Darrell 'Bubba' Wallace Jr set to stay at Richard Petty NASCAR team
Darrell 'Bubba' Wallace Jr is likely to remain at Richard Petty Motorsports for the 2019 NASCAR Cup series, with the two parties in discussion over a contract extension

Wallace secured the full-time seat with RPM for 2018 after a four-race cameo as a substitute for Aric Almirola in '17, who injured his back in a collision at Kansas last year, before taking over the #43 seat when Almirola replaced Danica Patrick at Stewart-Haas Racing for this season.
RPM is going through a transition year with rookie Wallace after the team opted to switch from Ford to Chevrolet ahead of the new Camaro's debut this year.
Wallace made a strong start to 2018, finishing an emotional second in the season-opening Daytona 500 and led his first laps at Bristol, but has since dropped to 24th in the standings.
NASCAR legend and RPM team owner Richard Petty says he expects it will take time for the pairing to succeed, but that he intends to retain Wallace.
"Bubba will be with us again next year, from a standpoint that he's still learning," said Petty. "He's a rookie. A lot of these tracks, he's never been to.

"We've got a new car, first time with a Chevrolet, so we're trying to learn the driver and the car, and all of us trying to learn together.
"It's been a real learning process. Right now, we're kind of too slow learning. We need to speed that up.
"I feel like it's just going to take a little while to make it gel.
"It hardly ever [happens] that any team just comes in and does really good at the beginning of it.
"It takes two or three years for everybody to sort of settle in. Hopefully, we get settled in so we're ready for next year."
Wallace confirmed that contract talks were ongoing.
"We're working on that right now," he said. "It's a positive look for us.
"We've just started this deal, and we formed this relationship back as soon as I set foot on the ground for Pocono last year [for his Cup debut], so we're in a good spot, for sure.
"We're still working on all the details, but I'm excited to be where I'm at right now."

Previous article
Almirola needs 2018 win to prove SHR right to run him in NASCAR Cup
Next article
Childress wanted Chevrolet NASCAR team coalition

About this article
Series | NASCAR |
Author | Tom Errington |
Darrell 'Bubba' Wallace Jr set to stay at Richard Petty NASCAR team
Trending
Why a British prospect is trying to make it in NASCAR
There has never been a full-time British driver in the NASCAR Cup. But Alex Sedgwick, who is rising through the stock car ranks, wants that to change and could be a trailblazer for European talents to reach the top echelons of the NASCAR ladder
How Earnhardt’s death changed American motorsport
It's 20 years since legendary driver Dale Earnhardt Sr died at the Daytona 500, but the legacy of his crash continues today through the pioneering safety work done by NASCAR
The NASCAR subplots to keep an eye on in 2021
This weekend's Daytona 500 kickstarts a NASCAR Cup season that promises plenty of intrigue courtesy of new owners and a refreshed calendar. Here's what you need to know ahead of the new season
How a second-chance NASCAR ace is rebuilding his career
From a disgraced NASCAR exile, Kyle Larson has been given a shot at redemption by the powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports squad. Replacing seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson is no easy billing, but Larson has every intention of repaying the team's faith
Autosport's top 5 NASCAR machines
The American stock car scene is more famous for its close racing and occasional punch-ups, but there have been some fantastic machines too. As part of Autosport's 70th anniversary celebrations in 2020, we picked out five of its best
Why NASCAR's latest second-generation champion is just getting started
Chase Elliott's late charge to the 2020 NASCAR Cup title defied predictions that it would be a Kevin Harvick versus Denny Hamlin showdown. While the two veterans are showing no signs of slowing down, Elliott's triumph was a window into NASCAR's future
Why Johnson’s playoff failure won’t tarnish his legacy
The last season of a retiring NASCAR great has shown promise, and may have resulted in another playoff push without small issues outside his control. 2020 won't be the year Jimmie Johnson would have wanted, but it won't be what he is remembered for
Why a Le Mans winner is heading into the “unknown world” of NASCAR
Comparing Porsche's 919 HYBRID LMP1 to NASCAR is motorsport's equivalent of apples and oranges, but this weekend one of Weissach's top works aces will pit his skills against the regulars and revive the tradition of the 'road-course ringer'