Richard Petty Motorsports has confirmed that it will continue to campaign two Ford Fusions in the NASCAR Sprint Cup next season following the loss of Australian Marcos Ambrose and sponsor Stanley Black and Decker.
Ambrose is returning to the V8 Supercars Championship with the revamped DJR Team Penske, while Stanley has moved to Toyota outfit Joe Gibbs Racing.
JGR formally unveiled its Stanley deal on Thursday, which will see it sponsor Carl Edwards’ new #19 entry for 12 races, and its sister brand DeWalt adorn Matt Kenseth’s #20 for a further six.
RPM has Aric Almirola and sponsor Smithfield Foods locked into its #43 entry, but nothing confirmed for the #9 outside of two-race backer Twisted Tea.
In the wake of this week’s news, RPM CEO Brian Moffitt declared that his squad will maintain its two-car structure, confirming extended relationships with Ford Racing technical partners Roush Fenway Racing and Roush Yates Engines.
“Today, we are excited to build new partnerships on the No. 9 team,” he said.
“We have a vision that our ownership group and sponsors support and believe in.
“We have built upon that vision in two short years to become championship eligible.
“It’s that belief that will help us support the No. 9 team.
“One partner that has supported us is Ford Racing who will again be our manufacturer partner as we continue our relationship that has helped us become a ‘Chase’ organisation.”
Almirola qualified for the Chase this year thanks to his unlikely win in July’s rain-shortened Daytona 400.
Ambrose remains on the hunt for his first win on an oval track and now has just nine more chances, starting at New Hampshire this weekend.
“It was good to get everything out last week because now we can just concentrate on the task at hand, and that’s to win another race before the end of the season,” he said.
“I’ve spent many years at Richard Petty Motorsports, and we have a great relationship. Both of us want nothing more than to win before the end of the season.
“We will go to New Hampshire and the rest of the season trying to get a win. That would be a fitting way to end the season.”
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