GEM, Petty Merge

Following weeks of speculation, it appears that Petty Enterprises has merged with Gillett Evernham Motorsports.

Terms of the deal have yet to be disclosed, but the agreement is said to have been reached on Christmas Eve. An announcement is expected next week.

Following the merger, Reed Sorenson is expected to drive the famed No. 43 car fielded by the team.

It was also recently announced that AJ Allmendinger would be replacing Elliott Sadler at GEM next season. No word on Sadler’s future, but he is rumored to be headed to Earnhardt Ganassi Racing.

Sadler May Be Headed To EGR

As reported yesterday, AJ Allmendinger will replace Elliott Sadler in the No. 19 Gillett Evernham Motorsports machine starting next season.

Sadler may be headed to the Earnhardt Ganassi Racing’s No. 41 entry, or Penske Racing’s No. 77 machine, if Sam Hornish Jr. replaces Helio Castroneves in the Indy Racing League.

Castroneves is facing charges related to tax evasion.

Allmendinger To Replace Sadler At GEM?

AJ Allmendinger is set to replace Elliott Sadler in the No. 19 Dodge fielded by Gillett Evernham Motorsports, according to sources.

If true, this would mean GEM would consist of Kasey Kahne, Reed Sorenson, and Allmendinger.

No word on what will happen to Sadler, and ESPN could not reach him for comment.

Bill Davis Sells Majority Of BDR

Bill Davis has sold majority interest in Bill Davis Racing and all of Triad Racing Development to Mike Held and Marty Gaunt.

Triad Racing Technologies will continue to supply engines, chassis, and bodies for all three of NASCAR’s major series.

The team has not committed to fielding the No. 22 Toyota for the 2009 season, but the new owners said that they hope to field the car. Expect an announcement of the team’s plan in January.

Davis will remain with the team as a consultant.

RGM To Switch To Toyota In 2009

Robby Gordon Motorsports has announced that beginning in 2009, the team will switch from Dodge to Toyota. Gordon and Toyota began their relationship in 1989, when Gordon won a championship driving a Toyota grand national truck.

Lee White, president of Toyota Racing Development said:

I’ve known Robby as a driver, team owner and fierce competitor since 1990. … We’ve raced together in Off-Road, IMSA, SCCA and Indy Car and have shared many memorable challenges and victories. It will be exciting to see how the association between Robby, his team, Toyota and TRD will develop in 2009.

The move is RGM’s fourth in the last four years. In 2006, the team fielded Chevys, in 2007, they switched to Ford. In 2008, he moved over to Gillett Evernham Motorsports engines, and switched to Dodges.

His switch to Dodge last season led to a few problems for the team. Before the Daytona 500, RGM tried to practice his Dodge with an unapproved nose. He blamed Dodge saying:

This was an innocent mistake made by someone not even on my team. They accidentally supplied us the new Dodge noses that NASCAR hasn’t yet approved because of what amounted to a clerical error. It was discovered during technical inspection and corrected before the race. It was not even close to being an intent to create some competitive advantage, and the mistake was not even made by my team.

He was penalized 100 points, and fined $100,000.

The team also was working on a merger with GEM, when talks soured and GEM sued RGM for breach of contract. The suit was later dropped.