Suggestions, observations from the motor sports scene . . .

HENDRICK MOTORSPORTS: Trying to keep Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Casey Mears happy on the same team is not the worst problem to have.

KYLE BUSCH: Out at Hendrick at season's end, but, at 22, if he makes a wise next move, he still has lots of winning ahead of him.

RAIN AT THE RACE TRACK: Come on, enough already. Can't we get at least one race in somewhere other than Charlotte without weather issues?

Observations

Nobody was kidding when we wondered how long it would take for somebody to talk Terry Labonte out of retirement. Once Dale Jarrett used up his six former champion's provisionals, Labonte's 1996 title made him a valuable commodity. Now Michael Waltrip Racing has signed Labonte to drive the No.55 at Infineon and Watkins Glen.

Here's what NASCAR needs to do about rain delaying the start of races. If a green flag is delayed by 30 to 90 minutes, the scheduled distance of the race is automatically trimmed by 10 percent. A 200-lap race would be cut by 20 laps, making the new fully scheduled distance 180 laps.

If the race is delayed longer than 90 minutes, it's cut by 20 percent. That would make it a 160-lap race. Once the new distance is established, a new halfway point is established, too. Fans might complain about not seeing a full race, but they'll be more likely to complain about it on the way home, instead of having to stay over another night.

My 2 cents

You didn't have to be particularly perceptive to pick up on the difference in Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Wednesday's news conference from how he seemed on May 10.

When he announced his decision to leave Dale Earnhardt Inc., there was a profoundly down vibe to that whole affair. He was walking away from the only racing home he'd really ever known, and he said Wednesday that after announcing that part of the decision, he felt he had no real place where he belonged in the sport.

That burden lifted when he decided to go to Hendrick Motorsports. As hard as it was to tell Joe Gibbs and Richard Childress no, once he decided to say yes to Rick Hendrick, it was a huge weight lifted off his shoulders.

You could see it, too. His demeanor and body language were dramatically different. He not only looked upbeat, he looked almost giddy. You don't have to be a fan of either to appreciate some of the things Earnhardt Jr. and Hendrick have dealt with in their lives. Wednesday, both were able to be genuinely happy.

THIS WEEK: Citizens Bank 400 from Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Mich., 2:15 p.m. Sunday (TNT) Michigan races about pride

Mike Accavitti is director of Dodge Brand and SRT Marketing and Communication, which means he's the man who leads the manufacturer's Nextel Cup efforts. Speaking this week about Sunday's Citizens Bank 400 at Michigan International Speedway, Accavitti acknowledged what's obviously true about NASCAR's top series: All races are not created equal.

"Obviously the big races, the ones that get the biggest viewership, those are the ones you really want to win. The Daytona 500, the Pepsi 400 (at Daytona) in the summer, the Indy race, the Chase races," he said. "The Michigan races, it becomes kind of like a personal pride thing. This is our backyard. I grew up here."

Dodge delivered in this race last year, with Kasey Kahne winning. But Dodge is looking for its first win this year.

Ryan Newman has won poles for the past three races and finished second in the past two, so there are rays of hope.

"At some of the races, we've had six guys qualify in the top 10, so we've figured that part out," Accavitti said. "What we're working on now is how we figure out the other 499 or 500 laps so that we can get these guys up in the top 10 where they really belong."

It's Andretti's turn in No. 45

John Andretti has run 197 Nextel Cup races for Petty Enterprises, and after a break of more than three years he'll make it 198 Sunday. Andretti will drive the No. 45 Dodge while Kyle Petty works his second race as an analyst for TNT. Chad McCumbee drove the car last week at Pocono.

Andretti said he was the one who made the first move in landing this temp job.

"I went and spoke with Robbie Loomis and then I went and I asked Kyle," he said. "It seemed as quick as I asked him we were able to work on putting this together. You are never quite sure what the answer will be, but I wanted to be a part of this."

Andretti has done two stints with the team. He ran 11 races for the team in 1994, then ran full-time in the No. 43 from the 1998 season through 14 races into 2003.

"It's ironic that I'm coming back at Michigan," Andretti said. "It's where my career started with Petty Enterprises. It was the second Michigan race, and we qualified outside the front row. I like to think that going back to Michigan is a good omen."

Briefly

National Hot Rod Association top fuel driver Melanie Troxel and her husband, funny car driver Tommy Johnson Jr., will be hosts for a 13-week series of shows called "King of the Strip." It's being produced this week at O'Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis, and pits amateur drivers head-to-head for the right to advance to the final. Jason Goforth of Hot Springs, N.C., and Brandon Settlemyre of Morganton are contestants. The shows will air in the third quarter of the year on ESPN2.

Short tracks

Shaun Mangum of Monroe, the 2003 track champion at Concord Motorsports Park, became the first two-time winner at the track this season with a win in Saturday's 50-lap late model feature.

Chris Smith of Charlotte won the late model modified sportsman feature and Jamie Kuntz of Mooresville got his fourth open wheel modified win of the season Saturday at East Lincoln Speedway in Stanley.

After Andy Loden and Chrissy Wallace were sent to the rear of the field when they spun after contact on the final lap, Ashley Huffman won Saturday's late-model feature on a green-white-checkered finish at Hickory Motor Speedway.

Chris Ferguson won the crate motor division and Furman Parton won the late model feature Friday night at Carolina Speedway in Gastonia.

Casey Roderick, the defending legends pro division champion, led the list of winners Tuesday as the Summer Shootout Series began at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Michael Van Wingerden won the thunder roadster feature. Brian Weimer won in the legends masters division and Peter Hammons won in the semi-pro division. Bandoleros winners were Dylan Presnell in young lions, Kendall Sellers in outlaws, Clint King in young guns and Dillon Bassett in bandits.