2009 Sponsor/Paint Schemes Schedule:
2/7 Daytona - Bud Shootout -- Stanley
2/15 Daytona -- Stanley
2/22 California -- Best Buy (1)
3/1 Las Vegas -- Stanley
3/8 Atlanta -- Best Buy (2)
3/22 Bristol -- Best Buy/Insignia (3)
3/29 Martinsville -- Stanley
4/5 Texas -- Best Buy (4)
4/18 Phoenix -- Stanley
4/26 Talladega -- Best Buy (5)
5/2 Richmond -- Stanley
5/9 Darlington -- Stanley
5/16 Lowe's - All-Star -- Best Buy (6)
5/24 Lowe's -- Best Buy (7)
5/31 Dover -- Stanley
6/7 Pocono -- Best Buy (8)
6/14 Michigan -- Best Buy (9)
6/21 Infineon -- Stanley
6/28 New Hampshire -- Best Buy (10)
7/4 Daytona -- Stanley
7/11 Chicago -- Insignia (Best Buy)(11)
7/26 Indianapolis -- Best Buy (12)
8/2 Pocono -- Stanley
8/9 Watkins Glen -- Best Buy (13)
8/16 Michigan -- Stanley
8/22 Bristol -- Stanley
9/6 Atlanta -- Stanley
9/12 Richmond -- Insignia (Best Buy)(14)
9/20 New Hampshire -- Stanley
9/27 Dover -- Best Buy's Geek Squad (15)
10/4 Kansas -- Best Buy (16)
10/11 California -- Stanley/Susan G. Komen for the Cure
10/17 Lowe's -- Stanley
10/25 Martinsville -- Best Buy (17)
11/1 Talladega -- Stanley Tools FORD
11/8 Texas -- Stanley
11/15 Phoenix -- Best Buy (18)
11/22 Homestead -- Best Buy (19)
(from Best Best site)(12-17-2008)

Contract Status: Driver 2010; Sponsors: 2009?

Roush's Smith not retiring: Roush Fenway Racing president Geoff Smith has decided to delay his retirement. Smith said because of tough economic times and the merger between partner Yates Racing and Richard Petty Motorsports that he will stay on at least through the 2010 season. Smith is handling a lot of the paperwork in the merger that he said is agreed to on all major issues and should be announced soon. He also plays a major role in bringing sponsors to the cars for the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series. Smith has yet to wrap up a full season of sponsorship for the #17 of Matt Kenseth.(see more at ESPN Insiders)(11-17-2009)

Richard Petty says with merger nearing completion: Richard Petty said the Richard Petty Motorsports-Yates Racing proposed merger is still in the hands of the lawyers, but with the likelihood of it happening, RPM had to begin its staff reductions this week. Sources indicated more than 150 people were laid off earlier this week or were told they would be laid off after the season ends next week at Homestead-Miami Speedway. RPM, which fields four teams, and Yates, which fields two, announced in September they planned to merge – and with NASCAR’s four-team limit, the staff reductions were anticipated. “If we’re going to do what we’re going to do, we’ve got to start somewhere,” Petty said Friday at Phoenix International Raceway. “This is basically where we’re starting.” Many of those laid off were in the engine shop and the car manufacturing department, sources said. The new organization will use Roush Yates Engines and likely will be based in the current Yates shop in Concord, N.C. – about 45 miles from the current RPM shop in Statesville, NC. “I think we’re moving there to the [Yates shop near the] airport,” Petty said. “As far as I know. Tune in next week.”(SceneDaily)(11-14-2009)

RPM Engine shop to shut down UPDATE: What's left of the original Evernham Motorsports engine shop is expected to shut down on Monday, according to multiple sources. Richard Petty Motorsports will retain the necessary personnel to complete the final two races of the season when engine duties will revert to Roush Yates engines with the move to Ford. With the merger of RPM and Yates Racing, the Petty crew chiefs were told that each team would be able to keep 17 crewmen per team. The overall reduction for the organization is expected to be 200 of 250 employees once the deal is complete.(FoxSports)(11-9-2009)
UPDATE: The NASCAR workforce shrunk by 47 people on Monday as Richard Petty Motorsports took the first steps toward shutting down its engine department in Concord, NC. RPM is making reductions in its staff with the impending merger with Yates Racing. Additional cuts are expected in the car shop in Statesville, N.C. on Tuesday. Sources said on Sunday that the three remaining teams expected to join forces with Yates will retain 17 crewmen per team. But given the move to Ford — which started at Talladega with #19-Elliott Sadler on Oct. 30th and continued this past weekend with #44-AJ Allmendinger at Texas, there's no need to continue building new Dodge cars or engines. The engine department will continue to employ 14 employees through the end of the season to assist in the organization for the final two races. Roush Yates Engines will supply powerplants for the team in 2010.(FoxSports)(11-10-2009)

Sadler to help out home build:
Elliott Sadler, driver of the #19 Stanley Dodge/Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports, is providing a helping hand to assist a Habitat for Humanity home build for a Birmingham, Ala. family before heading to Talladega Superspeedway for the Nov. 1 Sprint Cup Series race weekend. The Habitat for Humanity build is taking place Thursday, Oct. 29 from 1-3 p.m. at 4900 Michigan Ave., Birmingham, Ala. Sadler is encouraging race fans interesting in lending a hand to stop by. Sadler, a 34-year old native of Emporia, Va., is showing his support on behalf of sponsor Stanley and partner Do It Best. Sadler comments: “I’m excited for the chance to help build a family a place to call home. Habitat for Humanity does great work all over the country and it’s for such a great cause. I’ve been able to help on a couple of builds over the last couple years and it’s something that I really enjoy. I’m lucky to have Stanley as a sponsor - each year they go out of their way to support a lot of great causes." Sadler’s #19 car always features two ribbons next to his name above the driver’s side door—a pink breast cancer awareness ribbon in honor of his mother and a puzzle piece autism ribbon in honor of his niece.(RPM)(10-29-2009)

Best Buy moving to the #43? Team officials familiar with RPM's personnel moves tell The Associated Press that sponsor Best Buy will move from Sadler's car next season to Petty's famed No. 43 with AJ Allmendinger as the driver. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because the changes have yet to be announced. Stanley Tools will become the sole primary sponsor for Sadler. Both Best Buy and Stanley had shared Sadler's car this season.(Associated Press)(10-28-2009)

Sadler officially in a Ford at 'Dega: Elliott Sadler’s #19 Stanley car will race as a Ford for the first time in NASCAR Sprint Cup competition this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. Sadler is racing the Ford Fusion in preparation for Richard Petty Motorsports switch to Ford beginning in 2010. Sadler will return to his familiar #19 Dodge entry for the final three races of 2009. ON DRIVING A FORD AT TALLADEGA: “Richard Petty Motorsports is working with Ford Racing as we get ready to make the full-time switch at Daytona in 2010. Since this is the final restrictor plate race of the season, we made the decision to run a Ford to get some work done in advance. This will be our first time to practice and work on a Fusion under real race conditions. It should help us get ready to make a strong showing at Daytona and put us in the best position to start next season. I’ll be back in a Dodge at Texas, Phoenix and Homestead, but since it’s important to start a season off on the right foot we thought we’d try to get a head start.”(RPM)(10-27-2009)

Sadler in a Ford at Talladega AND more races: Richard Petty Motorsports driver Elliott Sadler will drive a [#19] Yates Racing Ford in next weekend's Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway. Sadler, who drove for Robert Yates Racing before moving to RPM, said it will be for only one race. RPM and Yates are in the final stages of a merger that will move RPM from Dodge to Ford in 2010. RPM owner Richard Petty said last week at Charlotte he hoped to use a Yates car for at least one race this season. Officials close to the situation said on Friday at Martinsville Speedway the plan is to put Sadler in the Ford regardless of whether the merger is finalized.(ESPN)(10-23-2009)
UPDATE: #44-AJ Allmendinger will run the last three races of the Sprint Cup season in a Ford Fusion, a team source told FOXSports.com. According to a Dodge source, #19-Elliott Sadler will drive a Ford beginning next week at Talladega and finish the season driving for the make. Their Richard Petty Motorsports teammates, Kasey Kahne and Reed Sorenson, will continue to drive Dodges for the rest of the year. RPM is currently in talks to merge with Yates Racing in 2010. Whether or not the deal goes through, RPM's majority owner George Gillett has said his organization will run Fords next year. Unlike the other RPM teams, Allmendinger's #44 car is not under contract with Dodge so the switch is able to be made early. Sadler's #19 team was let out of its contract. Additionally, RPM General Manager Roobie Loomis confirmed Friday that Allmendinger will drive a Ford at Daytona International Speedway during the Goodyear tire test on Nov. 2-3. That Ford will be equipped with the new FR9 engine, allowing the team to work on the balance of the car as the engine is located differently than the current Dodge engine.(FoxSports)(10-24-2009)

McArdle back at the track: Mark McArdle, former director of competition at Richard Petty Motorsports, was at the track Friday for the first time since departing the team at Richmond in September. McArdle and the team parted ways after a disagreement between McArdle and car owner George Gillett. McArdle is looking for a position with another team in the sport but has to receive approval from Richard Petty Motorsports. Most contracts feature non-compete clauses and require a team's approval to move to another team. McArdle would not discuss details of his departure except to say it was time for a change. "I've always advised those who work under me that if the bus is going somewhere you don't want to go, then maybe you need to get off the bus,'' he said.(Roanoke Times)(10-17-2009)

RPM could use Ford engine this season: Richard Petty Motorsports is exploring the option of using a Ford engine in at least one of its four cars before the end of the season, team co-owner Richard Petty said on Thursday. Petty, whose team will continue to use Dodge engines this weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway, said nothing can happen until the merger with Yates Racing is complete. He gave no timetable, saying only that "it's in the hands of lawyers." But Petty said switching at least one car to a Ford before the end of the season is the goal, if the transition can be worked out. He could not say whether #9-Kasey Kahne, who is in the championship Chase for the Sprint Cup, would be that driver. "Right now there are like 400 options," Petty said. "We don't know right now if we'll make the transition before the end of this season or do it all before the start of next season."(ESPN)(10-15-2009)

Roush to visit RPM: Jack Roush is scheduled to take a tour of the Richard Petty Motorsports facility on Wednesday. Other managers from Roush Fenway Racing will join Rosuh on the tour of the Statesville, N.C., shop. There have been ongoing talks since before September of a merger between Yates Racing, a sister organization of Roush Fenway, and RPM. Regardless of whether RPM merges with Yates, majority team owner George Gillett has said his team will be running Fords in 2010. Given that Roush is the principal supplier of Ford engines, RPM will be working directly with RFR in one form or another.(FoxSports), see an image of a real #9 Budweiser Ford for 2010 on my #9 Team Schemes page.(10-14-2009)

Sadler back in pink at LMS: For the second consecutive year, Elliott Sadler and the #19 Stanley Dodge are changing their look with a pink paint scheme for the NASCAR Banking 500 Sprint Cup Series race on Oct. 17 at Lowe's Motor Speedway. The pink paint scheme is in support of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Sadler on Racing for the Cure: "My Mom has always been by my side and my biggest fan. Last year when she walked out to the starting grid in Charlotte and took a picture with me in my pink Stanley/Susan G. Komen for the Cure firesuit in front of my pink #19 Dodge she told me it was one of the most special moments of her life. That entire weekend was extremely special to me. The folks at Susan G. Komen for the Cure came out to our Stanley hospitality and did one of the most interesting hospitality experiences I've ever been a part of — it started by asking who in the crowd has ever had a family member or friend diagnosed with cancer and within three questions everyone in the tent was standing up. It just goes to show you how many people have been touched by not only breast cancer, but cancer of any kind. Everyone knows someone close to them that's had to battle cancer." Sadler's mother, Bell, was diagnosed with breast cancer on June 30, 2007. Susan G. Komen representatives met with Mrs. Sadler at the fall Charlotte race in 2007 to let her know what to expect in her battle with breast cancer. Mrs. Sadler's breast cancer has been in remission for more than a year. The #19 Stanley/Susan G. Komen for the Cure Dodge features breast cancer survivor Brandy Hickman's name on the TV panel. Brandy Hickman is the winner of the Stanley "Lady in Pink" essay contest. Mrs. Hickman's winning essay is posted at stanleymotorsports.com. Stanley is donating a minimum of $50,000 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure to support the breast cancer movement. Richard Petty is wearing a brown Charlie 1 Horse hat with pink highlights throughout the Charlotte race weekend in support of breast cancer awareness. Sadler's #19 Dodge always features two ribbons next to his name above the driver's side door—a pink breast cancer awareness ribbon in honor of his mother and a puzzle piece autism ribbon in honor of his niece.(RPM)(10-13-2009)

Allmendinger in a Ford at Lowe's? Sadler at 'Dega? Richard Petty Motorsports has had a Ford in its possession ready to race since after New Hampshire. It would not be a surprise if AJ Allmendinger is driving a Fusion at Lowe's Motor Speedway next weekend or the week after that. Once the #44 car flips over to Ford, it will remain a Fusion the rest of the season. In addition to Allmendinger, Elliott Sadler is expected to drive a Roush-prepared Ford with a Yates engine at Talladega. Whether or not RPM's proposed merger with Yates Racing goes through, team owner George Gillett has said his team will run Ford's next season.(FoxSports)(10-11-2009)

Gillett says Yates-RPM merger on track UPDATE: George Gillett Jr., majority owner of Richard Petty Motorsports [#9,19,43,44], said he hopes to form a stock-car league in Saudi Arabia as part of a contractual agreement he signed this week with Saudi Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdullah al-Saud, a member of the Saudi Royal Family. But Gillett emphasized that he is not selling the team. He said he hopes to finalize a merger with Yates Racing soon, and that RPM will race Fords in 2010. Gillett felt the need to address many issues about RPM after some reports this week falsely stated Gillett's new deal with the Saudi prince would lead to the prince's sports management team taking over RPM. "I came back from Europe into a maelstrom of massively inaccurate stories," Gillett said Saturday at Kansas Speedway. "So I thought we could correct it and move forward. As part of out conversations [with the Saudis], it became clear we should have aligned interest. We discussed if they had an interest in buying a small interest in RPM. A majority? Heck no. It was a very early conversation, but it was completely distorted. I come here today as a man with a clear conscious and potentially a very attractive partner. If he becomes a small investor [in RPM] I can't imagine it would be anything but positive for the sport. That's the story." Gillett said he and the Saudis are in the talks to form some type of stock-car league overseas Gillett said the merged RPM/Yates operation will be at least a three-car team and hopefully four cars. He would not confirm who if those four drivers would be Kasey Kahne, A.J. Allmendinger, Elliott Sadler and Paul Menard, which was reported earlier.(ESPN)(10-3-2009)
UPDATE: “The Yates transaction is on track,” said Gillett, whose RPM organization fields cars for A.J. Allmendinger, Kasey Kahne, Elliott Sadler and Reed Sorenson in the Sprint Cup Series. “We’re going now from letter of intent to a full contract.”(Racin' Today)(10-4-2009)

Sadler to host some special guests: #19-Elliott Sadler is hosting some very special guests at the racetrack this weekend at Kansas Speedway. The 34-year old Emporia, Va. native is hosting three Army servicemen that will soon be re-deployed back to the Middle East. The men contacted Sadler several years ago via the internet prior to a previous deployment and wanted to try to meet him at a race just prior to their departure, unfortunately the meeting never occurred as their deployment was moved up several weeks. Once the men returned from active duty, Sadler finally set up a meeting with them at a race in Talladega. Now, as the three men prepare to venture back oversees, Sadler is planning to host all three for a VIP race weekend during the Chase for the Championship at the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway. Info:
· SFC Gilliam, 34, Brigade Maintenance Management NCO, 16-year vet, three deployments
· SSG Babineaux, 33, Transportation Management Specialist, 13-year vet, five deployments
· SGT King, 33, Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic and Recovery Specialist, 12-year vet, five deployments
Sadler says: “I’m looking forward to hosting SFC Gilliam, SSG Babineaux and SGT King. These guys are huge NASCAR fans and Elliott Sadler fans. They got in contact with me several years ago over the Internet and we've stayed in touch ever since. Hopefully this is a nice little going away present for them this weekend. Everyone that knows me realizes I'm a huge supporter of our military. These guys fight for our freedom everyday and this is a chance for me to say, Thank you!”(RPM)(10-2-2009)

Petty says merger neogiations still ongoing: Richard Petty Motorsports co-owner Richard Petty says that negotiations on the team’s proposed merger with Yates Racing are continuing, and he still expects the deal to be completed. RPM and Yates officials announced Sept. 10 that they planned to merge. At the time, Petty said he thought the deal would close within a few weeks. “It’s still in negotiations, and so far they ain’t signed nothing,” Petty said Wednesday following a news conference to promote the upcoming races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. “I feel like if it went this far, we are going to go forward with it.”(SceneDaily)(10-1-2009)

Kahne using R5 Engine at Kansas...and beyond? UPDATE: #9-Kasey Kahne, Teleconference Transcript (in part) from September 29, 2009:
Q: What engine will you run this weekend at Kansas?
Kahne: I'm using the R5 again this weekend, the same as what we had last week.
Q: Do you anticipate going back to the R6?
Kahne: I think it will be all about reliability. If they think they can get it back where it's really reliable like the R5, then I would think we would probably go back to it. What I told them was that we have some points to make up and if we have anymore issues where we fall outside of the top 35, we're screwed…we have no chance. The very little power that you gain with the R6, it's not nearly enough power for me to say let's take a chance. We definitely want it to be reliable. Maybe we're down a couple horsepower, but that's it. At the end of the day it's not a big deal.(Dodge Motorsports NASCAR PR )(9-30-2009)
UPDATE: Kahne will be using the old R5 Dodge engine this weekend for the second consecutive race, and Richard Petty Motorsports co-owner Richard Petty said time will tell if he gets an R6 back in the car. Teammate #19-Elliott Sadler will have a developmental R6 in his car at Kansas. “Until it proves its reliability, we feel like it’s already got us behind, so we don’t want to take that chance,” Petty said.(SceneDaily)(10-1-2009)

Gillett, RPM partnering with Saudi Prince UPDATE2 Petty comments: In what could turn out to be one of the oddest pairings in the history of American stock car racing, Richard Petty Motorsports' primary shareholder George Gillett Tuesday signed an 'exclusive commercial collaboration' agreement for his stake in the team to Prince Faisal bin Fahd bin Abdullah al-Saud, a member of the Saudi Royal Family. The agreement signed Tuesday forms a partnership that will see the development of a NASCAR racing circuit and Richard Petty racing schools in the Saudi Kingdom and elsewhere in the Middle East. "The Middle East sport market has immense growth potential as eager fans in the region demand access to more diverse, higher caliber competition. I am delighted, enthusiastic, and honored to have the opportunity to partner with such a visionary in His Highness Prince Faisal," said Gillett after the signing. According to many however, the agreement signed Tuesday is the first step to Gillett selling his stake in the team. As the two were publicly confirming the agreement, behind the scenes, Gillett and Prince Faisal acting on behalf of the Saudi sports investment group F6 he chairs, have begun a process of 'due diligence', the examination of financial records, with the goal being that Gillett would be bought out by the end of the year. The primary deal in the works actually centers on British football club Liverpool that Gillett owns a 50% stake in, but the deal would also include Richard Petty Motorsports. The Prince was at Anfield Stadium in England on Saturday as a guest Gillett, who confirmed that he has secured funding from the Saudi prince for his NASCAR team and an agreement to build Liverpool-branded football academies in the Middle East. The entire deal is reportedly worth up to $560 million.(NASCAR Examiner)
UPDATE Foster Gillett has confirmed there are no major ownership changes contemplated at Richard Petty Motorsports. The Gilletts are the majority owners of Richard Petty Motorsports and plan on being so for a long time.(RPM)(9-29-2009)
UPDATE2: Richard Petty Motorsports co-owner Richard Petty said he didn’t know much about the business relationship formed between RPM majority owner George Gillett and Saudi Prince Faisal bin Fahad bin Abdullah Al Saud to explore commercial opportunities with Gillett and his soccer and motorsports properties. “That’s one of George’s deals,” Petty said. “You’ll have to talk him on that. That’s purely his deal. He’d been meeting with these guys for a pretty good while about his [English] football team.”(SceneDaily)(10-1-2009)

Drivers racing at East Lincoln Speedway: Kasey Kahne, Elliott Sadler and A.J. Allmendinger will join Ray Evernham at East Lincoln Speedway on Wednesday night September 30th as Stanley presents a special night to help raise money for the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Charlotte Affiliate to help fund life-saving breast cancer community outreach programs. Kahne, Sadler and Evernham will be aboard specially designed open wheel race cars in a match race and Sadler will also be the guest commentator for the event.(East Lincoln Speedway PR)
AND: David Reutimann and Erik Darnell are set to join a host of NASCAR stars at East Lincoln Speedway on Wednesday night September 30th as Stanley presents ‘Real Drivers Wear Pink.’(Gaston Gazette)(9-29-2009)

Petty-Yates deal still pending: The two big unknowns about the pending merger between Richard Petty Motorsports and Yates Racing can be summed up in two words: "When?" and "If." The two sides have executed a letter of intent and are working toward finalizing the deal. The new organization will continue under the Richard Petty Motorsports name and will switch from Dodge to Ford next season. According to a joint release two weeks ago at Richmond, the team's lineup will include current RPM drivers #9-Kasey Kahne, #19-Elliott Sadler and #44-A.J. Allmendinger as well as Yates driver #98-Paul Menard. Team co-owner Richard Petty estimated Sept. 12 at Richmond that the deal could be concluded within two weeks, but that projection now appears optimistic, as the parties are still ironing out the details. Menard is a key element, in that he brings with him sponsorship from Menards, the Midwestern home-improvement chain founded and owned by his father, John Menard. Though Paul Menard affirmed his commitment to the deal Friday at Dover International Speedway, his assessment of the merger was frequently qualified by the word "if."(Sporting News/NASCAR.com)(9-27-2009)

Allmendinger drove for free earlier; could be in a Ford by Talladega: Richard Petty Motorsports' Executive Director of Race Operations Robbie Loomis says the team could field a Ford before the end of the 2009 season. Loomis told FoxSports.com's Lee Spencer, "I don't want to talk about things that are pure speculation, but I don't think it would surprise anybody if we did." A spokesperson for RPM told Sirius Speedway today that there are no plans to field a Ford before 2010, but off the record, sources inside RPM say that the team has already built at least one Ford Fusion, installing a Ford powerplant in an existing RPM chassis. Initial plans were to have #44-AJ Allmendinger debut the car at Kansas Speedway next week, but that timetable was pushed back when Roush-Fenway Racing's Jack Roush expressed reservations about the quick ramp-up. Now, tentative plans call for Allmendinger to drive a Richard Petty Motorsports Ford at Talladega Superspeedway on November 1, with additional outings possible -- though not certain -- at Texas, Phoenix and Homestead-Miami Speedways. Calls to Richard Petty Motorsports seeking comment were not immediately returned. Loomis also confirmed today that #43-Reed Sorenson is not the first RPM driver to race for free, saying that Allmendinger also waived his paycheck for a time, in order to remain on the racetrack. "AJ and all the employees at Richard Petty Motorsports made sacrifices in order to continue being a four-car team," he said. "When those guys stepped up, it really said a lot to me about the character of Reed Sorenson, AJ Allmendinger and everybody at Richard Petty Motorsports."(Sirius-Speedway)(9-25-2009)

Geek Squad colors for Sadler at Dover: Elliott Sadler’s #19 Dodge will sport a familiar black, white and orange paint scheme at Dover’s “Monster Mile” this weekend honoring those electronic wizards with the white shirts and clip-on ties from Best Buy—the Geek Squad. Sadler’s race car looks similar to the signature car driven by the 21,000 certified Geek Squad agents around the world. Instead of solving customers’ electronic challenges, Sadler hopes to drive his #19 Best Buy/Geek Squad Dodge to another top-10 finish. On Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Sadler finished eighth—his fourth top-10 finish in 2009(RPM). See an image of the scheme on my #19 Team Schemes page.(9-23-2009)

RPM & McArdie part ways UPDATE: The deal between Richard Petty Motorsports and Yates Racing already has cost one top official his job. Richard Petty, the minority owner of RPM, said on Saturday that Mark McArdle, the vice president and managing director of competition at RPM, was fired on Friday after a heated confrontation with team co-owner George Gillett Jr. at Richmond International Raceway. Petty would not speculate on how many others in the engine and chassis department might lose jobs if RPM uses Roush-Yates engines and Roush Fenway chassis as planned. Petty said RPM is moving from Dodge to Ford because Dodge could not offer financial support for 2010 and beyond. Yates already has a financial commitment for two Ford teams, and Petty hopes that will increase once the economy is restored.(ESPN.com)(9-13-2009)
UPDATE: Richard Petty Motorsports today announced the departure of Mark McArdle, the team’s vice-president and managing director of competition. “The company and Mark have decided to go in different directions. It was an amicable departure and we are finalizing some details with him,” said Rick Russell, team president. “We appreciate all of Mark’s many contributions and wish him well in all future endeavors he may pursue.” McArdle said his departure comes after achieving his goal of restoring the team to championship contention. “We have all worked really hard to get Richard Petty Motorsports back in the Chase and we accomplished that goal Saturday night,” McArdle said. “Everyone at the team should take great pride in that. I wish the company nothing but success in the future. There will be nobody rooting harder for the #9 to win the championship than me.”(RPM)(9-17-2009)

Stanley searching for a "Lady in Pink" to honor - last day to nominate: Stanley, sponsor of #19-Elliott Sadler, is teaming with Susan G. Komen for the Cure in search of a “Lady in Pink” to honor at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on Saturday, October 17, 2009. Thru September 15th (today), fans can go to www.stanleymotorsports.com and in 500 words or less nominate their loved one, someone who a breast cancer survivor, to be Stanley’s “Lady in Pink” for the Charlotte race. Stanley will select four semi-finalists at that time and post the four entries on stanleymotorsports.com for fans to vote on their favorite from September 20-25. The top entry in total votes is the grand prize winner. The “Lady in Pink” grand prize winner will have her name displayed on the TV panel of the #19 Stanley Dodge for the NASCAR Banking 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway and receive a VIP race package. For the second year in a row, Sadler will drive a pink #19 Stanley/Susan G. Komen for the Cure Dodge in the fall race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.(RPM)(9-15-2009)

McMurray to replace Sadler in 2010?: could Jamie McMurray be in a Yates Racing car [Richard Petty Motorsports team that Yates merged with] next year after all? Former original Yates employees are saying is they would prefer McMurray over #19-Elliott Sadler.(FoxSports)(9-13-2009)

More details on the Petty 'buyout' of Yates: The deal that brought together Richard Petty Motorsports and Yates Racing for next season is more of a buyout than a merger, minority owner Richard Petty said on Friday. "We're basically taking over their deal," the seven-time Sprint Cup champion said before qualifying at Richmond International Raceway. "As far as I know all of that whole operation will be Richard Petty Motorsports." Petty said George Gillett Jr., who declined to comment earlier Friday, would remain the controlling owner. He said Robbie Loomis, the executive director of race operations at RPM, will continue to run day to day operations. He was unsure what role Max Jones, who co-owned Yates Racing with Doug Yates, would take but speculated that he would stay on as the general manager. Jones declined to comment. Sources close to the situation said Yates would continue to run the Roush-Yates engine program that will supply engines to RPM's four teams -- Paul Menard from Yates and Kasey Kahne, Elliott Sadler and A.J. Allmendinger from RPM. Petty said plans are to move from RPM's Statesville, N.C., shop to Yates' facility in Concord, N.C., to be closer to Roush Fenway Racing, which will continue to supply parts, pieces and technical support as it did with Yates. Because engines will come from Roush-Yates, RPM will have to shut down its engine department that employed more than 40 people. Petty said the potential of letting more people go during tough economic times was the tough part of the deal.(in part from ESPN.com)(9-12-2009)

Richard Petty Motorsports to run Fords in 2010, merge w/Yates: Richard Petty Motorsports and Yates Racing announced today they have signed a letter of intent to merge operations in time for the 2010 season. The four-car team will race Fords under the Richard Petty Motorsports banner.
Richard Petty: “This is a pretty big deal for us. We’re thrilled to partner with Ford. We’ve talked with a lot of folks, but in the end it came down to the success the Gilletts and I think we can achieve with Ford Racing. Right now this deal is real new. There are lots of details still left to be ironed out so we don’t have a lot of answers for anyone right now. We’ll be working on all that in the coming days, weeks and months, but we do intend to have everything in place before the start of next season. I’ve won races with Ford and plan to again.”
Team Managing Partner Foster Gillett: “Richard and Kasey (Kahne) showed us Sunday night in Atlanta that they like winning quite a bit and Ford is going to provide the support that we need to go to victory lane more often. If you are going to compete with the other teams in this sport you need a lot of support. We bring a lot to this relationship as well. We’ve won twice this season and the power of Richard Petty is hard to beat, plus we have the support of some of the biggest names in corporate America.”
Yates Racing Co-owner Max Jones: “This is certainly a great opportunity for both Yates Racing as well as Ford Racing. I have had a long-term relationship with Ford and look forward to continuing that relationship at Richard Petty Motorsports. Over the coming weeks we will continue to work with Ford and Richard Petty to lay out the best plan for Paul Menard and all of the employees at Yates Racing. We will continue to field both the #98 and #96 Ford Fusions for the remainder of the season and look forward to continued success on the track with Paul, Bobby Labonte and Erik Darnell.”
Yates Racing Co-owner Doug Yates: “This plan is clearly in the best interest of the Ford Racing community. On a personal level, I am excited about the opportunity to focus my full energy on building Ford horsepower. We look forward to working with Richard Petty Motorsports to produce power second to none. There are many details to be worked out with Richard Petty Motorsports and as we finalize those details we will keep everyone informed.”
Director of Ford North America Motorsports Brian Wolfe: "I am very pleased that Richard Petty Motorsports has made the decision to switch to Ford for the 2010 season. They had choices to consider other than Ford and it's gratifying to us that they have enough faith in the Ford Motor Company and what we're doing to make the switch. We believe we can provide them with superior analytical tools and powertrain, and we will work with them closely on the technical front to help them become even more competitive than they are. What's also really cool to me is the chance to have someone with the class and the legacy of Richard Petty involved with Ford. Combine that with the chance to work with the Gillett family, who we have great respect for, and add some great drivers to the Ford camp, well, it's hard not to be excited about this opportunity."
Note: Paul Menard will be one of the drivers in the Petty team joining #9-Kasey Kahne, #19-Elliott Sadler and #44-AJ Allmendinger.(Richard Petty Motorsports)
and the PR doesn't mention Reed Sorenson or what car number Menard will run and with this merger, looks like the #26 Roush Fenway Racing team may now go away as they it not merge with Yates Racing now, since Yates and RPM merging is at the four car limit mandated by NASCAR. So unless something changes, two more cars/teams are lost: would expect RPM to run the #9, #19 and #43 so either the #44 team or the #98 team would go away and the #26 Ford that was rumored to be going to Yates.
UPDATE: on Sirius NASCAR Radio Channel 128, Sirius Speedway radio show, Reed Sorenson, current driver of the #43 RPM Dodge, was interviewed and said he knew a few weeks ago that he would not be back with Richard Petty Motorsports in 2010 and he is looking for a ride in 2010. Sorenson says he has enjoyed working with all his current sponsors in 2009 and a few would like to stay with him.(9-10-2009)

Sadler and wife expecting UPDATE: #19-Elliott Sadler announced on Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway Tuesday that he and his wife Amanda are expecting their first child in early March 2010.(9-8-2009)
UPDATE: Elliott Sadler - “I couldn’t be any happier. Amanda and I want to have a big family with three or four kids, so we figured it was time to get started. We’ve known for a little while now, but thought it’d be special to share the news with friends and family this week as we head to Richmond. This is very special for us and something we both knew we wanted to happen soon. We are expecting the baby sometime in March and have a special plan for sharing the sex of our baby with our families. We are going to have the doctor put the sex of the baby in a envelope and not tell anyone, then take everyone out to dinner and open the envelope as a group so we all share the experience together.”(RPM)(9-9-2009)

Stanley to pay out over $1 million if Sadler/Kahne win at Bristol: Richard Petty Motorsports driver Elliott Sadler and the #19 Stanley Dodge now have a million more reasons to win the Aug. 22 race at Bristol Motor Speedway. Primary sponsor Stanley will make a $1 million donation to Children’s Miracle Network if Sadler wins the 500-lap NASCAR Sprint Cup race at the half-mile, high-banked track AND Stanley will donate $500,000 to Children’s Miracle Network if Kasey Kahne wins Friday night’s race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. The incentives are part of the “Racing for a Miracle” program created by Stanley, the Ace Hardware Foundation and Children’s Miracle Network. “Racing for a Miracle” is a multi-dimensional program that benefits sick and injured kids by raising funds for the hospitals that provide their care. In addition to the race, Sadler is encouraging Ace Hardware patrons to visit one of the country’s 1,100 participating Ace Hardware stores during the month of August to buy a $1 “Racing for a Miracle” icon. All donations benefit a local Children’s Miracle Network hospital. Kendrick Cohen, a 12-year-old patient at Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte, N.C., will attend the Aug. 22 race as part of a helmet design contest that he won. Elliott Sadler will present Cohen the helmet he designed and a second helmet will be auctioned off later in the season with donations benefiting Children’s Miracle Network.(RPM)(8-21-2009)

Petty staying with Dodge? It appears Richard Petty Motorsports will not move from Dodge to Toyota next season. At least that's the impression that Lee White, who heads Toyota Racing Development, gave last weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. White said he believes that Mike Accaviti, the president of the Dodge brand, is doing all he can to keep RPM in the fold. He also said that would be a good thing, that the sport needs all four manufacturers to be strong. He actually seemed to wish them luck and didn't seemed bothered that Toyota will not be welcoming in another organization. It makes sense -- Toyota's interest in RPM was tweaked when Red Bull Racing appeared set to leave the fold for General Motors and an association with Hendrick Motorsports. Now that Red Bull is set to re-sign with Toyota, there is not the urgency to get another organization. Having said that, there are no guarantees that RPM will be back with Dodge even if Toyota is out of the picture. The organization has had talks with General Motors as well. But all signs point to Dodge fielding cars for RPM and Penske Racing moving forward.(ESPN Insider)(8-27-2009)

Crew Chief change at the #19 UPDATE 2: Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway is reporting Tuesday that Kevin Buskirk is out as crew chief of Elliott Sadler's #19 Dodge at Richard Petty Motorsports, and will be replaced on an interim basis by Wally Rogers.(8-18-2009)
UPDATE: This weekend Elliott Sadler visits the Tennessee half-mile with a new face on his pitbox. Wally Rogers, the team's car chief, will serve as the interim crew chief for the Richard Petty Motorsports entry. Rogers, a multi-time winner as a crew chief in the Nationwide series, replaces Kevin Buskirk who will be reassigned to other duties within the Petty team.(RPM)(8-18-2009)
UPDATE 2: Elliott Sadler was on SIRIUS NASCAR Radio Tuesday with host Dave Moody and talked about the change:
Elliott Sadler: “Wally Rogers, who had been my car chief all season long, his and my communication has been very good and he makes a lot of decisions that we make during the race weekend and we decided to put him on the pit box and be the crew chief this weekend and I think it’s going to work out good for us. We just saw the #43 and #44 makes some changes over at RPM and I think everybody is looking for that special chemistry that you can have between driver and crew chief to make your cars run better each and every week. We have 13 races left to go in this season and we’re looking for that spark to try to make our team just a little bit better and something to build on for next year.”(Sirius Radio)(8-19-2009)

Sadler to RCR?: UPDATE: Rumors persist that Elliott Sadler [currently in the #19 Dodge for RPM] will move into the #07 Chevrolet next season. Jack Daniels wants to return, but for a limited schedule. Sadler would be a bargain for RCR. Another option? JTG Racing, if Tad Geschickter expands his operation [currently #47-Ambrose]. Sadler still has a year on his contract with Richard Petty Motorsports but would be doing that company a favor if he left. The organization would be stronger with a three-car squad than stretching resources to run four teams.(FoxSports)(8-16-2009)
UPDATE: Sadler declined to comment specifically on the story today, saying simply, “I am committed to my race team, and have a contract through the end of the 2010 season.” While Richard Childress and the Emporia, Va., driver do speak from time to time, it’s generally about hunting, not racing. And well-placed sources at sources at RCR tell Sirius Speedway that there have been no talks about bringing Sadler to the team in 2010.(Sirius Speedway)(8-17-2009)

RPM Still Talking To Toyota: Multiple sources at Richard Petty Motorsports tell Sirius Speedway that RPM is still mulling the possibility of moving its entire operation to the Toyota camp in 2010. RPM spokesmen have downplayed reports of a possible manufacturer switch in recent weeks, but sources say that talks are ongoing with both Dodge and Toyota. No decisions have been made, but in an attempt to cover all their bases, the team recently had a series of publicity photos taken of Kasey Kahne and a Budweiser-sponsored #9 Toyota Camry.(Sirius Speedway)(8-12-2009)

Best Buy to sponsor US F1 team? It is believed that Best Buy is interested in the new US F1 team headed by journalist Peter Windsor and technical expert Ken Anderson. Its chief marketing officer Barry Judge revealed on his Twitter page that he recently met with team officials. "Thoughts on how a Best Buy partnership would help our entry into Europe?" he wrote. Best Buy recently announced plans to open stores in the UK and other European countries for the first time in 2010 while also eyeing major British brands such as Comet and Currys, hence his European reference.(F1-Live.com), if Best Buy just join the F1 team, no word how or if it would affect the sponsorship of the #19 Richard Petty Motorsports Dodge that Elliott Sadler drives.(8-10-2009)

More on possible changes within RPM: Despite recent rumors that Richard Petty Motorsports would be a three-car team by Watkins Glen next weekend, the King said Sunday at Pocono Raceway that there will be four cars through the end of the season. "We're going to have four cars, but we're going to do some changing around," Petty said. "We're looking to finish up this season (and) preparing for next season. We've got one car, hopefully, that's going to be in the Chase and the other three we've got to get squared away and anticipate for next year. There will be some swapping around with different personnel and stuff like that to put in motion this year the opportunity to see how it works in preparation for next year. Then if it doesn't work, we've still got time to make changes for next year." Don't be surprised if there isn't a crew chief change among the non-title contending teams — #19, #43 and/or #44 — before the Chase begins.(FoxSports)(8-3-2009)

Petty says all four teams will stay...for now: Richard Petty shot down rumors that Sorenson was in danger of being yanked from the #43 Dodge for #44-Allmendinger for performance and financial reasons. "We're going to run all drivers the rest of the year," Petty said. "We'll sort of see what happens after this season and we'll make our decisions on next year." All four drivers are signed through 2010, but Petty said there are no assurances the team can keep all the drivers. "The economy is going to dictate to us what we need to do," he said. "Right now, we're just trying to keep our head above water, hoping that the economy comes around so that we can continue to run four cars." RPM laid off employees and sliced salaries earlier this year in the fallout from Chrysler's Chapter 11 filing. Petty's first choice is to run all four cars in a full Cup season, but economics may decide otherwise. "We can't sacrifice three to try and run a fourth car," Petty said. "Right now, we're still breathing air and we're able to run four cars the rest of the season."(in part from the Associated Press)(8-2-2009)

RPM downsizing? Sorenson out? UPDATE2 denied: Rumors persist that Richard Petty Motorsports will shrink to three cars in the next few weeks, with A.J. Allmendinger moving to the #43 Dodge, replacing Reed Sorenson, and the #44 team being shut down.(Ford Racing)(7-29-2009)
UPDATE: An internet report claiming that Reed Sorenson will be released by Richard Petty Motorsports as part of a downsizing of the team's Sprint Cup roster appears to be premature. The Ford Racing website reported on rumors that Sorenson will be replaced by former Champ Car star A.J. Allmendinger when Allmendinger's #44 Dodge is mothballed within the next few weeks. However, a source close to the team -– speaking on the condition of anonymity –- said today that while the move is being discussed, Sorenson's release is not yet a done deal. "No one is sure that it's going to happen," said the source, "but it's definitely being talked about. The team is working on the details right now." If RPM does indeed decide to trim its roster from four cars to three, Allmendinger's current sponsors would transfer to the #43 Dodge. Calls to Richard Petty Motorsports seeking comment were not immediately returned.(Sirius Speedway)(7-29-2009)
UPDATE: a Richard Petty Motorsports representative says that the team will remain a four car team and Sorenson will stay with the #43 team.(7-31-2009)

Sadler gets new Dodge engine for Pocono: #19-Elliott Sadler will run the new Dodge R6P8 engine for the second time in 2009 [supposedly #-Kahne is running the R6P8, #43-Sorenson and #44-Allmendinger are not]. Sadler finished 40th last week at Indianapolis due to mechanical problems early in the race. Sadler is tied with Tony Stewart for the longest active DNF streak (43 races) of drivers that have competed in every race. Regan Smith is at 52 races, but has not competed in every race during that span. Sadler has the longest all-time and active streak of races at Pocono without a DNF (21). Sadler has never recorded a DNF in his career at Pocono Raceway.(RPM)(7-29-2009)