Hendrick says he'll honor Mark Martin's contract

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -Team owner Rick Hendrick says he intends to honor his contract with Mark Martin even as Kasey Kahne waits in the wings for an open seat at NASCAR's top organization.

Hendrick has signed Kahne to drive the No. 5 Chevrolet beginning in 2012. Martin has another year left on his contract to drive that car, and the veteran driver has grown frustrated with the constant speculation over where he'll be driving next season.

It hit a new height this weekend when former Hendrick crew chief Ray Evernham says he believes Martin will step aside so that Kahne can get his new car a year early.

Hendrick said Sunday that Evernham was not speaking for him.