NASCAR team owner coming to Indy 500
04/03/09 This rumor is now 'fact'. Richard Petty Motorsports will field an entry for John Andretti in this year's Indy 500, sources confirmed to NASCAR.COM. It will be the first foray into the premier open-wheel event for RPM, the former Gillett Evernham team that absorbed the 60-year-old Petty Enterprises organization late last year. The formal announcement will be made Monday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Petty, who won seven championships and 200 races on NASCAR's top level, never attempted the Indy 500. Andretti has started the event nine times, with a best finish of fifth in 1991. He placed 16th last year driving for Roth Racing.
Andretti, whose long relationship with the Pettys goes back to his days driving for Petty Enterprises, would neither conform nor deny the venture Friday after qualifying his No. 34 car for Sunday's Sprint Cup event at Texas Motor Speedway. "People are jumping the gun on something," he said.
While RPM fields four cars on NASCAR's Cup circuit — those of Kasey Kahne, Elliott Sadler, Reed Sorenson and A.J. Allmendinger — the Charlotte-based organization does not have an IndyCar wing, making it unclear exactly how the program will take shape. Indications are that the RPM name will be placed on an existing operation.
04/03/09 We are upgrading this rumor to 'strong' as AR1.com sources tell us that Richard Petty Motorsports will enter John Andretti in this year's Indy 500.
04/03/09 Word is that a media teleconference will be held Monday, April 6, to announce the car entry of a NASCAR team owner in the 93rd Indianapolis 500 Mile Race set for Sunday, May 24.
The NASCAR team owner will make his debut as a car owner for this year’s Indy 500. On May 24, the owner will join past Indy 500-winning team owners Roger Penske and Chip Ganassi as the only team principals with entries in both Memorial Day racing classics, the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte.
The team owner also will announce the driver and major sponsor of his Indy 500 entry in Monday’s teleconference. The unveiling of the new entry will be part of the press conference as well as interviews with the team’s participants.