While Kyle Busch would not confirm reports that he has a deal to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2008, it became clearer that is the case when J.J. Yeley acknowledged he is out of the #18 car Busch is expected to drive. Yeley said he’s leaving JGR but wouldn’t go as far as to say Busch would be his replacement. Yeley acknowledged having talked to officials at DEI, RCR, Robert Yates Racing and the Wood Brothers, but wouldn’t elaborate on how serious they are. RCR owner Richard Childress said Yeley is a serious prospect to be his fourth driver. “J.J.’s a good racer,” he said. “He’d do a good job.” Ganassi Racing, Hall of Fame Racing and Evernham Motorsports also could be in the mix. Yeley hopes wherever he lands the owner will give him more support than he got at JGR this season. “We never made huge changes to see if there was something out there that was going to help the program,” he said. Yeley asked team president J.D. Gibbs a month ago if he was considering changes to bring the #18 up to par with the teams of Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin. “[He said] there were not going to be any changes,” Yeley said. There could be plenty of changes for that team next season, from the switch to Busch to possibly a change in manufacturer and primary sponsor. “I think they’re going to do everything that’s in their best interest that they feel is right, and you know if they feel Chevrolet is their manufacturer of choice then more power to them,” Busch said. “If they feel like Ford, Toyota or Dodge is their best interest, then more power to them. You know, they’ve got their own engine program, they’ve got a lot of great resources. I think they’re still in that decision-making process. They’re looking at all of the cars, laying them out. Just as I was to pick a team, they’re doing it for a manufacturer.”(ESPN.com)(8-11-2007)
