Eury Jr. to work as Junior’s crew chief

Tony Eury Jr. will be Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s crew chief next year at Hendrick Motorsports.

The Tuesday announcement will keep the cousins together in the Nextel Cup Series.

An announcement is expected soon about the number and sponsor that will adorn Earnhardt’s Chevrolet.

Kyle Busch currently drives the No. 5 for Hendrick but at the end of the season moves to Joe Gibbs Racing, which is expected to announce today that it will switch to Toyotas from Chevrolets for 2008. …

J.J. Yeley, who lost his spot with Gibbs when Busch was hired, will replace Tony Raines as the driver for the No. 96 car at Hall of Fame Racing.

Yeley spent the past two seasons driving the No. 18 Chevrolet for Gibbs, which will maintain its alliance with Hall of Fame Racing, a single-car team.

• INJURY REPORT — Ricky Rudd separated his shoulder in Sunday night’s Nextel Cup race at California Speedway, and according to ESPN.com he will miss Saturday’s race at Richmond (Va.) Speedway.

This will be the first time in Rudd’s Cup career that he will miss a race because of injury. The wreck “tore a bunch of ligaments and tendons,” Rudd said. “I’m out at Richmond.”

Rudd made his 900th career start Sunday. …

Brad Keselowski has no lingering effects from his frightening accident Saturday night during the Busch Series race at California Speedway and was cleared to race this weekend in Richmond.

• NHRA — Las Vegas resident Jon Capps advanced to the quarterfinals of Monday’s Funny Car championship eliminations at the NHRA U.S. Nationals in Clermont, Ind.

He upset No. 1 qualifier Jeff Arend in the opening round. It was only the second NHRA pro race for Capps, whose brother, Ron, is the Funny Car points leader. …

Las Vegan Rod Fuller advanced to the Top Fuel semifinals and is third in points behind event winner Tony Schumacher and runner-up Larry Dixon. …

Former Las Vegas resident Craig Treble won the Pro Stock Motorcycle title for his second win of the year and 11th of his career. …

Jack Beckman earned his Don Schumacher Racing team a $100,000 bonus by winning Sunday’s Skoal Showdown, which featured the past year’s eight top qualifiers. …

Melanie Troxel will leave Top Fuel at the end of the season to join husband Tommy Johnson Jr. in the Funny Car category.