ESPN reporting Petty and Childress to "merge"...Or Not

[kbeverley]

This is Deja vous all over again. They're merging one minute and the next they aren't. I know one thing, they better get something in order or they wont find a sponsor that will have them.


www.espn.com/jayski/cup/2017/story/_/id/20595909/richard-petty-motorsports-no-plans-merge-another-team

Officials from Richard Petty Motorsports, whose shop went up for lease last week, said Tuesday they have no plans to merge with another team while seeking a new home.

RPM, which downsized to the #43 Ford with Aric Almirola this season, still is sorting out its driver, manufacturer and sponsor lineup for 2018, but the team will remain an independent entity next season, quelling speculation that it might consider moving under the umbrella of an existing Cup team.

RPM still is looking for a new shop location next year after confirming last week an impending departure from its Mooresville, N.C., shop of nearly 80,000 square feet because it doesn't need the room.

[twiss43]

Not merging to me means they are still RPM not another team. I believe the technical alliance is more important to get straighten out.

[doug]

Wow now with reports of Smithfield going to SHR, none of this is looking good for the future. It looks like they don't have a shop,driver and now sponsor, ouch. Been a Petty fan for 50 years and the last 5-10 years or so looks like they have always been just holding on. I hope for the best I just would hate to see races with no blue 43.

[jlp4345]

This is not good at all. I hope these rumors circulating about Smithfield leaving are just rumors. I may be reading into this too much or looking for any sign of this being not so but I did notice when this news broke yesterday on Twitter, that RPMotorsports liked the article, now I guess that could be taken both ways, like could be the truth, or not true so they are liking it because they find it laughable all these different speculations. One thing is for sure, like stated above, they hopefully can announce something sooner than later, because right now things are looking almost worse than they did right before Petty Enterprises went under and the whole Boston Ventures debacle.

Jason

[doug]

Funny how just a couple weeks ago the talk was a second car for Darrell Wallace and now its looking like it maybe hard to just get one car running next year.I was hoping that with Fords help that maybe there would been some help and push to get Darrell Wallace in the car. Hard to think of Nascar without Petty and Earnhardt involved (sorry Jeffrey Earnhardt). Watching RPM for the many years it seems like they keep changing chew chiefs and other members (owners/partners) and yet always the same old 20th place. Look at the Wood Brothers and after hooking up the a top team and what they are doing now. Funny how I was always against them ( because of the Petty wars) but now I always watch for the 21. Well we shall see what lies ahead, but I'm worried about that they have no shop for next year. Wonder if this was because they new about Smithfield leaving and new they didn't have the dollars to lease a new shop. Maybe there was something in the works with RCR and that was a last resort that they were hopping for and now it looks like that is not happening. I think if they don't have anything in the next month then that won't give them time to move and have cars ready for Daytona.