Earnhardt still confident of new deal

"I'm pretty excited that things are going to be fine, things are going to work out with our negotiations," Earnhardt said, despite refusing to comment specifically on any progress made towards a new deal.

"We've both worked together and it's all been positive. We've just made an agreement between ourselves to try not to talk about it in the media or insinuate anything until we're ready to release the details. Both sides have made that agreement."

Earnhardt Jr has yet to win a race this season, but the Nextel Cup driver has denied the current uncertainty over his future with the team - and the permanent questions from the press about the subject - have distracted his or the team's focus on winning.

"No, it's not a distraction at all because really there's nothing been going on," Earnhardt added. "I get worried really that it's being run into the ground. When we find out what we want to do and we decide what to do, how it goes down, what the plan is, we will tell the press."

Earnhardt's sister Kelley has been in charge of the negotiation between her brother and the team, currently owned and managed by step-mother Teresa. Junior claims he has full confidence of his sister getting the job done, despite this being the first time she has to negotiate her brother's contract.

"Don't have any worry whatsoever of my sister being able to get the job done," he said. "I feel total confidence in her. We both learned a lot over the last several years and learned it together.

"I wouldn't have her in that position if I didn't trust her, and she wouldn't want to be in it if she didn't feel confident. She wouldn't want to put herself or me in that position if she didn't feel like she could get it done."