Associated Press

Jimmie Johnson (48) and Mark Martin (left) lead the way at the start of Saturday night's Banking 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Johnson was the pole-sitter for the event.

CONCORD, N.C. -- Car owner Rick Hendrick says he'll fix the woes with Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s team but whether that includes a crew chief change, Hendrick wouldn't say.

Hendrick's comments came a day after Earnhardt discussed his frustrations with what could be his worst season in Cup. Earnhardt said he was "about to the end of my rope'' with the struggles and added, "you've just had enough. It's been a long year.''

A big question is if interim crew chief Lance McGrew will remain with Earnhardt next season. McGrew took over shortly after Tony Eury Jr. was removed as crew chief after the Coca-Cola 600.

"My philosophy has always been if you can fix something rather than start all over, I'd rather fix it,'' Hendrick said before Saturday night's NASCAR Banking 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. "When I see the car as the best car out there in my group in two or three races and then have [bad] luck, then it's almost like let's focus on the little things that can make us better.

"I see a lot of good progress and we've just got to keep working on it. The frustration is going to be there. He's going to get frustrated. Lance is going to get frustrated, but the next day we're all right back in there pulling together. I think we've made significant strides.''

Uncertain future

Car owner Richard Childress said that "whatever happens, happens'' with Kevin Harvick after next season.

Harvick suggested in an ABC interview last weekend that he likely won't return to Richard Childress Racing after next season when his contract expires.

Harvick has never driven for another car owner in Cup since entering the series in 2001 after Dale Earnhardt's death.

Childress said he hadn't seen the interview but heard about the comments Harvick made in the taped segment.

"We'll just see how everything plays out in the future,'' Childress said. "Whatever happens, happens, we'll just move forward.''

Childress also said that the team continues to search for sponsorship for the No. 07 car with Jack Daniel's not returning after this season. Childress said the team had some sponsorship for the car for next year but needed more. He stressed he wouldn't run a fourth car just to make the field and then park it as some lower-budget teams have done this season.

Still racing

Although Ricky Rudd no longer races in NASCAR, he hasn't stopped competing. He's racing a mountain bike.

Rudd, who rides a mountain bike about 12 miles a day four times a week, entered a race about a month ago. It was his first mountain bike race. He said he finished about the middle of his age group in the 11-mile race.

"I entered my 50-year-old class and got my butt kicked,'' Rudd said smiling. "I wasn't really ready for it, but I thought I'm just going to see where I'm at. Unfortunately, it was a lot of hills and that's where I'm weak at.''

Possible change

Kurt Busch says that the team might replace crew chief Pat Tryson, who is leaving after the season to go to Michael Waltrip Racing, at the end of the season if Busch has been eliminated for championship contention.

"That's when we'll make a big change and maybe get a new guy in there get a couple of races under our belt before we show up [next year] back in Daytona,'' Busch said.

Pit stops

Tickets for next weekend's Camping World Truck and Sprint Cup races at Martinsville Speedway remain on sale.