FLASH.(Competition)

ZEROING IN

At the Brickyard 400, Nextel Cup free agent Kyle Busch said he is still at least a week or so from deciding where he'll drive next year. Most talk has him leaning toward Dale Earnhardt Inc. (replacing Dale Earnhardt Jr.) or Joe Gibbs Racing, where J.J. Yeley is thought to be on the way out. Earnhardt will leave DEI to replace Busch next year at Hendrick Motorsports.

BOURDAIS DECISION

Speculation at the Brickyard 400 said Champ Car star Sebastien Bourdais could move to Robert Yates Racing from Newman-Haas-Lanigan-a new Cup partner with RYR (see sidebar, page 53) with backing from McDonald's. That seems unlikely: As AutoWeek went to press, the Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 team was expected to announce it would sign Bourdais for 2008. STR's option on Bourdais expired Aug. 1.

FORCE CONFIRMS NEFF

NHRA team owner and driver John Force confirmed that Mike Neff, crew chief to 2005 NHRA Funny Car Champion Gary Scelzi, will drive a fourth John Force Racing Ford Mustang Funny Car next season. Neff effectively replaces Eric Medlen, who died after a testing crash at Gainesville Raceway in March. Medlen's father, John, will serve as Neff's crew chief.

TRG JOINS BUSCH