Evernham Motorsports
Encyclopedia
Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) is a two-car NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race team owned by seven-time NASCAR
champion Richard Petty
, Douglas G. Bergeron
and financial company Medallion Financial. The team was founded as Evernham Motorsports in 2000, was renamed Gillett Evernham Motorsports in 2007 after former Montreal Canadiens
and Liverpool F.C.
owner George Gillett bought a controlling interest from founder Ray Evernham
, and took on its current name after merging with Petty Enterprises
in 2009.
In November 2010, an investment group including Medallion Financial Corp., Douglas G. Bergeron
and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty, signed and closed sale on racing assets of Richard Petty Motorsports. Andrew M. Murstein
, president of Medallion, had been seeking a sports investment since 2008 when he formed a special purpose acquisition company together with Hank Aaron, a Medallion board member, and others. Petty, Bergeron, and Medallion Financial are the current owners of the team; Gillett no longer has a stake.
The team currently fields the #9 Stanley
Ford Fusion for Marcos Ambrose
and the #43 Best Buy
Ford Fusion for A.J. Allmendinger.
The #9 debuted in the 2001 Daytona 500
with Dodge's return to NASCAR. Bill Elliott
won the pole for the event and finished in fifth place. He marked the season with his first win in seven years at Homestead-Miami Speedway
, and had a fifteenth-place finish in points. After three more wins and a ninth-place finish in the points in 2003, Elliott announced that due to the pressures of a full Nextel-Cup schedule, he would step down from his full-time ride and would race the team's research and development
car. His replacement was rookie Kasey Kahne
, a successful open-wheel racer just starting to gain respect in the Busch Series
. Kahne won four pole positions and a thirteenth place finish in points on his way to winning Rookie of the Year
honors. He won the spring Richmond
race in 2005, but finished a disappointing 23rd in the final point standings.
Near the end of the 2005 season, Evernham initiated a crew swap between his teams, citing performance issues with both cars. As a result, Kasey received most of what was Mayfield's team from 2005. In 2006, Kahne won six races, including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600
at Lowe's Motor Speedway
in May. He also made his first Chase for the Nextel Cup
, finishing 8th in the standings at the end of the season. His six wins were a series high in 2006 and he also tied for the most pole awards with Kurt Busch
, winning six. On September 18, 2007, it was announced that Budweiser
would sponsor the #9 car beginning in 2008. In his first year with Budweiser sponsorship, Kahne had two wins and finished fourteenth in points. The next year, Kahne scored his first road course victory at the Toyota/Save Mart 350 and won again at Atlanta on Labor Day, earning him a berth in the Chase. However, early misfortune at Loudon put the #9 team out of contention for the championship, finishing 10th in points. 2010 would start the #9 team off on a high note by winning the 2nd Gatorade Duel in a photo finish. However, the team was plagued by inconsistency and was knocked out of Chase contention before Richmond. With a lack of results, Kahne departed the team before Martinsville
and drove Red Bull Racing's #83 Toyota. Kahne was replaced by Aric Almirola
for the remaining races, who had a best finish of 4th at Homestead
. Marcos Ambrose
took over driving duties at the beginning of the 2011 season with sponsorship from Stanley
and DEWALT
. Ambrose
has had a break out year in the No. 9 Ford and drove to his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory at Watkins Glen International
in Watkins Glen, N.Y. in August.
as the #19 Motorola
Ford
. Casey Atwood drove the car to a nineteenth-place finish. The abbreviated season was capped off by Atwood's tenth place finish at Homestead that year. Atwood and the team went full time the next year. The year was off to a sluggish start when Atwood failed to qualify at the spring Atlanta
race, but picked up steam towards the end of the year, winning the pole at Phoenix International Raceway
, and almost winning the Homestead race before relinquishing the lead to teammate Elliott late in the race. Atwood barely missed wrestling the rookie of the year crown away from Kevin Harvick
, despite Harvick finishing much higher in the points (ninth) and winning twice.
At the end of the year though, Jeremy Mayfield
became available, and Evernham signed Mayfield to drive the #19 machine while Atwood was moved to Ultra Motorsports
, who had just signed a partnership agreement with Evernham. Mayfield struggled in his initial year with Evernham, posting just four top tens and finishing 26th in points. He won a pole at Talladega Superspeedway
the next year however, and improved to 19th in points. 2004 was even better, winning at Richmond and barely making the cut for the inaugural Chase For The NEXTEL Cup. He claimed one more win in 2005 and also made the Chase For The NEXTEL Cup once again.
However, after the 2006 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard
, where an early-race crash dropped the #19 team out of the top-35 in owner points (thus requiring the team to qualify for each race on time), Ray Evernham replaced Mayfield with Bill Elliott
for the race at Watkins Glen, citing a lack of performance through the 2006 season. However, in affidavits filed in court Mayfield blamed his lack of performance and subsequent termination from the team on Evernham's heavy involvement with his rookie driver Erin Crocker
, and the "close personal relationship" that developed between the two. On August 16, Elliott Sadler
was officially named the driver of the #19 car for the remainder of the 2006 season, as well as being named the driver for the 2007 season. He comes to the team after parting with Robert Yates Racing due to philosophical differences. In his first race, Sadler qualified second and finished tenth. This was the #19 car's best finish of the 2006 season until Sadler scored a sixth-place finish at New Hampshire
several weeks later. After the conclusion of the 2006 NASCAR season with Sadler at the wheel, the #19 team finished 34th in owner points, guaranteeing it a spot in the first five races of the 2007 season.
In November 2007, Best Buy
was announced as the new official sponsor for fifteen races in the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Later Stanley
and McDonald's
were announced as the two other primary sponsors on the #19. On December 27, 2008, GEM announced that A.J. Allmendinger would be replacing Sadler in the #19 for the 2009 season. At the same time the team also announced several of its sponsors were considering leaving the team and that Ray Evernham had cleared his personal belongings out of the team's race shop, but it was not clear whether it was related to the hire. On January 3, 2009, Sadler's attorney announced that he would be seeking a breach of contract lawsuit against GEM for the dismissal. Looking to avoid the lawsuit GEM and Sadler's attorneys reached a settlement six days later that would return Sadler to the #19 for 2009 while keeping Allmendinger with the team. Sadler had five top-ten finishes in 2009, and finished twenty-sixth in points. Stanley was the team's sponsor for all 36 races in 2010
. Due to a lack of results, Sadler announced his departure from the team mid-season.
was named the driver. The 43 ran multiple sponsorships from McDonald's
, Valvoline, the United States Air Force
, Super 8
, Reynolds Wrap, Paralyzed Veterans of America
, Charter Communications
, Auto Value Bumper to Bumper, Liberty Medical
, and Siemens
, but only had one top-ten finish; a ninth at the rained-shortened Daytona 500
, and Sorenson was released the end of the season. Current RPM driver A.J. Allmendinger pilots the #43 Best Buy
Ford.
In 2008
, Gillett Evernham Motorsports bought out Ashland Oil's share of Valvoline Evernham Racing, which effectively ended the partnership. Valvoline will continue to serve as a primary sponsor for the car in select races. LifeLock
and Cintas
will provide additional backing to the team. Patrick Carpentier
was later released from the team, after a disagreement with his crew chief, Mike Shiplett, for not qualifying for the AMP Energy 500. Mike Wallace
and A. J. Allmendinger
finished out the season for the team. On August 26, 2008 Gillett Evernham Motorsports announced the signing of Reed Sorenson
to a multi-year contract to drive the #10 car. On Thursday January 9, it was announced that Richard Petty would sell his team to GEM. In the process, moving Reed Sorenson to the #43 for the 2009 season. The team ran Allmendinger in the car for a limited schedule. The Air Force
sponsorship moved to the #43 car with Sorenson and Shiplett.
The #10 Dodge switched to #44 in 2009. A.J. Allmendinger was signed to drive the #44 in the Budweiser Shootout
and the first eight point races of 2009, with the possibility of more races if the team could secure sponsorship. The team opened 2009 by finishing third in the 2009 Daytona 500
. Later in the season, Allmendinger finished 9th at Martinsville. They secured sponsorship through the Chevy Rock and Roll 400
at Richmond in the fall. RPM announced in April that Allmendinger was being signed to a two-year deal, which would keep him in the #44 through the end of the 2010 season, and sponsorship from Hunt Brothers Pizza, Super 8, Harrah's Entertainment
, and Ford allowed him to complete the season. For 2010, due to the buyout of Yates Racing
by RPM, Paul Menard
replaced Reed Sorenson and drove the #98 Menards
Ford Fusion. Menard leftthe team along with crew chief Slugger Labbe for 2011, taking the Menards sponsorship with him to Richard Childress Racing
. With the #27 taking the #98 owners points, the #98 will be shut down for 2011 as a part of RPM's restructuring.
-sponsored Dodge Intrepid
for Tommy Baldwin Racing
. The team made its debut in 2002 at the fall Michigan
Busch Series race, where Wally Dallenbach
drove the team to a 14th place finish. Dallenbach finished in the top ten in his other two starts in the car that year, splitting the car with Damon Lusk
. Lusk took over on a limited basis for 2003 but did not finish in the top 10.
In 2004, primary sponsor Unilever
backed the Hungry Drivers program to allow for young drivers to compete for a fulltime seat in NASCAR. Four drivers were chosen to compete for the seat and the chosen drivers were Scott Lynch, Mark McFarland
, Tracy Hines
, and Paul Wolfe. Each driver was given three races to prove their talent. After scoring 2 top-20 finishes, including a 12th place effort at New Hampshire, Wolfe was awarded the #6 Busch seat for the 2005 season.
In October 2004, Evernham Motorsports acquired Tommy Baldwin Racing, and with it, the Hungry Drivers program. Paul Wolfe started out the 2005 season, but was let go after the first four races due to poor performance. Kasey Kahne and Jeremy Mayfield took the brunt of the driving duties of the #6 with Kahne scoring the team's first win at Kansas in October. Other drivers would also share in the driving duties of the car, including Mike Wallace
, Tracy Hines
, Bill Elliott
, Casey Atwood
, and also Paul Wolfe for three races. Erin Crocker
would also make her Busch Series racing debut with the team at Richmond.
For the 2006 season, a number of changes were made to the team. First, a number switch with Roush Racing gave Evernham the #9 to use for his team while the #6 went with Mark Martin's Busch team. Also, Unilever's sponsorship of the team was expanded. Now called the Ultimate Chargers team, it would feature Kasey Kahne, Jeremy Mayfield
, and Scott Riggs as the main drivers of the car throughout the year. Crocker, who competed under the #98 with sponsorship from General Mills
, and Boris Said
also shared driving duties in the car. Kahne, who drove the majority of races for the team, won twice at Las Vegas in the spring and Fontana in the fall. In 2007, Kahne won the spring race at Charlotte and the fall race at Bristol with sponsorship again from Unilever. Kahne, Elliott Sadler
, Scott Riggs
, Boris Said
, and Chase Miller
shared the brunt of the driving duties in the car. Deac McCaskill
drove for the team in a single race at O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis
.
In 2008, Unilever
, along with additional backing from AutoValue/Bumper-to-Bumper and Ingersoll Rand
, continued sponsorship of the team with Kahne, Sadler, Patrick Carpentier
, and Chase Miller
sharing driving duties in the car through the year. Results were mixed for the Nationwide GEM team. For the first time since the program's inception, the team failed to record a win. The car's best results were two second-place finishes. The first was recorded by Kasey Kahne in the spring race at Bristol while Patrick Carpentier finished 2nd in the race at Montreal
.
Later in the year, it was announced that primary sponsor Unilever
would move to the #5 of JR Motorsports
. As a result of the loss of the sponsor, the organization announced that the car would move to a part-time schedule for the 2009 season. With the cutback, the team also let go about 65 employess, some of whom were also from the engine shop.
In 2009, the number 9 team partnered with Braun Racing
and there #10 Toyota Camry
for several races with Kasey Kahne and Elliott Sadler. Fritos
with the sponsor at Atlanta with Kahne as driver. Bumper to Bumper sponsored Sadler at New Hampshire. McDonald's
was the sponsor at Daytona is July and at Bristol in August.
driving the #79 Dodge Intrepid, with Mountain Dew
sponsoring, at Rockingham. He finished 4th in the only race for the team that year. The team returned for the 2005 season, operating as a 2nd Busch team. Sponsorship for this car came mainly from Trus Joist and Auto Value. Kahne and Mayfield shared the driving duties for the three races the team ran with a best finish of 4th at Richmond in May. Kahne also drove the car to a 12th place finish at New Hampshire and Mayfield had a best finish of 29th at Charlotte. While the team didn't run in 2006, a couple of the chassis from the #79 were run by Erin Crocker in her first couple of races.
In the last race of the 2007 season at Homestead-Miami Speedway
, Patrick Carpentier
made his second Busch Series
start. The car was the #19 sponsored by Stanley
.
Chase Miller
drove the car as a second GEM car in selected NASCAR
Nationwide Series races in 2008, with sponsorship from Cellco Partnerships (a joint venture of Verizon and Vodafone
) on the car. The team was retired once the Braun-Petty deal was announced.
in the Nationwide race in Montreal. The #9 Stanley Ford was prepared by Roush/Fenway Racing. Owen Kelly practiced and qualified the car while Marcos was in Michigan for the Sprint Cup race. The car qualified 9th. Even with the team starting in the back due to the driver change, the team won the race; stopping a string of bad luck for Marcos at the road course.
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
champion Richard Petty
Richard Petty
Richard Lee Petty is a former NASCAR driver who raced in the Strictly Stock/Grand National Era and the NASCAR Winston Cup Series...
, Douglas G. Bergeron
Douglas G. Bergeron
Douglas Bergeron is CEO of VeriFone, a software and telecommunications development company in the United States. He previously served in a variety of executive management positions at SunGard Data Systems Inc., including President of SunGard Futures Systems and Group CEO of SunGard Brokerage...
and financial company Medallion Financial. The team was founded as Evernham Motorsports in 2000, was renamed Gillett Evernham Motorsports in 2007 after former Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
and Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
owner George Gillett bought a controlling interest from founder Ray Evernham
Ray Evernham
Ray Evernham is currently a consultant for Hendrick Companies. In 1999, Evernham won the NASCAR Winston Cup Illustrated “Person of the Year”.-Racer:...
, and took on its current name after merging with Petty Enterprises
Petty Enterprises
Petty Enterprises was a NASCAR racing team based in Randleman, North Carolina, USA. The team was owned by Richard Petty, his son Kyle Petty, and Boston Ventures. At the time of its folding the team operated the #43 and #45 Dodge Chargers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Petty Enterprises ran from...
in 2009.
In November 2010, an investment group including Medallion Financial Corp., Douglas G. Bergeron
Douglas G. Bergeron
Douglas Bergeron is CEO of VeriFone, a software and telecommunications development company in the United States. He previously served in a variety of executive management positions at SunGard Data Systems Inc., including President of SunGard Futures Systems and Group CEO of SunGard Brokerage...
and NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty, signed and closed sale on racing assets of Richard Petty Motorsports. Andrew M. Murstein
Andrew M. Murstein
Andrew M. Murstein is the founder, president, board member and largest shareholder of Medallion Financial Corp., publicly traded on the Nasdaq stock exchange under the symbol TAXI that specializes in financing taxi cab fleets. He received a B.A. in economics, cum laude, from Tufts University and...
, president of Medallion, had been seeking a sports investment since 2008 when he formed a special purpose acquisition company together with Hank Aaron, a Medallion board member, and others. Petty, Bergeron, and Medallion Financial are the current owners of the team; Gillett no longer has a stake.
The team currently fields the #9 Stanley
Stanley
Stanley may refer to:- Australia :* Stanley, Tasmania* Stanley, Victoria* County of Stanley, Queensland- Canada :* Stanley, British Columbia* Stanley, New Brunswick* Port Stanley, Ontario- Falkland Islands :...
Ford Fusion for Marcos Ambrose
Marcos Ambrose
Marcos Ambrose is a championship winning Australian racing car driver. He currently drives the #9 Stanley Black & Decker Ford Fusion for Richard Petty Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series...
and the #43 Best Buy
Best Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
Ford Fusion for A.J. Allmendinger.
Car #9 history
2001 Daytona 500
The 2001 Daytona 500, the 43rd running of the event, was held on February 18, 2001 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida over 200 laps on the 2.5 mile asphalt tri-oval. Bill Elliott won the pole. The race will be forever remembered for the final lap...
with Dodge's return to NASCAR. Bill Elliott
Bill Elliott
William Clyde "Bill" Elliott , also known as Awesome Bill from Dawsonville or Million Dollar Bill, is a part-time driver and former champion of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Elliott was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America on August 15, 2007. He won the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup...
won the pole for the event and finished in fifth place. He marked the season with his first win in seven years at Homestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead-Miami Speedway is a race track in Homestead, Florida southwest of Miami.Since 2002 Homestead has hosted the final races of the season in all three of NASCAR's series: the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and the Camping World Truck Series...
, and had a fifteenth-place finish in points. After three more wins and a ninth-place finish in the points in 2003, Elliott announced that due to the pressures of a full Nextel-Cup schedule, he would step down from his full-time ride and would race the team's research and development
Research and development
The phrase research and development , according to the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, refers to "creative work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this stock of...
car. His replacement was rookie Kasey Kahne
Kasey Kahne
Kasey Kenneth Kahne is a NASCAR driver. He drives the #5 Farmers Insurance Group Chevrolet Impala for Hendrick Motorsports in the Sprint Cup Series....
, a successful open-wheel racer just starting to gain respect in the Busch Series
Busch Series
The NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit, and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big leagues"; the Sprint Cup circuit...
. Kahne won four pole positions and a thirteenth place finish in points on his way to winning Rookie of the Year
NASCAR Rookie of the Year
The NASCAR Rookie of the Year Award is presented to the first-year driver that has the best season in a NASCAR season. Each of NASCAR's national and regional touring series selects a RotY winner each year....
honors. He won the spring Richmond
Richmond International Raceway
Richmond International Raceway is a 3/4-mile , D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series...
race in 2005, but finished a disappointing 23rd in the final point standings.
Near the end of the 2005 season, Evernham initiated a crew swap between his teams, citing performance issues with both cars. As a result, Kasey received most of what was Mayfield's team from 2005. In 2006, Kahne won six races, including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600
Coca-Cola 600
The Coca-Cola 600, formerly known as the World 600, is a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held each year at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina on Memorial Day weekend...
at Lowe's Motor Speedway
Lowe's Motor Speedway
Charlotte Motor Speedway is a motorsports complex located in Concord, North Carolina, United States 13 miles from Charlotte, North Carolina. The complex features a quad oval track that hosts NASCAR racing including the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend and the Sprint All-Star Race...
in May. He also made his first Chase for the Nextel Cup
Chase for the Nextel Cup
The Chase for the Sprint Cup, originally known as "The Chase for the Championship" during its creation, and then "The Chase for the Nextel Cup" is the championship system used in NASCAR's top division, the Sprint Cup Series, akin to the postseason in American professional sports leagues...
, finishing 8th in the standings at the end of the season. His six wins were a series high in 2006 and he also tied for the most pole awards with Kurt Busch
Kurt Busch
Kurt Thomas Busch is an American NASCAR and NHRA driver. He drives the No. 22 Shell Oil Company/Pennzoil Dodge Charger in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, and will race on an "opportunity permitting" basis in the Pro Stock division of NHRA...
, winning six. On September 18, 2007, it was announced that Budweiser
Budweiser (Anheuser-Busch)
Budweiser is a 5.0% abv American-style lager introduced in 1876 by Adolphus Busch and one of the highest selling beers in the United States. It is made with up to 30% rice in addition to hops and barley malt. Budweiser is produced in various breweries located around the world...
would sponsor the #9 car beginning in 2008. In his first year with Budweiser sponsorship, Kahne had two wins and finished fourteenth in points. The next year, Kahne scored his first road course victory at the Toyota/Save Mart 350 and won again at Atlanta on Labor Day, earning him a berth in the Chase. However, early misfortune at Loudon put the #9 team out of contention for the championship, finishing 10th in points. 2010 would start the #9 team off on a high note by winning the 2nd Gatorade Duel in a photo finish. However, the team was plagued by inconsistency and was knocked out of Chase contention before Richmond. With a lack of results, Kahne departed the team before Martinsville
2010 TUMS Fast Relief 500
The 2010 TUMS Fast Relief 500 was NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race that was held held on October 16, 2010 at Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Virginia. Contested over 500 laps, it was the thirty-second, and the sixth race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup during the 2010 NASCAR Sprint...
and drove Red Bull Racing's #83 Toyota. Kahne was replaced by Aric Almirola
Aric Almirola
Aric A. Almirola is a Cuban-American stock car driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He currently drives the #88 Unilever/Grand Touring Vodka Chevrolet Impala for JR Motorsports. Almirola attended the University of Central Florida working on a degree in mechanical engineering before leaving to...
for the remaining races, who had a best finish of 4th at Homestead
2010 Ford 400
The 2010 Ford 400 was a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stock car race that was held on November 21, 2010 at Homestead Miami Speedway in Homestead, Florida. The 267 lap race was the thirty-sixth in the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, as well as the final race in the ten-race Chase for the Sprint Cup, which...
. Marcos Ambrose
Marcos Ambrose
Marcos Ambrose is a championship winning Australian racing car driver. He currently drives the #9 Stanley Black & Decker Ford Fusion for Richard Petty Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series...
took over driving duties at the beginning of the 2011 season with sponsorship from Stanley
Stanley
Stanley may refer to:- Australia :* Stanley, Tasmania* Stanley, Victoria* County of Stanley, Queensland- Canada :* Stanley, British Columbia* Stanley, New Brunswick* Port Stanley, Ontario- Falkland Islands :...
and DEWALT
DeWALT
DeWalt is a worldwide brand of power tools for the construction, manufacturing and woodworking industries. It is a subsidiary of Stanley Black & Decker.- History :...
. Ambrose
Ambrose
Aurelius Ambrosius, better known in English as Saint Ambrose , was a bishop of Milan who became one of the most influential ecclesiastical figures of the 4th century. He was one of the four original doctors of the Church.-Political career:Ambrose was born into a Roman Christian family between about...
has had a break out year in the No. 9 Ford and drove to his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory at Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation...
in Watkins Glen, N.Y. in August.
Car #19 history
The #19 car was Evernham Motorsports' first foray into Cup racing. It debuted at the 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo 400 at Richmond International RacewayRichmond International Raceway
Richmond International Raceway is a 3/4-mile , D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series...
as the #19 Motorola
Motorola
Motorola, Inc. was an American multinational telecommunications company based in Schaumburg, Illinois, which was eventually divided into two independent public companies, Motorola Mobility and Motorola Solutions on January 4, 2011, after losing $4.3 billion from 2007 to 2009...
Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
. Casey Atwood drove the car to a nineteenth-place finish. The abbreviated season was capped off by Atwood's tenth place finish at Homestead that year. Atwood and the team went full time the next year. The year was off to a sluggish start when Atwood failed to qualify at the spring Atlanta
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Atlanta Motor Speedway is a track just outside Hampton, Georgia, twenty miles south of Atlanta. It is a quad-oval track with a seating capacity of over 125,000. It opened in 1960 as a standard oval. In 1994, 46 condominiums were built over the northeastern side of the track...
race, but picked up steam towards the end of the year, winning the pole at Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway
Phoenix International Raceway, also known as PIR, is a one-mile, low-banked tri-oval race track located in Avondale, Arizona. The track opened in 1964 and currently hosts two NASCAR race weekends annually. PIR has also hosted the Indycar Series, CART, USAC and the Rolex Sports Car Series...
, and almost winning the Homestead race before relinquishing the lead to teammate Elliott late in the race. Atwood barely missed wrestling the rookie of the year crown away from Kevin Harvick
Kevin Harvick
Kevin Michael Harvick is an American stock car auto racing race car driver and car owner currently competing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Richard Childress Racing, driving the No. 29 Budweiser/Jimmy John's/Rheem/Okuma/Realtree Outdoors/Bad Boy Buggies Chevrolet Impala...
, despite Harvick finishing much higher in the points (ninth) and winning twice.
At the end of the year though, Jeremy Mayfield
Jeremy Mayfield
Jeremy Allen Mayfield is a former NASCAR driver who last competed in 2009 due to legal troubles and an indefinite suspension by NASCAR. Prior to 2009, Mayfield drove cars for the Sadler Brothers, T.W. Taylor, Cale Yarborough, Michael Kranefuss, Roger Penske, Ray Evernham, Bill Davis, and Gene Haas...
became available, and Evernham signed Mayfield to drive the #19 machine while Atwood was moved to Ultra Motorsports
Ultra Motorsports
Ultra Motorsports was a NASCAR Winston Cup & Craftsman Truck Series racing team. Jim Smith helped start the team and the Craftsman Truck Series. It ran full time in the Craftsman Truck Series from 1994 to 2005, earning many wins and a 2005 championship with Ted Musgrave...
, who had just signed a partnership agreement with Evernham. Mayfield struggled in his initial year with Evernham, posting just four top tens and finishing 26th in points. He won a pole at Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located north of Talladega, Alabama, United States. It is located on the former Anniston Air Force Base just outside the small city of Lincoln. It was constructed by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by the France Family, in...
the next year however, and improved to 19th in points. 2004 was even better, winning at Richmond and barely making the cut for the inaugural Chase For The NEXTEL Cup. He claimed one more win in 2005 and also made the Chase For The NEXTEL Cup once again.
However, after the 2006 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard
Allstate 400 at the Brickyard
The Brickyard 400 is an annual 400-mile NASCAR Sprint Cup points race held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana. The event, when first held in 1994, marked the first race other than the Indianapolis 500 to be held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway since 1916...
, where an early-race crash dropped the #19 team out of the top-35 in owner points (thus requiring the team to qualify for each race on time), Ray Evernham replaced Mayfield with Bill Elliott
Bill Elliott
William Clyde "Bill" Elliott , also known as Awesome Bill from Dawsonville or Million Dollar Bill, is a part-time driver and former champion of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Elliott was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America on August 15, 2007. He won the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup...
for the race at Watkins Glen, citing a lack of performance through the 2006 season. However, in affidavits filed in court Mayfield blamed his lack of performance and subsequent termination from the team on Evernham's heavy involvement with his rookie driver Erin Crocker
Erin Crocker
Erin Mary Crocker Evernham is an American race car driver. She drove the #98 Gillett Evernham Motorsports owned Dodge Charger in the ARCA RE/MAX Series. In the past, she played soccer, tennis, and varsity lacrosse on both her high school and college teams...
, and the "close personal relationship" that developed between the two. On August 16, Elliott Sadler
Elliott Sadler
Elliott William Barnes Sadler is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet Impala for Kevin Harvick Inc. in the Nationwide Series. He is one of only 23 drivers to have won in each of NASCAR's top three series...
was officially named the driver of the #19 car for the remainder of the 2006 season, as well as being named the driver for the 2007 season. He comes to the team after parting with Robert Yates Racing due to philosophical differences. In his first race, Sadler qualified second and finished tenth. This was the #19 car's best finish of the 2006 season until Sadler scored a sixth-place finish at New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
several weeks later. After the conclusion of the 2006 NASCAR season with Sadler at the wheel, the #19 team finished 34th in owner points, guaranteeing it a spot in the first five races of the 2007 season.
In November 2007, Best Buy
Best Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
was announced as the new official sponsor for fifteen races in the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Later Stanley
Stanley
Stanley may refer to:- Australia :* Stanley, Tasmania* Stanley, Victoria* County of Stanley, Queensland- Canada :* Stanley, British Columbia* Stanley, New Brunswick* Port Stanley, Ontario- Falkland Islands :...
and McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
were announced as the two other primary sponsors on the #19. On December 27, 2008, GEM announced that A.J. Allmendinger would be replacing Sadler in the #19 for the 2009 season. At the same time the team also announced several of its sponsors were considering leaving the team and that Ray Evernham had cleared his personal belongings out of the team's race shop, but it was not clear whether it was related to the hire. On January 3, 2009, Sadler's attorney announced that he would be seeking a breach of contract lawsuit against GEM for the dismissal. Looking to avoid the lawsuit GEM and Sadler's attorneys reached a settlement six days later that would return Sadler to the #19 for 2009 while keeping Allmendinger with the team. Sadler had five top-ten finishes in 2009, and finished twenty-sixth in points. Stanley was the team's sponsor for all 36 races in 2010
2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
The 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season was the 62nd season of professional stock car racing in the United States. Beginning at Daytona International Speedway, the season included 36 races and two exhibition races. The season concluded with the 2010 Ford 400 at Homestead Miami Speedway...
. Due to a lack of results, Sadler announced his departure from the team mid-season.
Car #43 history
When the 43 car entered the RPM group, Reed SorensonReed Sorenson
Bradley Reed Sorenson is an American NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #82 MacDonald Motorsports Dodge Charger in the Nationwide Series...
was named the driver. The 43 ran multiple sponsorships from McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
, Valvoline, the United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
, Super 8
Super 8 Motels
Super 8 Hotels Inc. is the world's largest budget hotel chain, with hotels in the United States and Canada, as well as newer properties in China. The company is a subsidiary of Wyndham Worldwide, formerly a part of Cendant.-History:...
, Reynolds Wrap, Paralyzed Veterans of America
Paralyzed Veterans of America
The Paralyzed Veterans of America is a veterans' service organization in the United States of America, founded in 1946. The organization holds 34 chapters and 61 National Service Offices in the United States...
, Charter Communications
Charter Communications
Charter Communications is an American company providing cable television, high-speed Internet, and telephone services to more than 4.7 million customers in 25 states. By revenues, it is the fourth-largest cable operator in the United States, behind Comcast, Time Warner Cable, and Cox Communications...
, Auto Value Bumper to Bumper, Liberty Medical
Liberty Medical
Liberty Medical Supply, Inc. is a home delivery service that sells diabetes testing supplies, prescription drugs, CPAP and ostomy supplies directly to consumers. The company is a subsidiary of Medco Health Solutions, Inc., which purchased Liberty Medical and its parent company, PolyMedica, in...
, and Siemens
Siemens
Siemens may refer toSiemens, a German family name carried by generations of telecommunications industrialists, including:* Werner von Siemens , inventor, founder of Siemens AG...
, but only had one top-ten finish; a ninth at the rained-shortened Daytona 500
Daytona 500
The Daytona 500 is a -long NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is one of four restrictor plate races on the Cup schedule....
, and Sorenson was released the end of the season. Current RPM driver A.J. Allmendinger pilots the #43 Best Buy
Best Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
Ford.
In 2008
2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
The 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season began on February 9, 2008 at Daytona International Speedway with the Budweiser Shootout, followed by pole qualifying on Sunday, February 10, 2008 for the 50th Daytona 500 on February 17...
, Gillett Evernham Motorsports bought out Ashland Oil's share of Valvoline Evernham Racing, which effectively ended the partnership. Valvoline will continue to serve as a primary sponsor for the car in select races. LifeLock
LifeLock
LifeLock Inc. which was founded in 2005, is an American identity theft protection company.According to the LifeLock website, for a minimum fee of $10 a month, the LifeLock Identity Alert system can identify fraudulent applications for some forms of credit and non-credit related services...
and Cintas
Cintas
Cintas Corporation , based in Mason, Ohio, is a publicly traded company that operates more than 400 facilities throughout North America. The company provides specialized services to businesses, including the design and manufacturing of corporate identity uniform programs, entrance mats, restroom...
will provide additional backing to the team. Patrick Carpentier
Patrick Carpentier
Patrick Carpentier is a retired Canadian race car driver. He is best known for his career in the Champ Car World Series and the IndyCar Series. In 2009, Patrick shared the #36 of Tommy Baldwin Racing with Mike Skinner and ran Michael Waltrip's #55 Toyota Camry in the road course races in the...
was later released from the team, after a disagreement with his crew chief, Mike Shiplett, for not qualifying for the AMP Energy 500. Mike Wallace
Mike Wallace (NASCAR)
Mike Wallace is a NASCAR race car driver born in Fenton, Missouri. He currently drives the #01 Chevrolet for JD Motorsports in the Nationwide Series. He is a younger brother to Rusty Wallace, older brother to Kenny Wallace, and uncle to Steve Wallace...
and A. J. Allmendinger
A. J. Allmendinger
Allmendinger again failed to qualify for the 2008 Daytona 500. After three failures to qualify in 2 attempts , he was replaced by veteran driver Mike Skinner on a temporary basis. Allmendinger returned to the Cup series at Talladega...
finished out the season for the team. On August 26, 2008 Gillett Evernham Motorsports announced the signing of Reed Sorenson
Reed Sorenson
Bradley Reed Sorenson is an American NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #82 MacDonald Motorsports Dodge Charger in the Nationwide Series...
to a multi-year contract to drive the #10 car. On Thursday January 9, it was announced that Richard Petty would sell his team to GEM. In the process, moving Reed Sorenson to the #43 for the 2009 season. The team ran Allmendinger in the car for a limited schedule. The Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
sponsorship moved to the #43 car with Sorenson and Shiplett.
The #10 Dodge switched to #44 in 2009. A.J. Allmendinger was signed to drive the #44 in the Budweiser Shootout
Budweiser Shootout
Budweiser Shootout at Daytona, generally referred to as the Bud Shootout, is an annual invitation-only NASCAR Sprint Cup Series exhibition event held at Daytona International Speedway in February, the weekend before the Daytona 500. It is the first competitive event of the season and serves as a...
and the first eight point races of 2009, with the possibility of more races if the team could secure sponsorship. The team opened 2009 by finishing third in the 2009 Daytona 500
2009 Daytona 500
The 2009 Daytona 500, the fifty-first running of Daytona 500, was the first points-paying race to open the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. The race was won by Matt Kenseth making a car numbered 17 winning the Daytona 500 for the first time in 20 years since Darrell Waltrip's win back in 1989 and the...
. Later in the season, Allmendinger finished 9th at Martinsville. They secured sponsorship through the Chevy Rock and Roll 400
Chevy Rock and Roll 400
The Wonderful Pistachios 400 is a NASCAR Sprint Cup stock car race held at the Richmond International Raceway in Richmond, Virginia. Since 2004, the race has served as the last race in NASCAR's "regular season". After this race, the top twelve drivers in the standings advance to the ten-race...
at Richmond in the fall. RPM announced in April that Allmendinger was being signed to a two-year deal, which would keep him in the #44 through the end of the 2010 season, and sponsorship from Hunt Brothers Pizza, Super 8, Harrah's Entertainment
Harrah's Entertainment
Caesars Entertainment Corporation is a private gaming corporation that owns and operates over 50 casinos, hotels, and seven golf courses under several brands. The company, based in Paradise, Nevada, is the largest gaming company in the world, with yearly revenues $8.9 billion...
, and Ford allowed him to complete the season. For 2010, due to the buyout of Yates Racing
Yates Racing
Yates Racing was an American stock car racing racing team that competed in NASCAR until the 2009 season when it merged with Richard Petty Motorsports. Previously known as Robert Yates Racing, the team was owned by Doug Yates, who has officially owned the team since his father Robert's retirement on...
by RPM, Paul Menard
Paul Menard
Paul Menard is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #27 Menards Chevrolet in the Sprint Cup Series for Richard Childress Racing and runs part-time for Kevin Harvick Inc. in the Nationwide Series. He is the son of Menards founder John Menard, Jr., whose company is his sponsor...
replaced Reed Sorenson and drove the #98 Menards
Menards
Menards is a chain of home improvement stores in the Midwestern United States.The privately held company headquartered in Eau Claire, Wisconsin has 262 stores in 13 states: Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Nebraska, Kansas, South Dakota, North Dakota, and...
Ford Fusion. Menard leftthe team along with crew chief Slugger Labbe for 2011, taking the Menards sponsorship with him to Richard Childress Racing
Richard Childress Racing
RCR Enterprises, LLC, doing business as Richard Childress Racing, is a NASCAR team based in Welcome, North Carolina, and is owned and operated by former driver Richard Childress...
. With the #27 taking the #98 owners points, the #98 will be shut down for 2011 as a part of RPM's restructuring.
Car #10 history
The #9 Ultimate Chargers Busch team started as the #6 PepsiPepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink that is produced and manufactured by PepsiCo...
-sponsored Dodge Intrepid
Dodge Intrepid
The Dodge Intrepid is a large four-door, full-size, front-wheel drive sedan car model that was produced for model years 1993 to 2004. It was mechanically related to the Chrysler Concorde, Chrysler LHS, Chrysler New Yorker, Eagle Vision, and also the 300M sedans...
for Tommy Baldwin Racing
Tommy Baldwin Racing
Tommy Baldwin Racing is a NASCAR team based in Mooresville North Carolina. The team is owned by former crew chief Tommy Baldwin Jr., son of late modified driver Tom Baldwin...
. The team made its debut in 2002 at the fall Michigan
Michigan International Speedway
Michigan International Speedway is a two-mile moderate-banked D-shaped superspeedway located off U.S. Highway 12 on more than in Brooklyn, in the scenic Irish Hills area of southeastern Michigan. The track is used primarily for NASCAR events. It is sometimes known as a "sister track" to Texas...
Busch Series race, where Wally Dallenbach
Wally Dallenbach, Jr.
Wally Dallenbach, Jr. is an American former NASCAR Winston Cup driver. He competed in 226 Winston Cup races from 1991 to 2001 and had 23 top 10 finishes. The son of open wheel racer and former CART chief steward, Wally Dallenbach, Sr., Wally Jr. is also a road racer...
drove the team to a 14th place finish. Dallenbach finished in the top ten in his other two starts in the car that year, splitting the car with Damon Lusk
Damon Lusk
Damon Lusk , is a stock car racer. Lusk entered NASCAR in 1999, when he drove the AOL/Kleenex Chevy for three races NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Northwest Series...
. Lusk took over on a limited basis for 2003 but did not finish in the top 10.
In 2004, primary sponsor Unilever
Unilever
Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....
backed the Hungry Drivers program to allow for young drivers to compete for a fulltime seat in NASCAR. Four drivers were chosen to compete for the seat and the chosen drivers were Scott Lynch, Mark McFarland
Mark McFarland
Mark McFarland of Winchester, Virginia) Currently works as a crew chief for Matt DiBenedetto in the K&N Pro East Series. McFarland won the NASCAR Weekly Series national championship in 2003.-Early career:...
, Tracy Hines
Tracy Hines
Tracy Lee Hines is an American auto racing driver. He was the 2000 USAC Silver Crown Champion and 2002 USAC National Sprint Car Champion...
, and Paul Wolfe. Each driver was given three races to prove their talent. After scoring 2 top-20 finishes, including a 12th place effort at New Hampshire, Wolfe was awarded the #6 Busch seat for the 2005 season.
In October 2004, Evernham Motorsports acquired Tommy Baldwin Racing, and with it, the Hungry Drivers program. Paul Wolfe started out the 2005 season, but was let go after the first four races due to poor performance. Kasey Kahne and Jeremy Mayfield took the brunt of the driving duties of the #6 with Kahne scoring the team's first win at Kansas in October. Other drivers would also share in the driving duties of the car, including Mike Wallace
Mike Wallace (NASCAR)
Mike Wallace is a NASCAR race car driver born in Fenton, Missouri. He currently drives the #01 Chevrolet for JD Motorsports in the Nationwide Series. He is a younger brother to Rusty Wallace, older brother to Kenny Wallace, and uncle to Steve Wallace...
, Tracy Hines
Tracy Hines
Tracy Lee Hines is an American auto racing driver. He was the 2000 USAC Silver Crown Champion and 2002 USAC National Sprint Car Champion...
, Bill Elliott
Bill Elliott
William Clyde "Bill" Elliott , also known as Awesome Bill from Dawsonville or Million Dollar Bill, is a part-time driver and former champion of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Elliott was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America on August 15, 2007. He won the 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup...
, Casey Atwood
Casey Atwood
Casey Lee Atwood is an American race car driver. Atwood is currently a free agent in NASCAR. He married his longtime girlfriend, Laura, in 2005. Atwood and Laura have two daughters, Kaylee and Emma...
, and also Paul Wolfe for three races. Erin Crocker
Erin Crocker
Erin Mary Crocker Evernham is an American race car driver. She drove the #98 Gillett Evernham Motorsports owned Dodge Charger in the ARCA RE/MAX Series. In the past, she played soccer, tennis, and varsity lacrosse on both her high school and college teams...
would also make her Busch Series racing debut with the team at Richmond.
For the 2006 season, a number of changes were made to the team. First, a number switch with Roush Racing gave Evernham the #9 to use for his team while the #6 went with Mark Martin's Busch team. Also, Unilever's sponsorship of the team was expanded. Now called the Ultimate Chargers team, it would feature Kasey Kahne, Jeremy Mayfield
Jeremy Mayfield
Jeremy Allen Mayfield is a former NASCAR driver who last competed in 2009 due to legal troubles and an indefinite suspension by NASCAR. Prior to 2009, Mayfield drove cars for the Sadler Brothers, T.W. Taylor, Cale Yarborough, Michael Kranefuss, Roger Penske, Ray Evernham, Bill Davis, and Gene Haas...
, and Scott Riggs as the main drivers of the car throughout the year. Crocker, who competed under the #98 with sponsorship from General Mills
General Mills
General Mills, Inc. is an American Fortune 500 corporation, primarily concerned with food products, which is headquartered in Golden Valley, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. The company markets many well-known brands, such as Betty Crocker, Yoplait, Colombo, Totinos, Jeno's, Pillsbury, Green...
, and Boris Said
Boris Said
Boris Said is an American race car driver from Carlsbad, California but considers his hometown to be Stamford, Connecticut. His father, Bob Said, was a Formula One race driver and US Olympic bobsled driver in 1968 and 1972. He drove the #26 Ford Fusion for Latitude 43 Motorsports in the NASCAR...
also shared driving duties in the car. Kahne, who drove the majority of races for the team, won twice at Las Vegas in the spring and Fontana in the fall. In 2007, Kahne won the spring race at Charlotte and the fall race at Bristol with sponsorship again from Unilever. Kahne, Elliott Sadler
Elliott Sadler
Elliott William Barnes Sadler is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet Impala for Kevin Harvick Inc. in the Nationwide Series. He is one of only 23 drivers to have won in each of NASCAR's top three series...
, Scott Riggs
Scott Riggs
Russell Scott Riggs is a NASCAR driver. He currently drives the #81 Dodge Charger for Whitney Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.-Early career:...
, Boris Said
Boris Said
Boris Said is an American race car driver from Carlsbad, California but considers his hometown to be Stamford, Connecticut. His father, Bob Said, was a Formula One race driver and US Olympic bobsled driver in 1968 and 1972. He drove the #26 Ford Fusion for Latitude 43 Motorsports in the NASCAR...
, and Chase Miller
Chase Miller
Eldon Chase Miller is a NASCAR Nationwide Series driver from Canton, Georgia. Chase graduated from Sequoyah High School...
shared the brunt of the driving duties in the car. Deac McCaskill
Deac McCaskill
Deac McCaskill is an American stock car driver from Raleigh, North Carolina. He currently drives the #08 Puryear Tanklines Chevrolet in the Late Model Stock class at South Boston Speedway in Virginia-Early years:...
drove for the team in a single race at O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis
O'Reilly Raceway Park at Indianapolis
Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis is a racing circuit complex in Brownsburg, Indiana...
.
In 2008, Unilever
Unilever
Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....
, along with additional backing from AutoValue/Bumper-to-Bumper and Ingersoll Rand
Ingersoll Rand
Ingersoll-Rand plc is a $13 billion global diversified industrial company founded in 1871. The Ingersoll Rand name came into use in 1905 through the combination of Ingersoll-Sergeant Drill Company and Rand Drill Company...
, continued sponsorship of the team with Kahne, Sadler, Patrick Carpentier
Patrick Carpentier
Patrick Carpentier is a retired Canadian race car driver. He is best known for his career in the Champ Car World Series and the IndyCar Series. In 2009, Patrick shared the #36 of Tommy Baldwin Racing with Mike Skinner and ran Michael Waltrip's #55 Toyota Camry in the road course races in the...
, and Chase Miller
Chase Miller
Eldon Chase Miller is a NASCAR Nationwide Series driver from Canton, Georgia. Chase graduated from Sequoyah High School...
sharing driving duties in the car through the year. Results were mixed for the Nationwide GEM team. For the first time since the program's inception, the team failed to record a win. The car's best results were two second-place finishes. The first was recorded by Kasey Kahne in the spring race at Bristol while Patrick Carpentier finished 2nd in the race at Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
.
Later in the year, it was announced that primary sponsor Unilever
Unilever
Unilever is a British-Dutch multinational corporation that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products....
would move to the #5 of JR Motorsports
JR Motorsports
JR Motorsports is a NASCAR team based in Mooresville, North Carolina, co-owned by NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr., his sister Kelley Earnhardt Miller, cousin and former crew chief Tony Eury, Jr., and the owner of his Cup ride Rick Hendrick. It currently fields the No...
. As a result of the loss of the sponsor, the organization announced that the car would move to a part-time schedule for the 2009 season. With the cutback, the team also let go about 65 employess, some of whom were also from the engine shop.
In 2009, the number 9 team partnered with Braun Racing
Braun Racing
Braun Racing was a NASCAR racing team based in Mooresville, North Carolina. The team was sold to Steve Turner in September 2010. The Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series teams remain active under Turner Motorsports. Following the announcement of the purchase, Turner Motorsports announced that they had...
and there #10 Toyota Camry
Toyota Camry
The Toyota Camry is a series of mid-size automobiles manufactured by Toyota since 1982, and sold in the majority of automotive markets throughout the world...
for several races with Kasey Kahne and Elliott Sadler. Fritos
Fritos
Fritos is the name of a brand of corn chips made by Frito-Lay. Elmer Doolin was so taken with the bag of corn chips served with his lunch in San Antonio, Texas that he paid $100 for the recipe. In 1932, he started the Frito Corporation. Original Fritos ingredients are limited to whole corn, corn...
with the sponsor at Atlanta with Kahne as driver. Bumper to Bumper sponsored Sadler at New Hampshire. McDonald's
McDonald's
McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 64 million customers daily in 119 countries. Headquartered in the United States, the company began in 1940 as a barbecue restaurant operated by the eponymous Richard and Maurice McDonald; in 1948...
was the sponsor at Daytona is July and at Bristol in August.
Car #19 history
In the 2003 season, the team debuted with Jeremy MayfieldJeremy Mayfield
Jeremy Allen Mayfield is a former NASCAR driver who last competed in 2009 due to legal troubles and an indefinite suspension by NASCAR. Prior to 2009, Mayfield drove cars for the Sadler Brothers, T.W. Taylor, Cale Yarborough, Michael Kranefuss, Roger Penske, Ray Evernham, Bill Davis, and Gene Haas...
driving the #79 Dodge Intrepid, with Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew is a citrus-flavored carbonated soft drink brand produced and owned by PepsiCo. The original formula was invented in the 1940s by Tennessee beverage bottlers Barney and Ally Hartman and was first marketed in Marion, VA, Knoxville and Johnson City, Tennessee. A revised formula was...
sponsoring, at Rockingham. He finished 4th in the only race for the team that year. The team returned for the 2005 season, operating as a 2nd Busch team. Sponsorship for this car came mainly from Trus Joist and Auto Value. Kahne and Mayfield shared the driving duties for the three races the team ran with a best finish of 4th at Richmond in May. Kahne also drove the car to a 12th place finish at New Hampshire and Mayfield had a best finish of 29th at Charlotte. While the team didn't run in 2006, a couple of the chassis from the #79 were run by Erin Crocker in her first couple of races.
In the last race of the 2007 season at Homestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead-Miami Speedway is a race track in Homestead, Florida southwest of Miami.Since 2002 Homestead has hosted the final races of the season in all three of NASCAR's series: the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, and the Camping World Truck Series...
, Patrick Carpentier
Patrick Carpentier
Patrick Carpentier is a retired Canadian race car driver. He is best known for his career in the Champ Car World Series and the IndyCar Series. In 2009, Patrick shared the #36 of Tommy Baldwin Racing with Mike Skinner and ran Michael Waltrip's #55 Toyota Camry in the road course races in the...
made his second Busch Series
Busch Series
The NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit, and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big leagues"; the Sprint Cup circuit...
start. The car was the #19 sponsored by Stanley
Stanley Works
Stanley Black & Decker , formerly known as The Stanley Works, is a manufacturer of tools and hardware and provider of security products and locks headquartered in New Britain, Connecticut...
.
Chase Miller
Chase Miller
Eldon Chase Miller is a NASCAR Nationwide Series driver from Canton, Georgia. Chase graduated from Sequoyah High School...
drove the car as a second GEM car in selected NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
Nationwide Series races in 2008, with sponsorship from Cellco Partnerships (a joint venture of Verizon and Vodafone
Vodafone
Vodafone Group Plc is a global telecommunications company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest mobile telecommunications company measured by revenues and the world's second-largest measured by subscribers , with around 341 million proportionate subscribers as of...
) on the car. The team was retired once the Braun-Petty deal was announced.
Car #9 history
In 2011, Richard Petty provided a car for Marcos AmbroseMarcos Ambrose
Marcos Ambrose is a championship winning Australian racing car driver. He currently drives the #9 Stanley Black & Decker Ford Fusion for Richard Petty Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series...
in the Nationwide race in Montreal. The #9 Stanley Ford was prepared by Roush/Fenway Racing. Owen Kelly practiced and qualified the car while Marcos was in Michigan for the Sprint Cup race. The car qualified 9th. Even with the team starting in the back due to the driver change, the team won the race; stopping a string of bad luck for Marcos at the road course.