WELCOME, N.C. (AP) — Team owner Richard Childress reiterated Monday that Kevin Harvick will be back in his car next season despite nonstop rumors to the contrary.

“We want to put the rumors behind us by stating together that Kevin will drive RCR’s No. 29 … for the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season,” Childress said in a statement.

It’s the second time in two months that Childress has publicly had to address speculation about Harvick’s future with the team, which has been scrutinized during his worst season in nine years at RCR. Winless since the 2007 season-opening Daytona 500, Harvick is currently 24th in the standings and won’t participate in this year’s Chase for the championship.

He was also involved in a late accident with teammate Clint Bowyer two weeks ago at Bristol that ended Bowyer’s Chase chances.

“While the 2009 season has not been what any of us have wanted, Richard and I are both committed to improving the performance … for the remainder of this year and the 2010 season,” Harvick said in the statement.

Harvick, who has one year left on his contract, owns a team that fields cars in the Nationwide and Truck Series. He’s said he is not interested in driving for his own race team.

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