Petty, stock car’s king and at 71 still the most recognizable face in racing, will have a presence under a rebranding of the new team created by the merger of his organization with Gillett Evernham Motorsports.
The new team will be called Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM), capitalizing on the seven-time champion’s marketability. The announcement was made Monday during the first day of the annual NASCAR Sprint Media Tour hosted by Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Petty and GEM principal owner George Gillett agreed to merge their teams this month in a partnership that keeps the sponsor-strapped Pettys in racing. Reed Sorenson will drive Petty’s famed No. 43 Dodge for RPM this season. Petty’s No. 44 Dodge will be run by A.J. Allmendinger in at least the first five races of the season as the team attempts to find more sponsorship.
Those two drivers join GEM holdovers Kasey Kahne and Elliott Sadler, who both have full-time rides.
Before the marriage with Gillett Evernham Motorsports could become a reality, Richard Petty had a list of demands that had to be met. Strange that a man getting bought out would be in a position to make demands, but he is Richard Petty, and in NASCAR circles he still carries an almost unparalleled degree of cachet. So he wanted the car numbers from his old shop, the 43 and 44, and he didn’t want them associated with alcohol. He wanted a place for the Petty blue color, and positions for a few of his best people. And most of all he wanted the name. He had to have the name. Because for the Pettys, the name is everything.
If George Gillett had resisted? “We wouldn’t have gotten to the second step,” says the King, smiling behind trademark sunglasses and beneath a spotless white cowboy hat.
But Gillett didn’t resist. How could he? In the short time since he’s ventured into the NASCAR arena, the sports tycoon and Petty have become friends. Gillett’s team supplied engines to Petty Enterprises, fostering a close working relationship between Mark McArdle and Robbie Loomis, the chief technical men at their respective shops. Gillett and Petty even talked about merging two years ago, but the time wasn’t right. So when the economy tanked, and Petty Enterprises was left without any sponsors, and the King finally called a few months ago offering to sell—with certain stipulations, of course—all the pieces fit into place.
“The merger itself was a relatively easy process,” said Foster Gillett, George’s son, “since it had already been working that way for years.”
“Any kind of business ventures joining up or buying or selling, then you’ve got certain criteria that you’ve got to work around,” Petty said. “[I told them] I ain’t coming if my people ain’t coming.
“If it’s just me coming then I’m just an individual and I’m really on the outskirts. When I come and bring Robbie and Brian and Dale, then I’ve brought the nucleus of Richard Petty. Then I’m involved and they’re involved, and what I can’t find out they can find out.”
But most important was keeping alive the Petty brand. Gillett, who did not change the name or signage of the Montreal Canadiens when he purchased the NHL team several years ago, had no problem with that.
