Hornish facing uncertain future, would like to stay in stock cars with Penske

Hornish facing uncertain future at Penske

INDIANAPOLIS — Sam Hornish Jr. doesn’t know where he’ll be racing next season.

Speaking in front of one of team owner Roger Penske’s many Indianapolis 500 cars in the museum at the Brickyard on Friday, Hornish said his future in NASCAR is uncertain. Because sponsor ExxonMobil is leaving his car at the end of this season, there’s nothing in place for Hornish to drive next year.

“No updates as far as I’m concerned yet,” he said. “I’d definitely like to be back in the Sprint Cup series and I’m going to work to be able to try to do that. Definitely, things are still tough with the economy and trying to find full-time sponsors and things like that. We’re going to do everything we can do to make that happen and be back in Sprint Cup.

“If that doesn’t work, we’re going to look around and see what else (is available). But I think we’ve got some great opportunities to make that happen.”

Hornish has struggled since moving to NASCAR late in the 2006 season. One of the most storied American open-wheel drivers, he’s got just seven top-10 finishes in 91 career Cup races and is 29th in the standings. He finished a career-best 28th in points last year.

Because Hornish had such a successful open-wheel career — he won the 2006 Indianapolis 500 for Penske and won three titles in what’s now the IndyCar Series — there’s always speculation that he could return to that form of racing.

He didn’t seem inclined to go back, though.

“I’d like to be here in a stock car, for sure,” he said.