ESPN NASCAR

SONOMA, Calif. -- Greg Biffle has reached an agreement on a three-year deal with Roush Fenway Racing and Richard Childress Racing is getting close to naming a driver for its fourth Sprint Cup team in 2009.

Biffle met with Roush Fenway officials this week to iron out final details. He said a formal announcement, including a new deal with 3M, could be unveiled next week at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Meanwhile, Richard Childress said he has a short list of three to four drivers and that he should have an announcement by Aug. 15. He said the list includes drivers who are and are not in the Cup series but would not reveal any names.

"We're very close," Childress said on Friday at Infineon Raceway. "We're just trying to find the right person that will be a good fit with General Mills."

Sources close to the situation said Ryan Newman and Martin Truex Jr. are on the list but considered longshots. Dale Earnhardt Inc. has picked up the option for Truex next season. Unless he can get out of that he will return to the No. 1 car.

Newman has put Penske Racing on notice, saying he won't re-sign unless performance improves significantly over the next few months.

Scott Wimmer is on the list, but considered on the lower end. Childress has hinted he may go with a younger driver with star potential.

"He could be anywhere from 21 to 33 or 34," he said.

Not on the list is Dave Blaney, who hopes to re-sign with Bill Davis Racing next season. Blaney's car is without sponsorship for 2009 after Caterpillar announced earlier this week it would sponsor Jeff Burton's car at RCR.

David Newton covers NASCAR for ESPN.com. He can be reached at dnewtonespn@aol.com.