Earnhardt's crew chief Eury replaced

Tony Eury Jr. was removed as crew chief of Dale Earnhardt's No. 88 team Thursday. The two are cousins and have worked together during Earnhardt's entire career.

"It seemed the harder we pushed, the more it unraveled," team owner Rick Hendrick told the Associated Press. "We need a new reason to get up and go to the track each morning, and the chemistry had broken down between them to the point where we just needed a fresh start."

Team manager Brian Whitesell will be the crew chief this weekend. Lance McGrew will take over in two weeks on an interim basis as Hendrick decides on a long-term plan for NASCAR's most popular driver.

• Dreyer & Reinbold Racing has hired Tomas Scheckter to drive this weekend in the ABC Supply/A.J. Foyt 225 at Milwaukee.

Federer struggles but wins Roger Federer struggled before producing a 7-6 (8), 5-7, 7-6 (2), 6-2 victory over Jose Acasuso Thursday at the French Open.

"Mentally, I've always been very strong, but I'm not being put in a position like this very often, you know," Federer said. Then, moments later, as if to make sure everyone understood him, Federer added: "Coming through such a match is always a great feeling. Like I said, I'm not part of such close matches that often."

No seeded men lost, when the winners included No. 5 Juan Martin del Potro, No. 6 Andy Roddick, No. 9 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, No. 10 Nikolay Davydenko, No. 11 Gael Monfils and No. 16 Tommy Robredo. Four seeded women went home, though none higher than No. 13 Marion Bartoli. Those moving into the third round included both Williams sisters -- Venus needed three sets, Serena two -- No. 5 Jelena Jankovic, No. 7 Svetlana Kuznetsova and No. 4 Elena Dementieva, who advanced when Jelena Dokic stopped playing because of a bad back while leading 6-2, 3-4.

Rose could be target of NCAA Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson would not confirm that Derrick Rose, who led Memphis to the 2008 national title game, is at the center of an NCAA investigation of major violations during that season. The NCAA says an unknown person took the SAT for a player. The NCAA said the athlete in question played for the Tigers in the 2007-08 season and the 2008 NCAA tournament. The only person who played just that season was Rose.

Red Wings expect Lidstrom back The Red Wings expect star defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom to play in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals against the Penguins on Saturday.

Red Wings General Manager Ken Holland said he's encouraged by how Lidstrom's lower-body injury has recovered after he was forced to miss two games. Holland said the team won't know until Saturday if MVP finalist Pavel Datsyuk (foot) and Jonathan Ericsson (acute appendicitis) will be available. Kris Draper (lower-body injury) is doubtful for Game 1, but Holland expects him to play later in the series.

• Flyers forward Simon Gagne has had surgery to remove a bone spur and adhesions that built up in his right hip and was expected to recover in four to six weeks.

• Basketball great Jerry West was hired as the executive director of the PGA's Northern Trust Open at Riviera. He will help raise the profile and charitable donations of the tour's Los Angeles event.

• Former Lions defensive back and receiver Terry Barr, a rookie on Detroit's last championship team in 1957, has died. He was 73.

• J.J. Arrington's career with the Broncos was halted before he even took his first handoff when the team released the tailback following a failed a physical due to a balky right knee.

• ESPN college football analyst Lee Corso is recovering from a minor stroke but plans to be back for the start of the season this fall.

• Michele Scarponi won the 18th stage of the Giro d'Italia, while overall leader Denis Menchov drew a day closer to victory. Felix Rafael Cardenas finished second and Danny Pate was third. All the overall leaders -- as well as seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong -- crossed with the main pack, 3:37 after Scarponi.

• D.C. United will host Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid in an international friendly Aug. 9.

• Amanda Chidester homered and Teddi Ewing had three hits and two RBI as Michigan beat Alabama 6-1 at the Women's College World Series.