CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Elliott Sadler called almost losing his job at Gillett Evernham Motorsports "gut-wrenching," but said the two sides have moved past the near-split.

Sadler said Wednesday that he learned through a sponsor late last month that GEM planned to replace him with AJ Allmendinger. Last week, a day after agreeing to merge with Petty Enterprises, GEM officials announced Sadler will be in his No. 19 Dodge this coming season.

He signed a multiyear contract extension last summer. Because of all the contracts in place, Sadler said he was prepared to sue to keep his ride.

"There's a lot of different ways you can look at this," Sadler said in a national conference call. "You can be negative or you can be positive about it. We got our differences resolved."

DENVER — Regan Smith, last year's top rookie in the Sprint Cup Series, will drive for Furniture Row Racing in 2009.Smith will drive the No. 78 Chevrolet beginning with the season-opening Daytona 500. The team announced late last year it will only run a partial schedule in 2009 because of the economic crisis, and currently has just 12 races planned.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The president of Toyota Racing Development said Wednesday he expects budget cuts in its NASCAR program as the Japanese automaker feels the effects of the global economic crisis.Typically immune from the declining sales that have rocked Detroit's Big Three automakers, Toyota recently said it anticipates its first yearly operating loss in 70 years for the fiscal year ending March 2009.

LEBANON, Pa. — A jury has sided with Plaxico Burress in a dispute over how much the New York Giants star should pay in damages for a car he borrowed that ended up getting impounded by New York City police.A jury in Lebanon County civil court decided Wednesday that Burress owes $1,700 in damages, far less than the $19,000 sought by the dealer who loaned the car to Burress.Burress testified that his agent arranged for the Chevrolet Avalanche in 2005. Burress disputed that he had agreed to make personal appearances for the dealership.New York police later impounded the truck after it was connected to a shooting incident.

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh's mayor has modified his last name to honor the Steelers, who are vying for the AFC Championship.Bye-bye Luke Ravenstahl and hello Luke Steelerstahl.Ravenstahl, er, Steelerstahl says he decided to remove raven from his name just as the Steelers will remove the hated Baltimore Ravens from contention on Sunday.Ravenstahl made the ceremonious change Wednesday and will keep it at least through Sunday.Coincidentally, stahl is German for steel.