He has no idea if it's the last start of his career.
Petty isn't in the long-term plans at Petty Enterprises, which is trying to rebuild its slumping program around Bobby Labonte and Chad McCumbee while also searching for sponsorship for its two cars.
It leaves little room for the 48-year-old driver, who hasn't run a full schedule the past two seasons. He's shared time in the No. 45 Dodge with several other drivers this season, and expects Petty to focus that program around McCumbee next year.
"Right now, I got nothing," Petty said Saturday at Phoenix, where he'll start 35th in his last race of the year. "Straight up, I got nothing. So I'm still just looking."
What Petty does have is limited sponsorship from Wells Fargo, which might be willing to support Petty in up to a half-dozen races next year at Petty Enterprises or elsewhere. He keeps busy as a midseason analyst for TNT, is a panelist on a SPEED program and raises money for the Victory Junction Gang Camps he started in memory of his late son, Adam.
"I'm at the point in my life where I've got a lot of things going on, and I don't want a full season," Petty said. "I sort of want to do it like Bill Elliott. He never really went away. He picks races here and there that he wants to do -- same thing as Mark Martin did when he first scaled back, stopped going to the tracks he didn't like.
"So I'd like to still race, I just don't know how many races that is or who that is for. But I don't know that anyone can say tomorrow is my last race for Petty Enterprises because there's always a possibility of working something out."
One minor issue is the use of the No. 45, which Petty began using as a tribute to Adam, who was killed at New Hampshire International Speedway in 2000. If he remains at Petty Enterprises, the No. 45 would likely be used in only the races Petty drives.
But if he leaves for another team, the number won't go with him.
"The only thing I've asked is that if I'm not driving that number anymore, they put it on a shelf for a season and put some space between it before they use it again," Petty said.
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RAGAN FOR MVP?: Several veteran drivers were polled at Phoenix International Raceway for their pick as 2008 driver of the year, and most of the answers gravitated to obvious winners Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards.
But two-time series champion Tony Stewart offered a write-in candidate, nominating David Ragan for his choice.
Ragan? The same kid Stewart once called a "dart without feathers?"
Yep.
"That kid has impressed me so much from where he started in this series to where he is at the end of the year this year," Stewart said. "I think he's probably demonstrated the most growth and patience of any of the drivers out there. When we say he 'gets it' now, he kind of gets the etiquette. You can just see his confidence now.
Ragan is in his second full season with Roush Fenway Racing. He's winless in all NASCAR series, yet still challenged for a spot in the 12-driver Chase for the championship. Reminded of a 2006 run-in the two had at Martinsville, Stewart said Ragan has grown tremendously since.
"When he started, he was a dart without feathers. He was somebody that you saw him and you were coming to lap him, you were like, 'Oh man, I have to deal with this guy again,' " Stewart said. "Now when you see him, you're like, 'this kid gets it.' In a two-year span, he went from a guy that none of us really thought would make it to a guy that in my opinion is solidified in here for quite some time.
"I think he'll be here for 10 years or more now."
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STICKING WITH STEVIE: Four-time series champion Jeff Gordon is still winless on the season, and with the drought comes constant criticism of crew chief Steve Letarte.
But Gordon is sticking by Letarte, who helped Gordon build a lead of more than 300-points during last year's regular season. They were narrowly beat by teammate Jimmie Johnson in the 10-race Chase for the championship.
"Our relationship is real good," Gordon said. "We've had some heart to hearts this year. It's been tough on everybody. We came off such a strong year last year. We had high expectations and felt like we had another shot at it this year and it obviously hasn't gone that way. So, when it's been disappointing like that, then you've got to figure out everything you can do as a team and as individuals to be better.
"All the hard work is put into all the testing and everything. Steve and I have also had a lot of conversations. It's only made us stronger."
Gordon has just two races left to notch a victory and avoid his first winless season since his 1993 rookie campaign.
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