Yeley, Mayfield out, Busch in,
Yeley, Mayfield out, Busch in
NASCAR free agent Kyle Busch remains elusive, but he will drive for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2008. An official announcement could come by NASCAR’s Michigan race on Aug. 19. “I have a preference for my number one [choice], but that’s about it,” Busch insisted at Watkins Glen.
A simple process of elimination indicates he has more than that. First, Joe Gibbs Racing driver J.J. Yeley finally confirmed what everyone anticipated: He won’t return to Gibbs next season. Second, several team owners seeking Busch’s services, including Ray Evernham, indicated that they are out of the picture. Third, Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin—Busch’s future teammates—played up his arrival; Denny Hamlin sounded as if the deal is done.
“I’m pretty excited about having [Busch and Stewart] as teammates,” he said. “Kyle is fast, and I think he’s going to make us have to step up our game to keep up with him.”
With that, Yeley and Jeremy Mayfield—who won’t be back at Bill Davis’ Toyota team next season—become NASCAR’s top free agents. Mayfield has made only nine of 22 races this season, stands 47th in points and has only one top-10 finish.
Among Yeley’s possible teams next year: Dale Earnhardt Inc. (replacing Dale Earnhardt Jr.), Richard Childress Racing (in a start-up fourth team), Ganassi-Sabates Racing (replacing David Stremme), Wood Brothers (replacing Bill Elliott), Bill Davis Racing (replacing Jeremy Mayfield) and Gillett Evernham Racing (replacing Scott Riggs).
Gibbs and Toyota
Word is that Joe Gibbs Racing likely will switch from Chevrolet to Toyota next season.
“We continue in negotiations and remain hopeful that we will keep all of our teams,” a Chevy spokesperson said at Watkins Glen. But Chevy boss Alba Colon skipped the race for her high school reunion in Puerto Rico, and the tone in the Chevy camp was one of resignation. A Toyota source, meanwhile, said the company is putting the full press on Gibbs, the best NASCAR team without a manufacturer contract for 2008.
Toyota has lots of cash and is willing to spend it, and as long as mighty Hendrick Motorsports carries Chevy’s flag in NASCAR, Gibbs is guaranteed second-among-equals status, at best.
Team sources claim JGR will not switch if it isn’t certain it can win with Toyota in short order. Its drivers, who happen to be three of NASCAR’s best, won’t take kindly to wasting a year or two, and sponsors the Home Depot, FedEx and Interstate Batteries will have to sign off.
If Gibbs switches, it almost certainly will bring Hall of Fame Racing, the coattail team to which it supplies engines, along for the ride.
