Beer Stickers: Richard Petty said Budweiser, which sponsors #9-Kasey Kahne and had logos on the other GEM cars prior to the merger, will not be on the #43 or #44. It has been a Petty tradition going back to Richard's mother not to have alcohol-related sponsors on the cars. "My mother would come back and haunt us home," Petty said of what would happen if Budweiser showed on up the #43 or #44. Since there is no sticker to run to get in the Budweiser Shootout and the pole award is given by Coors Light, it will not effect the #43 and/or #44 from running the Budweiser Shootout.

2009 Sponsors Schedule for Allmendinger and the #44
Bud Shootout - 2/7, Valvoline
Daytona 500 - 2/15, Valvoline
Auto Club Speedway - 2/22, Charter Communications
Las Vegas - 3/1, Harrah's
Atlanta - 3/8, Charter Communications
Bristol - 3/22, Charter Communications
Martinsville - 3/29, Charter Communications
Texas - 4/5, Super 8
Phoenix - 4/18, Charter Communications
Talladega - 4/26, Hunt Brothers Pizza
Richmond - 5/2, PVA.org
Darlington - 5/9, Best Buy
All-Star Race - 5/16, Hunt Brothers Pizza
Lowe’s Motor Speedway 5/24, Hunt Brothers Pizza
Dover - 5/31, Auto Value Bumper to Bumper
Pocono - 6/8, Stanley Tools
Michigan - 6/14, Stanley Tools
Infineon - 6/21, Best Buy
New Hampshire - 6/28, Berlin City Auto Group
Daytona - 7/4, PVA.org
Chicago - 7/11, Hunt Brothers Pizza
Indy - 7/26, Hunt Brothers Pizza
Pocono - 8/2, Valvoline
Watkins Glen - 8/9, Stanley Tools
Michigan - 8/16, Super 8
Bristol - 8/22, Hunt Brothers Pizza
Atlanta - 9/6, Hunt Brothers Pizza
Richmond - 9/12, PVA.org
New Hampshire - 9/20, Berlin City Auto Group
Dover - 9/27, Super 8
Kansas - 10/4, Valvoline
Auto Club Speedway - 10/11, Dassault Systemes
Charlotte - 10/17, Best Buy
Martinsville - 10/25, Coleman Natural Foods
Talladega - 11/1, Hunt Brothers Pizza
Texas - 11/8, Ford in Petty colors
Phoenix - 11/15, Ford in Petty colors
Homestead - 11/22, Ford in Petty colors
(as of 11-3-2009)

Contract Status: Sponsor - 200?; Driver - 2010, moves to the #43

Allmendinger pleads no contest for DWI: AJ Allmendinger was given a suspended sentence, probation and community service after pleading no contest to a misdemeanor charge of driving while impaired following a traffic stop on Oct. 29, SceneDaily.com reported. The 27-year-old driver was charged by Mooresville police after being pulled over at 1:27 a.m. in North Carolina. He was released after registering .08 on the Intoxilyzer. Allmendinger pleaded no contest in North Carolina District Court on Friday and was given a 60-day suspended sentence, 18 months unsupervised probation and 24 hours of community service, the Web site reported. He was also fined $100 plus court costs and his driving privileges were limited. Allmendinger had been placed on probation by Richard Petty Motorsports and fined $10,000 to be donated to charity.(Associated Press/ESPN.com)(12-21-2009)

Rick Russell out at Petty: Rick Russell is the latest casualty in the Richard Petty Motorsports/Yates Racing merger. The president of the team has parted ways with the company, sources told FOXSports.com. Russell, who had been with Evernham Motorsports since its inception in 2000, came to the company following a seven-year stint with Action Performance (currently Motorsports Authentics) where he served as vice president and general manager. Max Jones, principal of the team formerly known as Yates Racing, will assume Russell's position.(Fox Sports)(12-12-2009)

Petty-Yates Merger supposedly a done deal: Richard Petty Motorsports officially became a Ford operation on Thursday. The merger deal was signed between principals from RPM and Yates Racing and the appropriate paperwork was filed with Ford Motor Company. Richard Petty Motorsports brings three additional teams to the table, the #9, #19 and #43. Ford officials have said repeatedly what a coup it was to gain #9-Kasey Kahne, who finished 10th in the Sprint Cup point standings, into the fold as well as 28-year-old #43-AJ Allmendinger. #19-Elliott Sadler will also join the driver roster which included #98-Paul Menard from the former Yates organization. RPM is currently operating out of Statesville, N.C. The former Yates Racing buildings in Concord, N.C. are currently being remodeled to accommodate all four teams. That move is scheduled for Speedweeks in February.(FoxSports)(12-4-2009)

Blue Changes at Yates Shop: The building used by Yates Racing in Concord, N.C., soon will be gutted and prepared to expand into a four-car Sprint Cup garage when the merger with Richard Petty Motorsports is completed. The building was used to field two cars owned by Yates/Hall of Fame Racing in 2009. With the merger it will expand to the #9 of Kasey Kahne, #19 of Elliott Sadler, #43 of AJ Allmendinger and #98 of Paul Menard. The building is expected to be painted the famous Petty Blue since the organization will take on the RPM name.(ESPN Insider)(11-25-2009)

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)

Latest on RPM 'layoffs' and switches: The dominos continue to fall at Richard Petty Motorsports. When Keith Barnwell was released on Tuesday, that left #44-A.J. Allmendinger sans spotter. On Thursday, the decision was made to reunite Allmendinger with former spotter Tony Hirschmann, who had been reassigned to #43-Reed Sorenson in the crew chief swap. Sorenson's crew chief Sammy Johns will spot for him this weekend. Kevin Buskirk, who was #19-Elliott Sadler's crew chief earlier this season, is expected to make the calls on the #43 pit box. Pete Rondeau, who served as the director of research and development at RPM since July 2005, was also released on Tuesday. The former crew chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr. says he's ready to become a road warrior again and is interested in any upcoming crew chief openings.(FoxSports)(11-13-2009)

Richard Petty Raceway opens Friday: NASCAR's all-time wins leader Richard Petty and Phoenix International Raceway have teamed up to open Richard Petty Raceway, a 1/16-mile go-kart track on the Midway that is the first such permanent karting facility located within a major NASCAR venue. Petty and Sprint Cup Series driver A.J. Allmendinger will appear at the grand opening of the track, scheduled for 2:00pm on Friday, November 13.(PIR)(11-12-2009)

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)

Allmendinger In Fords Remainder of 2009 Season: AJ Allmendinger makes his Ford Racing debut this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway. The Richard Petty Motorsports driver will race the remaining three races of the 2009 season in a Ford Fusion. Race fans will recognize the familiar “Petty Blue” and red paint scheme on #44 for the rest of the season. Last week at Talladega, Elliott Sadler drove a Ford to a ninth-place finish. Allmendinger will be the only Petty driver in a Ford in any of the remaining 2009 races. “This is exciting stuff. It’s like a new beginning for Richard Petty Motorsports. Whenever you do something new you are a little bit excited and a little bit nervous because you haven't done it before. Elliott drove a Ford for us at Talladega last week and everyone was really positive about the experience. It’s our turn this week tire testing a Ford in Daytona and we’ll drive one at Phoenix and Homestead as well.”(RPM)(11-3-2009)

Allmendinger charged with DWI: UPDATES: fined by team: For the second time in a week a NASCAR driver is in trouble with the law. A.J. Allmendinger, driver of the #44 car, was arrested for drunk driving, Mooresville police say. Allmendinger was pulled over around 1:30 a.m. Thursday along Highway 150. According to police, Allmendinger blew a .08, which is the legal limit in North Carolina. Last week Mooresville police say alcohol was a factor in an accident involving NASCAR driver and team owner Michael Waltrip. Officers investigating the accident suspected Waltrip was drinking, but when he was given a field sobriety test, he registered a .06. In North Carolina the legal limit is .08.(News Observer)(10-29-2009)
UPDATE: The Richard Petty Motorsports driver, according to the police report, was driving a 2007 Lexus when he was pulled over at 1:27 a.m. He was released to others at the owner's request. Police said he blew a .08 on a breathalyzer test. He has a court date for Dec. 18. "I made an error in judgment last night for which I take full responsibility," Allmendinger said in a statement released by RPM. "I went out to dinner and I had a couple of drinks. I honestly felt fine but I obviously should have erred more on the side of caution particularly given what I do for a living. It was a bad judgment call and I apologize for that ... To my fans, sponsors, team and NASCAR. If anything good can come of this then hopefully I can be an example of being more aware of drinking responsibly and if even if you feel fine, take a cab, call a friend ... just don't risk it. I will do my best to make it right and use this to learn myself and hopefully educate others." RPM officials said Allmendinger will be in the car this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway.(ESPN.com)(10-29-2009)
UPDATE 2: A statement from Richard Petty: "I am deeply disappointed this has happened. AJ has accepted full responsibility for his actions and will work to make this right. On behalf of everyone at Richard Petty Motorsports we sincerely apologize to our fans and partners."(RPM PR)(10-29-2009)
UPDATE 3: AJ Allmendinger, driver for the #44 team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, has been placed on probation until Dec. 31, 2009. Allmendinger has violated Section 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) of the 2009 NASCAR rule book. (NASCAR PR)(10-29-2009)
UPDATE 4: Richard Petty Motorsports announced that it has taken the following actions in response to the incident involving driver A.J. Allmendinger: “We are disappointed with his actions. A.J. has told us that he has accepted full responsibility for his actions and will do what is right. We have placed A.J. on probation through the end of the 2010 racing season. In addition, he will be fined $10,000 which will be donated to charity.”(RPM PR)(10-30-2009)
UPDATE 5: AJ Allmendinger was administered a breathalyzer prior to Friday's first Sprint Cup practice at Talladega Superspeedway. Allmendinger has been placed on probation by NASCAR through the end of the season and, according to sources close to the situation, will be monitored closely by the governing body during that time. Allmendinger said he hopes the incident will not impact his future. "It's not the first I've ever made. It's the biggest mistake I've made to this magnitude. A lot of people make mistakes and get a second opportunity.''(ESPN.com)(10-30-2009)

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)

#44 crew to donate winnings; new sponsor: Richard Petty Motorsports’ #44 pit crew for driver AJ Allmendinger has so far claimed two Tissot Pit Road Precision awards and finished runner up in the Sprint Pit Crew Challenge in May when it worked as the #43 Petty team. Now the crew wants to play a role in something more important than racing—battling breast cancer and helping kids. The crew voted last week to donate a majority of the prize money it earned through the Tissot awards and pit stop competition to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Victory Junction. #44 Jackman Ed Watkins: “You rock and roll every Sunday supporting the race team and AJ in giving him fast pit stops. But this gives us an opportunity to support the community. We wanted to do something in the fight against breast cancer. We also wanted to find a way we could give underprivileged children a chance to attend the victory junction camp and experience the great campus the Petty’s have up there.” Allmendinger’s #44 Dodge will carry a Coleman Natural Food paint scheme this weekend at Martinsville Speedway in Allmendinger's 76th career start.(RPM)(10-22-2009)

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)

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)

New sponsor for Allmendinger at ACS: A.J. Allmendinger Sorenson drives the #44 Dassault Systemes Dodge for Richard Petty Motorsports this weekend at Auto Club Speedway. Dassault Systemes (pronounced: duh-so-Systemes) is the second largest software company in Europe specializing in software that allows companies to create in 3-D. The Petty team along with nearly all Formula One teams use the Paris-based company’s software to design cars and components in virtual reality.(RPM Facebook), see an image of the scheme on my #44 Team Schemes page.(10-7-2009)

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)

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)

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)

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)

Berlin City sponsorship on the #44 at NHMS: AJ Allmendinger drives the #44 Berlin City Auto Group Dodge this weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Berlin City Auto Group, with dealerships throughout New England, specializes in the sales, service and parts for automotive manufacturers and pre-owned vehicles. “This is the same paint scheme we ran up there in June. Our owner George Gillett also owns the Berlin City Auto group and they used to sponsor Dave Dion in a lot of races in the area. Race fans asked about it last time we were up there. I’m glad we are running it again this weekend. I love the history of the sport and if it helps remind people of some of the history then that’s a good thing. There aren’t many orange and white cars out there these days.” Sunday marks Allmendinger’s 71st start in Sprint Cup racing (RPM). See image of the scheme on my #44 Team Schemes page.(9-15-2009)

Petty would like to put Allemndinger in the #43: Richard Petty, the minority owner of RPM, said no decision has been made on who will take over the famed #43 that he drove to seven championships, but added that he would like to see Allmendinger in the car if all sponsors agree.(ESPN.com)(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)

Allmendinger discusses Petty-Yates merger: Thursday, September 10, 2009 on SIRIUS NASCAR Radio, host Dave Moody spoke with #44 RPM Dodge driver A.J. Allmendinger after the announcement that Richard Petty Motorsports and Yates Racing have signed a letter of intent to merge for the 2010 season and race a four car team in Fords:
Host, Dave Moody: “How long have you known about this?”
A.J. Allmendinger: “I think probably just about as long as you guys have. Maybe an hour earlier. I knew about an hour earlier.”
Moody: “Is it safe to say there are going to be a lot of really surprised folks wandering around the halls at RPM and Yates Racing today?”
Allmendinger: “In certain ways, yes. In certain ways, maybe not, no. Just because over the last, heck, I mean, how many months has it been that people have known that we’ve been out there looking at manufacturers. And Foster Gillett and everybody at Richard Petty Motorsports has been working hard to find the right home for us to go to. Yeah, maybe in certain ways, just kinda how quick it all happened but in other ways, no, just because like I said, they’ve been working hard and there’s been no secret especially over the last couple of months about them looking at manufacturers. Obviously, Toyota was probably the main one that was put out there but they’ve been kind of exhausting every possibility and I think with what just happened the whole team is excited. I know I’m pumped up about it to be able to work with Ford and be a part of that. It’s going to be a good thing.”
“Obviously, all the horsepower that Yates puts out is pretty awesome to have and we’re pretty excited about it. We’ve been working really hard, especially on the chassis. We’ve gotten the chassis a lot better at Richard Petty Motorsports and everybody in the engine shop has been doing a good job there. We’ve just been just lacking a little bit but I’m excited about that because we’ve worked really hard especially over the last few months to make these cars handle good and we put some Yates horsepower under it, it’s going to be a good thing.”
Moody: “We would assume that the legendary #43 would continue. Have they told you yet who drives it?”
Allmendinger: “Haven’t told me yet so I don’t know, Moody. You seem to know more than I usually do so when you find that out let me know, please. I’d love to drive it. The history behind it. In a way, obviously I already get to drive for the King and a lot of ways with being a part of Richard Petty Motorsports and kind of looking at the #43 and #44 cars as still the stable mate of the King’s cars, but I’d love to be driving that #43. As a racecar driver and more of a racecar fan, I love the history of motorsports and obviously the #43 is one of those numbers throughout all types of auto racing that stands out. So if I got a chance to be in it I’d jump at it in a heartbeat.” “SIRIUS Speedway” airs every weekday (3-7 pm ET) exclusively on SIRIUS NASCAR Radio 128.(SIRIUS XM Radio)(9-11-2009)

Gillett about finalizes Montreal Canadiens sale: George Gillett, tears in his eyes, announced Thursday that the sale of the Canadiens to the Molson family is all but finalized, saying his eight years as owner of the historic team were the best of his family's life. He says his one regret was not to have won a Stanley Cup during his tenure with the Canadiens. The sale confirmation comes on the same day Quebec announces a $75-million loan to facilitate the transaction. The government loan hinges on a guarantee the hockey club stays in Montreal. Closing is expected to take place in the next few weeks, subject to ultimate approval by the National Hockey League, according to a statement released by the partnership purchasing the team. In addition to the Molson brothers and members of their family, the partners include Bell, the Woodbridge Company Limited, the QFL Solidarity Fund, Michael Andlauer and Luc Bertrand. Two thirds of the capital is invested by Quebec-based partners.(Montreal Gazette), Gillett is co-owner of Richard Petty Motorsports [#9, #19, #43, #44 teams](9-11-2009)

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)

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)

Allmendinger testing Late Mode UPDATE: Hearing that A.J. Allmendinger is testing some Late Model Crate [Travis Lawson's car] and Late Model cars Monday at Cherokee Speedway in preparation for the upcoming [Sept 9th] Prelude to the Dream at Tony Stewart's Eldora Speedway.(8-17-2009)
UPDATE: Jeremy Clements, former Cherokee Speedway Track Champion was on hand to shake down the cars, both the Crate Late Model of Travis Lawson and the #75 Beaver Bail Bonds Car driven by Petey Ivey. Ivey has won two Carolina Clash races in recent weeks.(Cherokee Speedway)(8-18-2009)

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)

#43 and #44 Crew Chief and Crew Switch official: Crew Chief Mike Shiplett and the crew that fielded the #43 Dodges for Reed Sorenson will begin working on the #44 Dodge with A.J. Allmendinger at Michigan and the rest of the 2009 season. Sam Johns and his crew that worked on the #44 will begin working on the #43 with Sorenson at Michigan. At Michigan, the #44 will sport a Super 8 scheme while the #43 Dodge will have Bumper to Bumper colors. Says Allmendinger:" I’m pumped about working with Mike (Shiplett) and his crew again. We went testing at Dover last week and worked real well together. Sammy Johns and those guys did a heck of a job getting us ready to go racing right before the season and we had some really good runs. They are going to go over with Reed (Sorenson) and we’ll pool the information and improve our teams. We’re here to win and get a jump on 2010. Mike and I want to work on everything that will make us a contender the rest of the season and hit the ground running in Daytona in February.”(Richard Petty Motorsports)(8-12-2009)

More on possible changes within RPM UPDATE 2: 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)
UPDATE The #43-Sorenson and #44-Allmendinger teams at Richard Petty Motorsports will change crew chiefs and crews following the race at Watkins Glen. According to team sources, drivers Reed Sorenson and AJ Allmendinger will remain with their respective car numbers and sponsors. However, Mike Shiplett will now oversee the #44 Dodge with Allmendinger and Sammy Johns will be the crew chief for Sorenson and the #43 squad. The cars and equipment will remain with the crew chiefs.(Foxsports)(8-3-2009)
UPDATE: it has reported a few times on TV coverage this weekend that the #43 and #44 crew chief's and crews have made the swap BUT have been told by RPM reps that the change has not been made yet and that Mike Shiplett is still crew chiefing the #43 Dodge of Reed Sorenson and Sammy Johns is still crew chiefing the #44 Dodge of A.J. Allmendinger. And see image of the #43 McDonald's Angus Third Pounders scheme.(8-8-2009)

More on possible changes within RPM UPDATE: 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)
UPDATE The #43-Sorenson and #44-Allmendinger teams at Richard Petty Motorsports will change crew chiefs and crews following the race at Watkins Glen. According to team sources, drivers Reed Sorenson and AJ Allmendinger will remain with their respective car numbers and sponsors. However, Mike Shiplett will now oversee the #44 Dodge with Allmendinger and Sammy Johns will be the crew chief for Sorenson and the #43 squad. The cars and equipment will remain with the crew chiefs.(Foxsports)(8-3-2009)

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)