For the first time in NASCAR Sprint Cup history Richard Petty Motorsports will enter a Ford into competition. Elliot Sadler, driver of the No. 19 Stanley car, will enter a Ford Fusion into Talladega Superspeedway’s AMP Energy 500 in preparation for RPM’s switch to Ford starting at the beginning of the 2010 season following the company’s merger with Yates Racing.  Sadler will then return to Dodge for the remainder of the 2009 season.

“Richard Petty Motorsports is working with Ford Racing as we get ready to make the full-time switch at Daytona in 2010,” Sadler said. “Since this is the final restrictor plate race of the season, we made the decision to run a Ford to get some work done in advance. This will be our first time to practice and work on a Fusion under real race conditions. It should help us get ready to make a strong showing at Daytona and put us in the best position to start next season. I’ll be back in a Dodge at Texas, Phoenix and Homestead, but since it’s important to start a season off on the right foot we thought we’d try to get a head start.”

This will be the first time Richard Petty Motorsports has ever entered a Ford in competition.  The last time a Petty-owned team fielded a Ford was in 1985 in the TransSouth 500 at Darlington Raceway.

Elliot Sadler on the other hand has plenty of experience behind the wheel of a Ford.  Sadler has 269 career Sprint Cup Series starts in a Ford, driving for Wood Brothers and Robert Yates Racing.  Sadler has seven career pole awards, all coming in a Yates-prepared Ford.

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