Larry McReynolds is hearing that the Kyle Busch deal at Joe Gibbs Racing is very close. Now, we don’t have an answer on whether they’re looking to put him in the #18 car, replacing J.J. Yeley, or if they are looking at Busch for a fourth team.(FoxSports) AND captainthunderracing.com is hearing that Kyle Busch is very close to finalizing a deal that will make him the fourth driver in the Joe Gibbs Racing stable. Sources said Busch has crossed Richard Childress Racing and Dale Earnhardt, Inc. off his list of potential teams for 2008 and beyond. Speculation also had Busch going to DEI to replace Dale Earnhardt Jr., but it appears as though the DEI/Ginn Racing merger has taken up most of the executives time at DEI and Busch never felt any warmth from the organization. An announcement is expected sometime over the next week to week and a half, most likely after the big Brickyard 400 weekend. Sources said only the details of the contract remained to be worked out, but that both parties had agreed in principle to a five year deal.(captainthunderracing.com)(7-27-2007) UPDATE: Kyle Busch says he still hasn’t decided which team he wants to sign with for 2008 and says it may be another two weeks before he makes the call. However, it’s looking more and more as if it may be Dale Earnhardt Inc. But according to NASCAR sources Budweiser may not be Busch’s sponsor.(Winston Salem Journal)(7-28-2007) UPDATE 2: It was reported on ESPN2’s NASCAR Now that Busch’s agent, Jeff Dickerson, said the rumors are not true and that Busch has not narrowed down his selection of teams, has offers on the table and something should be known about Busch’s future within two weeks or so.(ESPN’s NASCAR Now)(7-28-2007) UPDATE 3: #5-Kyle Busch answered only one question [Saturday], and that was a one-word response to whether he’d completed a contract with the organization he plans to drive for next season. “No,” said Busch, who will start 18th. Busch, who will be replaced by Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Hendrick Motorsports in 2008, is being pursued by Joe Gibbs Racing, Dale Earnhardt Inc., Evernham Motorsports, Richard Childress Racing and Chip Ganassi Racing. He was scheduled to meet with all four DEI drivers and management on Saturday and is scheduled to meet with EMS owner Ray Evernham next week.(ESPN.com)(7-29-2007)
