Flash.(Briefs)

What gives, pops?

Michael Andretti usually is on the same wavelength with his famous father Mario, who won the Formula One world championship in 1978. Not this time. Mario recently made noise about the family (those two plus Michael's 17-year-old son Marco) teaming to drive a Chip Ganassi car in the 24 Hours of Daytona, but Michael said he was caught off guard. Mario apparently threw out the possibility during a Christmas family get-together, but that's as far as it went. Seems Michael has some sort of contract with Honda that would prevent him from driving a Toyota-powered prototype. "I couldn't do that in a million years,'' said Michael, who co-owns a Honda-sponsored IRL team. "[Dad] said we should do it this year [in February], but I told him Marco isn't quite ready and you're too old. I'd have to do all of the driving, and that's not going to happen either.'' Andretti has a long history of competing in major endurance events with his son. They finished third at Le Mans in '83 at the wheel of a Kremer-entered Porsche 956 and last contested the French enduro together in 1997. They have also raced together at the Daytona 24 Hours as recently as 1991.

Awaiting the go-ahead

DaimlerChrysler expects NASCAR to approve its new Charger model as its 2005-and-beyond entry by early September. The company returned to NASCAR in 2001 with Intrepids but will not make that model past this year.

Mosley will stay

Max Mosley ...