Elliott Sadler is still an option for RPM
Next season, Richard Petty Motorsports plans to have a three- to four-car stable that includes Paul Menard and AJ Allmendinger, said Robbie Loomis, vice president of race operations at Chicagoland Speedway.
Elliott Sadler declared himself a free agent and said he did not expect to return to the organization. On resigning Elliott Sadler, Loomis also did not close the door on him.
Loomis said, “We have interest [in Sadler], Elliott is among three or four drivers who is on the table we’re looking at. The bottom line is, I always say this, we’re in the performing business and when you’re performing it’s easier for everything.”
Loomis hopes the addition of crew chief Todd Parrott can turn the No. 19 team around, although in points Sadler ranks 28th.
Loomis added, “I don’t think the door is closed by any means, Elliott is a talented racecar driver. For whatever reason we haven’t been able to put together the finishes we need. There’s been a lot of changes we’ve made over the years, even before I got there. We really felt like putting Todd in there is going to be the real measuring stick with where we’re at with that race team.”
Loomis expects Allmendinger to be the anchor of the organization with Kasey Kahne headed to Hendrick Motorsports and to return to the famed No. 43, even though Allmendinger is talking to several other teams. In points, Allmendinger is 22nd and he had six straight finishes of 14th or better before last week’s 36th-place finish at Daytona.
When asked about Allmendinger’s contract negotiations, Loomis said, “We know where we’re at. We just need to get our I’s dotted and T’s crossed. We’re confident as ever in the things we’re doing. There’s no question in my mind we’re going to be a solid race team next year with three or four solid drivers capable of putting numbers up.”
