Petty Enterprises is in discussions to merge its storied franchise with Gillett Evernham Motorsports, The Associated Press has learned.
Several people familiar with the talks, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the AP yesterday that the teams were discussing a deal to merge Petty's famed No. 43 Dodge with GEM to become a four-car operation.
SI.com first reported that Petty Enterprises' top operation wouldn't return in 2009. But David Zucker, the CEO of Petty Enterprises, said that the report was "not accurate." He wouldn't discuss a potential merger, saying: "We're not going to comment on rumors and speculation."
Petty Enterprises, once the team of Richard Petty, a seven-time Cup champion, has no full-time sponsorship lined up for next season. The team fields its flagship No. 43 for Bobby Labonte and a second car that Chad McCumbee and Kyle Petty shared this season. Kyle Petty was expected to have a minimal role -- if any -- with the organization next season.
Robbie Loomis, the vice president of Petty Enterprises, told the AP that nothing has changed with the organization and that the team is continuing to talk to potential partners.
"We're in the same place we were a month ago, when everyone was saying we were going to merge with (Chip) Ganassi," Loomis said. "We're still talking to everybody and seeing what's out there."
Ganassi, which like Petty fields Dodges, merged with Chevrolet-backed Dale Earnhardt Inc. late last month.
Drew Brown, a spokesman for Gillett Evernham, said that the team wouldn't comment on any potential merger with another team. But it's no secret that majority owner George Gillett Jr. has canvassed the industry looking for a partner that would help his team expand to the NASCAR maximum of four cars.
Gillett is believed to have had earlier discussions with Toyota teams Bill Davis Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing, as well as with Ganassi. Earlier this year, he terminated an agreement with Robby Gordon that would have brought Gordon into his organization as a fourth car.
As potential deals failed to develop, Gillett turned his attention to struggling Petty Enterprises. Richard Petty sold majority interest of the family-run team in June to Boston Ventures, a private-equity firm that assumed day-to-day control.
But the new leadership has yet to put Petty Enterprises on solid footing, largely because the economic crisis has made sponsorship difficult to secure. Numerous teams have reduced their staffs since the Nov. 18 season finale, and Petty laid off 30 employees last month.
If a merger with Gillett goes through, a team that has been in NASCAR since 1949 might cease to exist as it has been known.
"You think of Petty in NASCAR, and you think it's something that will always be together," said Jeff Gordon, a four-time series champion. "It's something that we all have to take a close look at because this is a big business now. It takes a great team effort on the track to be competitive, but it takes that same amount of effort in the marketing, in the business structure of how you run your team, operate your team and keep it funded and keep it strong.
"It's really unfortunate to see those guys have to do that. But they need to survive."
Chrysler, Ford and General Motors -- which this week requested bailouts from Congress -- heavily support teams throughout NASCAR, and many owners are worried about the ripple effects of a pullback or pullout by American manufacturers.
Team owner Rick Hendrick, who just helped GM win its 32nd NASCAR manufacturer's championship, said he doesn't expect any manufacturers to end their involvement in racing as long as they are in business.
"I think they'll always, as long as there's Chevrolet and GM, they'll be in the sport in some fashion," he said. "It works too well for them. It's part of their DNA. If it's a slowdown, we just have to adjust. When things pick up, they'll be back. It's too much of the fabric of Chevrolet and Ford."
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