“We parted ways,” said Scott. “It’s a deal gone sideways during a change of ownership. It all came to a head through a series of lawyers and litigation. I think we all agreed that separating in 2011 was going to be what was best, and somehow it ended up happening as soon as the Dover race was over.”Asked if reports that he has spoken with Joe Gibbs Racing about 2011 had played a role in the split, Scott said, “The NASCAR community is a very close community, and everyone has a feel for what is going on. There was some uncertainty about the ownership situation (at Braun Racing), and we were uncertain about what it meant for the end of this year and next year. So we went through the garage and asked some people what was going on, what could happen. We were planning for a worst-case scenario in case someone came in and shut down the team I was racing for.
"Somehow, through the rumor mill, it turned into a number of different teams that I was supposedly going to be racing for, and even a story that I was going to Dover with another team. Some feelings got hurt, things got turned sideways, and contracts ended up not getting turned over and signed (by Turner Motorsports). One thing led to another, and here we are.”
Scott said he is hurrying to put together a new deal to maintain his spot at the top of the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings. “I’m very fortunate to have the people I have around me; from a family, management and manufacturer standpoint. The Raybestos Rookie deal is important to me and a lot of other people, including teams who know it would be a feather in their hat to have me finish the season in their cars. The phone’s been ringing a lot.
“I am absolutely not looking to miss any races,” he said. “My top priority right now is to finish the year and finish it strong. I’m not 100% (certain to race in Kansas), but I feel like we’re going to be able to get something done within the next day or two.”
While he would prefer to finish the season in a Toyota, Scott said the manufacturer understands that he may not be able to do so. “The best-case scenario would be to stay with them and finish the season,” he said. “But Toyota understands the urgency of the situation and that we may not be able to make that happen in the immediate future. It doesn’t sound like they’re totally opposed (to me driving for another manufacturer), knowing that we want to make it happen in 2011.
"They know it’s important to say that the Rookie of the Year title was captured primarily in a Toyota.”
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