Richard Petty Motorsports and Ford Racing will continue their manufacturing partnership though 2013. The announced deal confirms Richard Petty’s comments a few weeks ago that he would field two cars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. A Nationwide Series team will also run under the RPM banner in 2013 according to the deal.
Next season will mark the fourth year that the RPM cars will run Ford powered cars. Roush-Yates Racing will continue to supply the engines for the cars while the cars themselves will come from Roush-Fenway Racing.
“Our team relationship with Ford Racing has helped us win races and be competitive in both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series,” said Richard Petty, co-owner of Richard Petty Motorsports. “They have been our partner over the past three seasons and we’re proud to continue that relationship into next season, especially with the debut of the new Ford Fusion in the Sprint Cup Series. We expect to continue to win races and challenge for championships in both series with Ford Racing.”
In a press release from RPM the team stated “RPM will continue to enter the No. 9 Ford Fusion with partners Stanley and DEWALT and the No. 43 Ford Fusion with Smithfield Foods and its family of brands, Smithfield, Eckrich, Farmland and Gwaltney, in the Sprint Cup Series, as well as the No. 43 Pilot/Flying J Ford Mustang with driver Michael Annett in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.”
Marcos Ambrose is expected to drive the No. 9 car next season. Ambrose has won the Sprint Cup Series race at Watkins Glen each of the last two seasons. Richard Petty has said that no major changes are expected within the organization but no official announcement has been released about Ambrose, Aric Almirola or Annett who drives in the Nationwide Series.
