Wallace faces uncertain future with Petty race team
JOLIET, Ill. (AP) Darrell Wallace Jr. said Friday he remains hopeful sponsorship could be found so he can drive the No. 43 car for Richard Petty Motorsports in 2018.
The 23-year-old Wallace was expected to replace Aric Almirola in the 43 next season. Almirola had announced he was leaving for an unspecified team, perhaps replacing Danica Patrick in the No. 10 at Stewart-Haas Racing. Smithfield Foods, which had sponsored Almirola, said it will leave Richard Petty Motorsports to become a primary sponsor at Stewart-Haas next year. Smithfield will not necessarily sponsor Almirola at SHR.
Wallace, NASCAR's only black driver, made four starts for RPM this season when Almirola was injured. Wallace's best finish was 11th at Kentucky.
''They are pushing hard to fight through some things and I am supporting them,'' Wallace said at Chicagoland Speedway. ''Nothing is set in stone. We are still trying to figure out what we need to do.''
Smithfield had been associated with Petty the last six years. RPM this year downsized to one Cup car because of sponsorship reasons, and talks on a contract extension with Almirola stalled when Smithfield began looking at other options.
Wallace's Truck Series win in 2013 was the first for a black driver in any NASCAR series since 1963. Wallace's start at Pocono this year was the first for a black driver in a Cup race since 2006. Wallace will drive in the Xfinity Series race at Chicagoland.
''It's been five years since I had a sponsor,'' Wallace said. ''I don't understand some of the judgment calls that sponsors make, but it isn't my call.''
Almirola was 20th in the standings when he broke his back in May. It caused him to miss seven races, and the team is currently 25th in the standings. He did make NASCAR's playoffs, in 2014, after he won at Daytona in July.
Petty, the Hall of Fame driver and seven-time NASCAR champion, is no longer the primary owner of his race team. Andrew Murstein of Medallion Financial Corp. is the majority owner of the team.
Petty said this week he and Murstein were committed to ''moving forward'' with the No. 43 team.
Wallace, one of NASCAR's social media stars, has five years of experience in the Xfinity and Truck series, and has six wins and 21 top-five finishes. He lost his sponsorship this season in Xfinity and won his only Truck start. He's ready to team with Petty to show the sport he can be even better in Cup.
''What we did a couple months ago was pretty special and showcased what we can do as a pair, as a couple if we can get things worked out,'' he said. ''I think we can bring them really good finishes, represent their brands the way they need to be and get them rolling off on the right start.''
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