Stage is set for Elliott to make return

LONG POND, Pa. - When Brian Vickers got permission from Hendrick Motorsports to look for a new job this week, it started a chain reaction that might include the return of former series champion Bill Elliott.

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Vickers will drive for Red Bull Racing next year, becoming the third full-time driver listed for Toyota's venture into stock car racing. Casey Mears told car owner Chip Ganassi on Thursday he won't return next year in the No. 42 Dodge, and on Friday he suggested he will replace Vickers at Hendrick.

At the same time, Elliott apparently is mulling a full-time return to the sport - presumably as Vickers' teammate at Red Bull.

During a local Atlanta cable television interview Wednesday, Elliott said he hadn't decided whether to make a comeback. He said he's busy with his son's go-cart racing career and a new grandchild, but he wasn't ready to rule out any return.

Elliott will drive three races later this year for Red Bull as it gathers information to debut its Camry next year. He also will drive five races for Michael Waltrip Racing, which will field two Toyota teams next year.

With the addition of Vickers, Toyota now has three of its six full-time jobs filled, with Dale Jarrett racing as Michael Waltrip's teammate.

If Elliott takes the second Red Bull job, that leaves two openings at Bill Davis Racing.

Mears wouldn't say exactly what he plans to do, but he continually mentioned Hendrick's name Friday before qualifying. He also said leaving Ganassi was for "purely selfish reasons."

HAMLIN ON THE POLE: Denny Hamlin had never raced at Pocono Raceway, so he spent the past week familiarizing himself with the track with video games.

He ran hundreds of laps on the computer to get a feel for the 2.5-mile, coat hanger-shaped racetrack. He then got into his FedEx Chevrolet on Friday and won the pole for the Pocono 500.

"We had 15 laps of practice; I saw the racetrack for the first time six hours (before qualifying) when we landed in the airplane," Hamlin said. "But I've been on it all week in a racing game. I got on there and ran against four or five other guys. I got experience that way."

Kurt Busch will start Sunday's race (2 p.m., Fox-Ch. 54) from the outside pole.

PIT STOPS: David Stremme will do double duty this weekend by driving in today's Pocono 200 for the ARCA Re/Max Series as well as Sunday's main event. Stremme will start on the pole in one of Chip Ganassi's Dodges. ... Eight drivers are completing the customary Busch-Nextel Cup doubleheader this weekend, although the manner in which they will compete is unusual. Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Busch, J.J. Yeley, Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Reed Sorenson and Carl Edwards all qualified for the Nextel Cup race at Pocono on Friday. All eight will race in the Busch Series event at Nashville Superspeedway tonight, and all are expected to be back at Pocono for Sunday's race.