Flash.(Briefs)

Silly season heats up

NASCAR's ongoing silly season took another turn when Bill Davis Racing said Scott Wimmer would not return for a third year. Dave Blaney, being released by Richard Childress in favor of Busch Series star Clint Bowyer, might return to Davis' No. 22 Dodge. Michael Waltrip moves from Dale Earnhardt Inc. (where Martin Truex Jr. moves up) to give Davis a two-car team for the first time since 2003.

Crew chief Richard "Slugger'' Labbe has left Evernham Motorsports and driver Jeremy Mayfield, perhaps headed for Elliott Sadler at Robert Yates Racing. Team manager Kenny Francis and car chief Mike Shiplett will handle Mayfield the rest of this season.

Sterling Marlin will carry No. 14 with MB2 Racing next year, the number his late father Coo Coo carried throughout his NASCAR career.

Word is Jack Roush, Roger Penske and Chip Ganassi might announce a long-rumored driver swap in the next week or so. If so, Kurt Busch will leave Roush to replace the retiring Rusty Wallace at Penske, and Jamie McMurray will leave Ganassi to replace Busch at Roush. Ganassi would need someone to replace McMurray (Bobby Labonte or Ricky Rudd?), and Petty Enterprises needs someone with name recognition and a sponsor (Labonte/Interstate Batteries?) for the car Jeff Green is leaving. It recently became clear Ken Schrader will replace Rudd at the Wood Brothers. If Roush, Penske and Ganassi can't strike a deal, Rudd or Labonte might drive a year for Penske until Busch becomes available in 2007.

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