Younger Busch's team is penalized

NASCAR docked Kyle Busch 25 Nationwide points and fined crew chief Jason Ratcliff $5,000 after Busch's No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota failed inspection before last week's race at Texas.

NASCAR also placed Ratcliff on probation through the end of the year for actions detrimental to stock car racing, using improper equipment and use of an improperly attached weight.

The penalty means Busch now leads Carl Edwards by 247 points with two races remaining. The infraction was discovered last Thursday at Texas Motor Speedway. Busch won the Nationwide race at the 1.5-mile track on Saturday.

NASCAR also fined crew chief Brad Parrott $5,000 and placed him on probation until the end of the year for rules violations on the No. 09 Ford driven by John Wes Townley .

MIXED EMOTIONS: When AJ Allmendinger finished 10th last Sunday at Texas, it was the second time in as many races Richard Petty Motorsports celebrated a top-10 finish in a Ford.

On Monday, however, there was very little celebration at the race shop.

Part of the move from Dodge to Ford was the termination of 47 employees in the engine shop. Since Roush Yates Engines will be supplying motors to the team next year, RPM is shutting down its engine shop.

While the team remains committed to Dodge for Kasey Kahne for the final two races, including Sunday's Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Raceway, the team has put one Ford on the track in each of the past two races.

Elliott Sadler had a top-10 finish in a Ford at Talladega; Allmendinger followed that up with another top-10 at Texas.

Meanwhile, the new Dodge engine for Kahne blew up at Texas. It's the second engine failure for Kahne in the first eight Chase for the Championship races.

STICKING TOGETHER: When pressed by General Motors and Toyota for an answer last week at Texas, car owner Chip Ganassi apparently decided to stay with Chevrolet for 2010.

Ganassi, who runs Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, had talked with Toyota about moving to their camp since General Motors has reduced their support after taking a pair of government bailouts.

Joe Gibbs Racing was prepared to build engines for both Ganassi cars, including the No. 42 for Juan Pablo Montoya .

The No. 1 car currently is being driven by Martin Truex Jr. , but he will move to Michael Waltrip Racing next year.

A replacement hasn't been hired.