A.J. Allmendinger will drive the No. 44
Dodge for Richard Petty Motorsports in the season-opening Budweiser
Shootout and at least the first eight NASCAR Sprint Cup races this
season.

Bobby Labonte has been released from his contract with Petty Enterprises. Petty Enterprises has been unable to find sponsorship for the former NASCAR champion and is in danger of closing its storied organization if it can’t work out a merger with Gillett-Evernham Motorsports.