Paul Dumbrell will drive for Ford Performance Racing for the next three years.

As first predicted by Speedcafe (Monday, November 2), Dumbrell will steer the #55 The Bottle-O Racing Ford Falcon FG, prepared by the factory Ford team.

In a press statement yesterday, Walkinshaw Racing confirmed that Dumbrell would leave the

Holden squad at the end of the year. Last night, FPR made it public that the 27-year-old will drive the team’s new third entry, owned by Rod Nash Racing.

Dumbrell also revealed that he plans to “end his career” with Nash, FPR and Ford, and will pursue other business ventures in 2013.

“Rod, The Bottle-O and FPR will be the finish of my career. I’ve had great opportunities throughout but have a lot of things outside of motorsport as well and want to leave on a high note,” he said.

“It was a big decision to move to Ford from Holden. I’ve driven Holdens my whole career. It played on my mind a lot because I’ve had a great career there but with what Ford is doing and what FPR is doing over the next couple of years, I had to have an opportunity in what has been one of the most competitive cars over the last couple of years.”

Dumbrell made his Bathurst debut with Rod Nash in 2000 and is a former team-mate of FPR’s Steve Richards.

“Rod guided the early part of my career,” he said.

“It’s a privileged opportunity to finish under the same guidance with one of the three premier race teams in Australia.

“I was team-mates with Richo for four years and got along very well and I know Frosty (Mark Winterbottom) has an avid interest in training, as I do, and we grew up racing go karts together. It should be easy to fit in and I’m sure we’ll hit the ground running and deliver results straight up at the double header (in the Middle East) in February.”