Petty releases 39 more employees, Labonte could move to DEI
14 Comments Quote selected text Published December 8th, 2008 in NASCAR News
Petty Enterprises released 39 employees on Monday, bringing the total to 65 since the end of the season.
A source close to the situation said NASCAR’s most storied organization, the owner of 10 Sprint Cup titles between Richard Petty (seven) and his father, Lee (three), has about 54 employees anxiously waiting to hear whether there will be a merger with Gillett-Evernham Motorsports.
“Everybody is still looking for marching orders in what direction we’re going in,” the source said.
The Pettys have been in negotiations to merge with several teams for months. Two were eliminated when Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates merged last month.
The possible merger with GEM would have the famous No. 43 joining the No. 9 (Kasey Kahne), 19 (Elliott Sadler) and 10 (Reed Sorenson) of GEM to become a four-car operation.
Whether 2000 Cup champion Bobby Labonte, the current driver of the unsponsored 43, would be a part of that deal remains unclear. Labonte, who signed a long-term deal that included partial ownership with Petty Enterprises earlier this year, has reportedly had talks with DEI-Ganassi about driving the Target-sponsored No. 41.
That could clear the way for AJ Allmendinger, released by Red Bull Racing late this season, to move into the 43.
DON’T DO IT!
I have been a Petty fan since 1960. To think that Petty Enterprises is gone boggles the mind. The new digs
didn’t prove to help the performance of the team. It is a darn shame that such a storied organization is
going by the way after selling off a large portion of the company.
Is this a trend? I note the fact that Ray Evernham
sold a portion of his team and now he is gone, and Petty Enterprises looks like it going away as well.
I guess racing is truly a business and there is no room for sentiment.
But, Richard Petty is an Icon in this sport with Petty Blue his Petty Blue and all of success that he had in this
sport. I guess I’m just not ready for Richard Petty to be gone with all the history he brings whenever he is’
at any race event.
I can’t imagine how the deal with Boston Ventures put Kyle Petty out of a ride at his families company, I
would think that part of the deal would have included a continued ride for the son of the most accomplished race car
driver in nascar history.
However, since I don’t know the entire story of what is going on behind closed doors, all I can do is give my opinion
on what I read.
I hope the stories are wrong, but I fear they are correct.
Just my two cents…
Well said Dugger43.Would not seem right without the Petty team there.
I like petty but this isnt a surprise I mean pettys race team has been junk and basically a joke for like 25 years.
I agree that the performance hasn’t been there, but a joke. I would respectfully submit that I bet The Petty
Organization isn’t laughing. These days I am a junior fan and it is easier to pull for him than wishing and
hoping that the famed 43 run up front, which is what all petty fans hope for, past,present and future, if
there is a future 43.
Dugger43 wrote:
I would like to see the 43 up front too,I like labonte and he should be running up front but the money and resources just aren’t there.
Petty name a joke!!! Just like Babe Ruth in baseball, Johnny Unitas in football 0r Jordan in basketball!!!!!!! Wake up and smell the coffww
coffee guys.
Labonte is officially gone from PE
As I said yesterday, hope the stories are wrong, but I fear they are correct, Evidently, they are. I truly
hope the 43 survives with Richard and Dale Inman still associated with the carand we get to see them in the
garage and track. Folks with that much history and knowledge of the sport need to be around!!
Bob Baker wrote:
I didnt say the petty name was a joke,Im saying the race team has been a joke facts are facts how many races have they won in the last 25 years? you can probably count them on 1 hand,I dont want to see them close the doors it would be bad for nascar and this sucks for labonte I guess he’ll end up at DEI now which isn’t any better he should have went to RCR.
I would imagine that his opporunities might be limited. The good thing about DEI is that they have the RCR/DEI DEI engine shop, which seems to be making pretty good horsepower. Bobby is a good driver and I would have like to see him in better
equipment.
Dugger43 wrote:
Also the #41 or whatever number they decide to run is fully funded and Bobby would be back in a GM where he belongs and with Steve Hmeil back it could only get better
Steve Hmeil, I hadn’t heard that. If that is so, that would be a good combination. Any car that is
fully funded right now is good.
dugger43 wrote:
He was in charge of competition at Chip Ganassi Racing so i amagine he will stay on.