by Larry McReynolds

Comment

Joe Gibbs Racing is a great home for Kyle Busch, and Kyle Busch is a great fit for Joe Gibbs Racing. Will Joe have to work with Kyle and the other personalities on the team: Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin? Absolutely, but Joe made a great move in acquiring Kyle.

I hate it for J.J. Yeley because he can drive a race car. For whatever reason, it's never clicked for him there. But I believe J.J. will land on his feet and come out OK because there are still a lot of holes to be filled. DEI still has a ride. We keep hearing rumors that Scott Riggs will not be with Ray Evernham next year. Where's he going to go, and who is going to drive that car? Every time we fill a hole or two, three or four more open up.

You've got to believe that the Wood Brothers are searching around, and they're trying to get some of their sponsors renewed so they can get someone like J.J. You get the feeling that Bill Elliott doesn't want to come back full-time next year so Yeley would be a really good fit.

Gibbs to Toyota?

Robert from Calvert City, Ky.: I hear that Joe Gibbs Racing is switching to Toyota. Any truth to the rumor?

Larry McReynolds: There are a lot of rumors about Toyota trying its best to latch on to one major team. A rumor surfaced several weeks ago that Penske Racing South would be the team, but that rumor has subsided. Is it going to be Joe Gibbs Racing? I don't know. When you look at the three other manufacturers — Chevrolet, Dodge and Ford — you can rule out a bunch of teams. It's pretty safe to say that Roush and Yates Newman Haas Lanigan — that almost sounds like a law firm — probably won't leave Ford. You tend to believe that Gillett Evernham Motorsports, the Pettys and Penske aren't leaving Dodge. It's pretty safe to say that Hendrick Motorsports, Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Richard Childress Richard Childress Racing are not leaving Chevrolet. By process of elimination, the one major team that might be highlighted would be Joe Gibbs Racing. But that's strictly, 100 percent a rumor right now, which isn't a lot to go off of.

Labonte to RCR?

Bobby from Williamstown, N.J.: What are the chances of Bobby Labonte going to Richard Childress Racing after this season? I've heard rumors of RCR adding a fourth team and Bobby being a possible candidate, but is this just a long shot or do you see it happening? I'm a huge Labonte fan and would love to see him go to RCR. What are your thoughts?

Larry McReynolds: I have heard this rumor, and it seems to be stronger than the possibility of Joe Gibbs Racing going to Toyota. This Labonte story was a topic of conversation at Pocono. If sponsorship can be landed, Bobby Labonte would be a great fit at Richard Childress Racing. He has a relationship with Kevin Harvick, driving Kevin and his wife DeLana's Busch car. Richard has been adamant about the need to start a fourth team, but only if he's totally locked down sponsorship. This is going to be one of those chicken/egg deals, but Labonte could be the top candidate for this fourth team if it becomes a reality.

Seeing Busch race from both sides

Mary from Raleigh, N.C.: Larry, will you help clarify what happened at the end of the Montreal race for us? Although Robby Gordon didn't exactly handle the situation well, he did have a point. At the time of the wreck, the yellow flag went out, and you could clearly see he was in first place. Why did NASCAR put him in 13th? On another note, Marcos Ambrose came out on top regardless. He handled it like a champ. What a good guy!

Larry McReynolds: Even though I still have some questions about this whole deal, I can see both parties' points. I certainly understand Robby Gordon's concerns for how NASCAR handled the yellow-flag situation and put him back in 13th. He got wrecked under caution, but knowing what I know about Marcos Ambrose — who is a class guy — I don't think that anything was done intentionally. I'm still trying to understand why NASCAR tried to place him in 13th.

It was a very unique situation. Two cars did burnouts on the frontstretch, which was another way for Gordon to try to make his point. At the end of the day, he did not obey NASCAR's instructions, and this whole problem stems from him disobeying NASCAR. Even though I totally understand why he did not follow their order, you will not win in a disagreement with the sanctioning body.

In the 1970s and maybe even the '80s, teams had four laps to acknowledge the black flag, but there hasn't been a black-flag grace period for quite a while. What Gordon did would be like a batter taking a called third strike and telling the umpire, "I'm not leaving the batter's box. He's going to have to pitch to me again." Or it would be like an ejected basketball coach telling a referee, "I'm not leaving the court." Even though I totally understand Gordon's take and feel bad for him, I totally understand why NASCAR did what it did.

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Not a Busch-only penalty

Michelle from Dalton, Pa.: I didn't agree with sitting Robby Gordon out in a Cup race due to what happened in a Busch race. They are two different series, and it should have been handled completely different.

Larry McReynolds: A lot of fans like you are trying to figure out why NASCAR parked him for a Cup race when he spun out Marcos Ambrose in a Busch race. When NASCAR looks at their top touring series, even though they are different divisions, rule infractions encompass all series. For example, over the last six weeks, Cup crew chiefs Chad Knaus and Steve Letarte couldn't have gone to Montreal and crew-chiefed a Busch car. NASCAR puts rule infractions, penalties and suspensions under one umbrella.

Strange Busch bedfellows

It's being reported that Gordon is looking to field a second Cup car at Watkins Glen for Ambrose, and I think that's awesome. Even though Robby was very disappointed and mad at Montreal, you could tell in his interviews that he had no qualms with Ambrose. There's probably a little bit of a political move with Ford because Ambrose, like Gordon, is a Blue Oval guy. Plus, Ambrose should run awfully well, regardless of whether it's a Nextel Cup race or not, because he's coming off a good run at a road course. Plus, he'll be running the Busch road course at Watkins Glen so he's in a road-course racing rhythm right now.

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FOX race analyst Larry McReynolds has more than 25 years of NASCAR experience as a mechanic, crew chief and broadcaster. He and his fellow Crew Chief Club members take you behind the wall at www.crewchiefclub.com.

"How to Become a Winning Crew Chief" is on bookstore shelves, or you may order your own autographed copy from www.DWStore.com.