Jarrett vying for spot in playoffs

Dale Jarrett is hanging tough in his bid to make NASCAR’s playoffs, a spot few expected the former champion to be in this late in the season.

Yet Jarrett is tied for 11th in the series standings heading into Sunday’s race at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich., and very much in contention for the Chase for the Championship. He is three points out of 10th, the final spot in the standings eligible for the playoffs.

To lock down a spot in the Chase, which will be contested over the final 10 races of the season, Jarrett is going to have to post some solid finishes in the next four events – and Sunday’s 400-mile race could provide the momentum after a disappointing 22nd-place finish last Sunday on the road course at Watkins Glen.

•Tony Eury Jr. says speculation that he will be back as crew chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2006 – or sooner – is premature. The talk about the cousins reuniting on the No. 8 Chevrolet was sparked recently when Earnhardt said he felt that differences the two had in the past had been “fixed” and both found out “It’s not always greener on the other side for either one of us.”

An announcement on Thursday that Eury had signed a contract extension with DEI through 2008 added to the conjecture.

Eury said at Michigan International Speedway that he is happy to know he’s “got a home and people wanted me to stay around at DEI,” but that doesn’t mean anything has been decided about his future.

Formula One

Formula One ushered in its newest venue Friday, with drivers taking it easy on a slippery track.

Seven-time champion Michael Schumacher and Ferrari teammate Rubens Barrichello spun into a gravel pit, taking their first laps on the $150 million Istanbul Park circuit in Istanbul, Turkey, and preparing for qualifying today and the inaugural Turkish Grand Prix on Sunday.

With six races left, Renault’s Fernando Alonso is the points leader and 26 ahead of Kimi Raikkonen.