Fast Facts: Richard Petty Motorsports

The team we know today as Richard Petty Motorsports began as Bill Elliott Racing in 1995, but has its roots in one of the most successful teams in NASCAR history, Petty Enterprises. Here’s a look back at the history of RPM.

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• In 1949, Petty patriarch Lee opened Lee Petty Racing, which later became Petty Enterprises; this team fielded cars for Lee and his son Richard, who won a combined for a total of 10 championships (three for Lee and seven for Richard). Other drivers for the team in its early years included Ralph Earnhardt, Tiny Lund, Bill Mutz and Bobby Myers. The third and fourth generations of Petty drivers, Kyle and Adam, also drove for the team. Other drivers of the famous #43 under the Petty Enterprises banner included John Andretti, Jeff Green, Christian Fittipaldi, Bobby Labonte and Bobby Hamilton. Petty Enterprises ran in NASCAR’s Cup Series from 1949 to 2008.
• Bill Elliott Racing, formed by the 1988 Cup Series champ for the 1995 Cup Series season, was sold to Ray Evernham following the 2000 season in Evernham’s efforts to start up the Dodge program in NASCAR. Evernham Motorsports later became Gillett Evernham Motorsports when businessman George Gillett bought into the team.
• In 2009, Gillett Evernham Motorsports merged with Petty Enterprises, bringing the No. 43 car into the fold and rebranding the team as Richard Petty Motorsports. RPM bought out Yates Racing prior to the 2010 season; in November 2010, RPM was purchased by Petty and partner Douglas Bergeron, along with financial company Medallion Financial, who make up the current ownership group.
• Today, RPM runs two teams in the Sprint Cup Series: the No. 9 Stanley/Dewalt Ford Fusion of Marcos Ambrose and the No. 43 Best Buy/Valvoline/Air Force Ford Fusion of A.J. Allmendinger.
• Find out more about Richard Petty Motorsports at richardpettymotorsports.com.