In brief: Yeley out at Gibbs, in with Hall of Fame

J.J. Yeley had a long list of teams interested in signing him after he lost his job at Joe Gibbs Racing, but Hall of Fame Racing wasn’t mentioned as one of them.

But the single-car team raced to the front of the line Tuesday, signing Yeley to a multiyear deal to replace Tony Raines in the No. 96 next season. It capped a whirlwind three days for the team, which since Sunday has introduced new majority owners, a new driver and indicated it will likely follow partner JGR to Toyota.

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

Eury has been vocal in his desire to follow Earnhardt, who is also his cousin, to Hendrick. Earnhardt said in May he’s leaving Dale Earnhardt Inc. at the end of this season, and Eury has been trying to get out of his contract with DEI since the announcement.

Basketball

Four indicted

A grand jury in Chicago indicted four men in the armed robbery of Miami Heat forward Antoine Walker. Two of the men had been charged previously in the robbery of another NBA player.

Prosecutors say 28-year-old Antoine Larkins; Demorris Hill, 25; Phillip Allison, 28; and Gregory Reedfields, 23, broke into Walker’s Chicago home June 9 and bound Walker and a relative with duct tape. The men then made off with Walker’s Mercedes, cash and jewelry, prosecutors added.

Hill and Larkins also are charged in a July home robbery of New York Knicks forward Eddy Curry.

“Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss pleaded guilty to drunken driving and was sentenced to five years of probation.

The 74-year-old Buss was ordered to take part in a first-conviction program and attend a program administered by Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

“Indiana Fever forward Tamika Catchings will undergo surgery today to repair a torn Achilles tendon in her right foot.

Gymnastics

U.S. men impress

After hearing for a year how bad they are, how they might not even make it to next summer’s Beijing Olympics, the U.S. men silenced everyone with an impressive performance at the world gymnastics championships in Stuttgart, Germany.

Not only were they good enough to secure a spot in Beijing, they earned themselves a repeat performance in Thursday night’s team finals.

With 364 points, the Americans were fourth behind China, Japan and Germany.

Hockey

Roenick to return

Jeremy Roenick thinks he still has the skills and the desire to help the San Jose Sharks’ next run at the Stanley Cup.

The nine-time All-Star signed a one-year, $500,000 contract with the Sharks, postponing retirement for the chance to get his 500th goal while chasing his first championship.

“Maple Leafs forward Mark Bell was suspended indefinitely without pay by the NHL after his plea last month of no contest to drunken- driving and hit-and-run charges.