DARLINGTON, S.C. – If either Kurt Busch or Matt Kenseth have plans already in place for the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, they certainly aren’t sharing them with the general public.

Busch and Kenseth, both former Cup Series champions, remained mum about their futures when asked again by reporters on Friday at Darlington Raceway what their place is in NASCAR’s annual Silly Season roulette of drivers exchanging rides.

The most heavily rumored name in the past few weeks has been Busch’s, with the 2004 titlist being discussed as a possible replacement for Jamie McMurray in the No. 1 Chevrolet at Chip Ganassi Racing.

Busch has downplayed any rumors, going so far as to call reports of his plans for next year “hearsay” earlier this summer at Michigan Int’l Speedway, but offered an update as to his situation on Friday.

“No updates.  I do have two contract offers that I’m looking at.  It’s kind of the same thing as last year, where the team at Stewart-Haas put me into free agency and it gives me the opportunity to talk to others, and I do have the loyalty and the respect from (long-time sponsor) Monster Energy.

“As the sport evolves and the sport changes it’s unique for me too, to understand more about the ownership side and how the different structures are set up, so (there are) no updates right now and it’s just more information for me to digest. We’ll announce things when they get closer.”

Busch did make a positive step towards potentially remaining with Stewart-Haas Racing next season, however, when he won at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway on Aug. 18. Team co-owner Gene Haas has admitted that there is a chance that Busch stays with the organization after this year.

Meanwhile, Kenseth’s future has been the subject of speculation ever since he first returned to part-time competition with Roush Fenway Racing in May.

The 2003 Cup champion has been repeatedly questioned about the possibility of going full-time racing again in 2019, but Kenseth gave what he called a “non-answer” during his media availability prior to the first practice session of the weekend.

“I’m just honestly trying to concentrate on the rest of this season and trying to get this done,” said Kenseth. “Those are probably things to talk about at a later date, but the season has been up-and-down.  I wish our results were better than what they were, but yet on the other hand I feel like we’ve made a lot of progress.  It doesn’t really show necessarily on the stat sheets or the box score all the time, but I feel like we’ve made a lot of progress.

“Now we’re really just trying to keep that going and keep moving forward,” Kenseth continued. “We’re trying to get more competitive by the end of the season. That’s our goal.”

Busch is seeking his first Southern 500 win on Sunday night, while Kenseth won the event in 2013 driving for Joe Gibbs Racing.