 2019 – but declined to elaborate further.
“I think there’s a possibility about it,” said Haas about the possibility of Kurt Busch returning to the organization next season.
As for Monster Energy’s departure with Busch to Chip Ganassi Racing, Haas was monotonous on the subject, “I really don’t have comment, because I haven’t seen anything one way or the other,” Haas added.
A SHR spokesperson further addressed the matter stating, “Stewart-Haas Racing does not comment on the status of its contracts, be it driver or partner related. We appreciate your understanding.”
Busch has remained mum on the matter – but mentioned a few weeks ago at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, he’s focusing on his job behind the wheel and not the chatter outside of the race car.
“For me, I’ve just been racing, driving and performing, doing all the things I can do to exceed in all categories, whether it’s teammate things, things on the track,” he said.
Busch though is a rare breed when it comes to a championship-caliber driver who brings funding to the table with him.
“I don’t know many drivers that have a primary sponsor with them,” he added. “Monster Energy has been very loyal to me. It’s just a matter of when the time is to start talking about a contract. Last year, it went long just because I felt I deserved more.
“The landscape is changing in NASCAR on primary sponsorship values, teams with the purse and the guarantee that they get off the historical performance. There are a lot of things that move, so we’ll see how it all comes together.”
McMurray, 42, has seven career wins in 16 season of Cup competition. Five of those wins have come at CGR — the other at Roush Fenway Racing. His most recent Cup victory occured at Talladega Superspeedway nearly five years ago in 2013.
Entering Sunday’s race in the Irish Hills, McMurray is 22nd in the series standings with just one top-five and four top-10 finishes.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
