Richard Petty Motorsports signs Allmendinger for 2010

ALLMENDINGER TO RACE FOR RICHARD PETTY MOTORSPORTS IN 2010

STATESVILLE, N.C. -- Richard Petty Motorsports announced today AJ Allmendinger will race for the team in the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup season.

"This was an easy decision for Richard Petty Motorsports," said Tom Reddin, the team's chief executive officer. "AJ has done a superb job, both on and off the track in 2009. We want to let everyone know that he's going to be a vital part of Richard Petty Motorsports for what we believe will be a long-term, winning relationship."

The Petty team signed Allmendinger before the start of the 2009 season with plans to run the Bud Shootout and the first eight point races. Allmendinger finished fifth in the preseason Bud Shootout, and posted a third-place finish in the Daytona 500 and a ninth-place finish at Martinsville. He was the only driver without a guaranteed starting spot to qualify for all of the races in 2009.

Sponsorship from Dodge, Hunt Brothers Pizza, Valvoline, Harrah's, Super 8, the Paralyzed Veterans of America and Charter Communications extended Allmendinger's schedule through the Sept. 12 Richmond race.

Reddin said he is confident the team will secure the sponsorship needed to extend the number of races the 27-year-old Californian will run in 2009 for the full season. Allmendinger is 20th in points but only 104 points out of the 12th and final "Chase" position.

"I'm thrilled about this," Allmendinger said. "Racers are no different than anyone else. We like to know we have a job. I'm very thankful to be where I am and I expect we will keep running better and better each weekend. I think I have found a long-term home at Richard Petty Motorsports."

Allmendinger, who won the 2008 Sprint All-Star Open, owns 51 starts in his brief NASCAR tenure after leaving an open wheel career where he won five races in the Champ Car series.

-credit: rpm