THE ELEVATOR

Wednesday, June 20, 2007 | 7:10 a.m.

Who's headed toward the penthouse on the local sports scene - and who's getting the shaft.

GOING UP

Kyle Busch

One week after losing his job at Hendrick Motorsports, which is to NASCAR what Hertz is to rental cars, the Las Vegas lead foot is entertaining overtures from Avis, Dollar, Budget, Enterprise and Alamo. The sometimes churlish Busch has replaced the universally revered Dale Earnhardt Jr. - who replaced him at Hendrick - as the sport's most coveted free agent.

Chris Riley

Under the former UNLV golfer's picture on the ESPN.com Web site there is this one-line advisory: "No current news for this player." Hey, whaddya call the Rochester Area Charities Showdown at Somerby, Putt-Putt golf? Riley beat NCAA champion Jamie Lovemark on the second hole of sudden death to win the Nationwide Tour stop in Minnesota during the weekend.

GOING DOWN

NBA on ABC

There have been pickup basketball games at Sunset Park that were better played - and more watched - than the just-concluded NBA Finals. "We knew, more or less, that is was coming," NBA Commissioner David Stern said of all-time low TV ratings. Come to think, that was basically our reaction to the NBA All-Star Game.

'Pacman' Jones

Speaking of the NBA All-Star Game, I see where the suspended NFL player is being sought by police in Atlanta for questioning following yet another strip club shooting - nobody was hurt this time - by somebody in his entourage with a quick trigger finger. This is the 11th time Jones has been or will be questioned by police, breaking the record of the guy behind the counter at Winchell's Donuts on Aug. 14, 2003, who repeatedly told cops the crullers would be out in five minutes.

James Loney

In the same week he was recalled by the Dodgers, the former Las Vegas 51s slugger slammed into the outfield wall face first while trying to catch a drive off the bat of the Angels' Gary Matthews Jr. As little birdies circled Loney's head, Matthews circled the bases for an inside-the-park home run. Loney was lucky - although being briefly knocked out, he escaped with a bruised knee.

The Gladiators

If falling to 2-13 wasn't insulting enough, our football-in-a-can team will be forced to play its final home game on Monday afternoon because the circus is in town on Sunday. Honest. The circus.

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