By Reid Spencer

Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Don't expect Toyota's recently-announced withdrawal from Formula One racing to signal a pullback from NASCAR racing.

But don't expect it to be a windfall for Toyota's stock-car effort, either.

Toyota Racing Development president Lee White said Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway that the Formula One pullout "should have no effect whatsoever on our NASCAR program, our NASCAR plans and our NASCAR future. We remain completely committed to NASCAR -- and NASCAR is completely committed to us."

Asked whether any of the estimated $300-$500 million saved from the F1 budget would accrue to the NASCAR program, White demurred.

"The economy remains very challenging for the automotive industry," he said. "So we don't expect one penny of that reduction in cost would come here to benefit our NASCAR program."

Toyota currently supports eight teams in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series.

AND BABY MAKES THIRD

In the wake of his victory in Saturday's O'Reilly Challenge, Kyle Busch reflected on what might have been as he closes in on the Nationwide Series championship. Busch has eight victories in the series, but he also boasts 11 second-place finishes this season.

"You know what would be impressive is if those 11 second-place finishes were wins," Busch said. "That would be 19 wins. That's what's stupid. That's what's silly -- if that could have been.

"The only thing worse than finishing second on a day is when you finish second and something to a pregnant woman -- and then you're third."

NEW ENGINES? WHO KNEW?

In Saturday's O'Reilly Challenge Nationwide race at Texas Motor Speedway, Jason Leffler posted his second straight third-place finish in the series. You might find the key to Leffler's improved performance under the hood of his No. 38 Toyota.

Team owner Todd Braun recently opted to change engine suppliers from Triad to Arrington. For a couple of weeks, the switch was a well-kept secret.

"Everybody knows now," Leffler said after a third-place qualifying effort on Friday. "It was split there for awhile (between Braun's teams). We had Triad, they did a great job -- we had no motor failures with Triad at all. 

"It was a change. I don't know if it was philosophies there, (but) Todd Braun made a call to change engine manufacturers to get ready for next year. It was something I was worried about at the start because we had such good luck with Triad. I'm not worried anymore -- I'm pretty happy."

BLUE DEUCE WIN WORTH $1 MILLION

Kurt Busch could make a Michael McGee a millionaire by winning Sunday's Dickies 500. McGee, the race sponsor's American Worker of the Year, chose Busch in a random drawing Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway.

If Busch puts the No. 2 Dodge in victory lane, McGee collects the million-dollar prize. McGee is an agricultural teacher from Broken Bow, Okla. He also owns a horse training business. For his selection as Dickies American Worker of the Year, McGee already has won $50,000 and an all-access VIP trip to the races this weekend.