Briefly
Reigning Nextel Cup champion Kurt Busch is changing teams, moving from Roush Racing to Penske Racing South. The only question is when.
Busch signed a multiyear contract to drive for Penske starting in 2007 and asked to be released from his current contract with Roush Racing, apparently in hopes of replacing retiring Rusty Wallace next season.
In a statement, Roush said the team will wait for “an indefinite period” before making a decision on Busch’s request to leave after this season.
“Yeah, we have signed him up for 2007,” Penske team president Don Miller told the Associated Press on Tuesday. “As for anything else, the lawyers tell us we can’t really comment. We’ll just have to see how things shake out.”
•Champ Car star Paul Tracy is ready for a new challenge and hopes it can come in NASCAR.
Tracy, an open-wheel star with 30 Champ Car victories and one series championship, spent Monday and Tuesday testing a car at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich. If car owner Richard Childress is pleased with the results, he’ll let Tracy compete in the race here later this month.
Tracy said he viewed the possible career change as an opportunity and a learning experience.
“I’ve done about all I can do and accomplished everything I wanted to in Champ Car,” he said Tuesday. “When this opportunity comes around to get in with a good car, it’s really what keeps you motivated.”
Basketball
Nets rescind Abdur-Rahim trade
The New Jersey Nets rescinded their trade with the Portland Trail Blazers for forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim and acquired forward Marc Jackson from Philadelphia.
The Abdur-Rahim trade was put on hold last week after the nine-year veteran failed a physical. The Nets didn’t disclose the nature of the medical problem, but team president Rod Thorn said it was something neither Abdur-Rahim nor the Trail Blazers knew about.
The Nets had planned to use their trade exception to acquire the 29-year-old Abdur-Rahim, who has averaged 19.9 points and 8.1 rebounds in nine years with Vancouver, Atlanta and Portland.
New Jersey quickly set its sights on the 30-year-old Jackson, acquiring him from the 76ers for cash and future considerations. The 6-foot-10 center-forward averaged 12 points and five rebounds in 81 games for Philadelphia last season.
• A Boston judge stepped into the feud among Atlanta Hawks owners, blocking the removal of Boston businessman Steve Belkin as managing partner.
Judge Allan van Gestel granted Belkin’s request for a temporary injunction, saying a contract signed by all the owners last year prevents the group from voting him out.
The dispute stems from Belkin’s refusal to approve a sign-and-trade deal for the Hawks to acquire guard Joe Johnson from the Phoenix Suns. As the team’s NBA governor, he must sign off on all trades.
As part of the nine-member Atlanta Spirit LLC group, which also owns the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers and the operating rights to Philips Arena, Belkin owns 30 percent of the team.
•A handgun charge against Los Angeles Clippers forward Chris Wilcox was dismissed in Ellicott City, Md. The former University of Maryland star was arrested in June after police found a gun in his car during a traffic stop.
Wilcox could not provide documentation at the time that the gun belonged to him or that he had a permit to carry the weapon, police said.
The player’s lawyer, Rebecca Nitkin, said the gun was registered in North Carolina and Wilcox had begun carrying it because he was robbed at gunpoint a few years ago.
•Philadelphia 76ers guard Willie Green had arthroscopic surgery to repair cartilage in his left knee. He was scheduled to sign a $20 million, six-year contract, but the restricted free agent injured his knee in a pickup game. While contract terms were reached, the deal was never signed.
•The Minnesota Timberwolves re-signed reserve forward Mark Madsen to a five-year contract.
•The Washington Wizards signed second-round draft pick Andray Blatche to a two-year contract.
•J.J. Redick of Duke hit six 3-pointers and scored 22 points to lead the United States to a 113-78 victory over Nigeria in the preliminary round of the men’s Under 21 World Championships in Mar Del Plata, Argentina.
Nick Fazekas of Nevada had 10 points and 14 rebounds for the U.S. team, while Rajon Rondo of Kentucky had 19 points and five steals.
Sports people
Norman withdraws from PGA
Greg Norman withdrew from this weekend’s PGA Championship in Springfield, N.J., saying he was dealing with muscle fatigue after playing four consecutive tournaments. Norman, 50, received a special exemption to play in the PGA Championship. He was replaced by Kevin Sutherland, who will play the first two rounds with Tiger Woods and Michael Campbell. … D.C. United’s Freddy Adu is expected to miss two to four weeks after an MRI exam showed he has a sprained ligament in his right knee. Adu was injured Saturday in the first half of United’s 3-2 victory against the Chicago Fire. He tried to slide between two defenders and collided with an opponent. … Forwards Simon Gagne, Branko Radivojevic and Patrick Sharp and defenseman Kim Johnsson agreed to qualifying offer contracts with the Philadelphia Flyers. … Lleyton Hewitt quit during his opening match at the Rogers Cup in Montreal, weakened by a stomach ailment that forced him to retire for only the second time in his singles career. … Colette Besson, 59, a physical education teacher who scored a big upset to win the 400-meter gold medal at the 1968 Olympics, died of cancer in La Rochelle, France.