Allmendinger signs with Richard Petty Motorsports

STATESVILLE, North Carolina (Ticker)—A.J. Allmendinger agreed Wednesday to a one-year contract to drive the No. 44 Dodge for Richard Petty Motorsports.

Allmendinger, 27, will start the first eight races of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup season for Richard Petty Motorsports, which is seeking additional sponsorship for the remainder of the campaign.

“This is pretty awesome news to me,” Allmendinger said. “I just want to get behind the wheel of a race car and race. We have a lot of work to do on the track and need to sell some sponsorship.”

After a disappointing 2008 season during which he recorded two top-10 finishes in 27 races, Allmendinger was released by Gillett Evernham Motorsports, which recently merged with Petty Enterprises to form Richard Petty Motorsports.

Team owner Richard Petty, however, feels that Allmendinger can be a successful driver in NASCAR’s premier series.

“A.J. has a ton of potential,” Petty said. “I went testing with him a few weeks ago. When he climbed out of the car, I think he went to everyone working on the car asking them questions and wanting to know what was going on.

“That’s the kind of thing you want out of your driver. He’s a young guy, and I think we can help him and he can help us.”