MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Richard Petty Motorsports announced Friday afternoon that the organization will downsize to a single-car team for the 2017 NASCAR Premier Series season.
After running as a two-car operation since 2011, RPM will field only the No. 43 Ford next year, with driver Aric Almirola returning for his sixth full season with the team headed by seven-time Premier Series champion Richard Petty.
“At the conclusion of the 2016 season, we evaluated how to best improve our on-track product. We feel that it’s in the best interest of our partners and for Richard Petty Motorsports to focus our resources on the No. 43 Ford Fusion and Aric (Almirola) in 2017,” said RPM Chief Executive Officer Brian Moffitt in a statement. “A concentrated effort on one team will position us for improvement while giving us adequate time to reestablish our two-car team in 2018. For the interim, we will lease one of our two charters.”
Brian Scott, who drove the team’s No. 44 Ford in all 36 races this year, announced his retirement from racing in November. That car will be placed in mothballs for at least one season, while RPM evaluates its options and looks to secure sponsorship and a driver for the 2018 season.
The charter from the No. 44 Ford will be leased to Go Fas Racing in 2017, which guarantees Matt DiBenedetto and that team’s No. 32 entry a starting spot for every Premier Series event.
RPM is hoping to rebound in 2017 after enduring one of the worst statistical seasons in team history.
For the second consecutive year, neither of their drivers won a Premier Series race, and the team was poised to complete their first-ever season without scoring a top-five finish before Scott came home second to race winner Joey Logano at Talladega Superspeedway in October.
The team’s mark of a combined two top-10 finishes was also a career-low at the premier level.
The 2017 NASCAR Premier Series season kicks off Feb. 26, with the 59th running of the Daytona 500.
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network.
Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.
The 22-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as both the full-time tour announcer for the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series and the co-track announcer at Millbridge Speedway.
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