Merged team to use Petty name

The Petty name will remain in NASCAR's top series thanks to Richard Petty's team's new association with one of the youngest squads in the business, and their desire to rename the team after the seven-time Cup champion.

Two weeks ago Petty announced that they would merge with GEM, taking the famed No.43 car to the new partnership, along with some of their top personnel, to work under the roof of GEM's existing facilities

Petty will still have an active role in the organisation, although Petty Enterprises, owned in majority by the Boston Ventures investment group, will not have major control of the team.

"I'm going to basically be doing the same thing I've been doing for the last eight or 10 years - nothing - as much as I can," Petty joked.

"I guess my responsibility of placing the businesses, working with the sponsors, doing personal appearances for them, doing whatever I can to advertise our team and then on the other hand doing everything we can with NASCAR as far as showing up for 99 percent of the races and just doing the Richard Petty thing.

"So I don't see my role changing a whole lot in the way I've been running the business or running with the business or working with people in the business."

Petty Enterprises, founded in 1949, had been the oldest team in NASCAR. The team won more than 280 races over the last 60 years.

Richard Petty Motorsports will field three full-time cars this season. Kasey Kahne will drive the No.9, Elliot Sadler the No.19, Reed Sorenson the No.43, while AJ Allmendinger is currently set for a part-time schedule in the No.44 car.