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Dale Earnhardt's grandson lost his Truck series ride Tuesday amid allegations he was looking to race for another team. Jeffrey Earnhardt called his former car owner's comments "inflammatory and disparaging."

Jeffrey Earnhardt drove for Rick Ware Racing in the first three races of the NASCAR Camping World Truck series and was 10th in the points before Tuesday's split.

In a statement, Ware said: "We have been informed by several team owners that our driver (Earnhardt) and his management company (have) been shopping around for another team, (indicating) that sponsorship was coming with them.

"It's pretty amazing the amount of calls we have received from owners about this situation, asking us what is going on and their concerns that a younger driver and his management company are aggressively looking for another team with less to offer than the position they are currently in.

"It is disheartening that all the effort, time and money spent on Jeffrey have been for nothing, but we have been given no choice but to look for another driver."

Earnhardt issued a statement later Tuesday: "To read that release was very upsetting, and I'm disappointed to hear the inflammatory and disparaging statements personally made by Rick Ware about me and my company. The facts support that we did reach out to other race teams after the sponsor notified Rick Ware and my group that they were pursuing alternative marketing venues and after we were contacted by Rick Ware informing us that he would be unable to support me without the sponsor's funding.

"This past Sunday, Rick advised us that he would only race me in Martinsville providing we signed a release to allow him out of his contract with JEI. That release never arrived and we notified him in writing on Monday that we expected to drive the No. 1 truck in Martinsville, in accordance with our contract. To suggest anything other than these facts does not reflect the truth and is unfair to the fans and us."

The Truck series races at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday, and Ware has yet to announce who his driver will be.

SIGNING SOON: Greg Biffle said Tuesday that he's getting "really close" to signing a contract extension with Roush Fenway Racing. Biffle's contract expires after this season. He has been with car owner Jack Roush since 1998 when Biffle won rookie of the year honors in the Truck series.

What about teammate Carl Edwards, whose contract also expires after this season? Biffle says his "hunch" is that Edwards will sign an extension with Roush Fenway Racing.

"Ultimately, we want to win races," Biffle said. "Economics is a part of it to a degree, but, truth be known, if we were going to be able to drive something that we'd (darn) near win every weekend in, we'd probably drive it for nothing. That's just the way it is."

ETERNAL FAN: Legislation in the Florida House and Senate is progressing that could allow Daytona International Speedway and Homestead Miami-Speedway to build a columbarium where ashes of deceased can be stored.

The bill has been approved by two House committees and was to be discussed in a Senate committee on Tuesday.

MILESTONES: Jamie McMurray and Greg Biffle each will be making his 300th career Cup start this weekend, while Mark Martin will be making his 800th. Martin becomes the eighth driver with at least 800 starts in NASCAR's top series. Richard Petty holds the record at 1,185 starts.

Contact Dustin Long at 373-7062 or dustin.long@news-record.com