NASCAR: Petty and Sadler return to Ford for Talladega this week

The merger among Richard Petty Motorsports and Yates Racing is taking its’ first step with Elliott Sadler behind the wheel of a Ford Fusion in Talladega this weekend.

In a release the team said Sadler would return to a Dodge for the final three race of this year, and switch over to the Ford full-time in 2010.

“Richard Petty Motorsports is working with Ford Racing as we get ready to make the full-time switch at Daytona in 2010. Since this is the final restrictor plate race of the season, we made the decision to run a Ford to get some work done in advance. This will be our first time to practice and work on a Fusion under real race conditions. It should help us get ready to make a strong showing at Daytona and put us in the best position to start next season. I’ll be back in a Dodge at Texas, Phoenix and Homestead, but since it’s important to start a season off on the right foot we thought we’d try to get a head start,” said Sadler.

It’s not the first time for either a Petty-entered car or a Sadler driven car in a Ford. RPM is the result of a merger of Petty Enterprises into Gillett Evernham Motorsports earlier this year.

Richard Petty drove a Ford to nine wins in 1969. The last time a Petty Enterprises entered a Ford was in 1985 for Morgan Shepherd.

Sadler drove 130 points races in a Robert Yates Racing Ford from the 2003 Daytona 500 to Watkins Glen 2006, scoring three wins and seven poles.

Auto123.com has heard reports that AJ Allmendinger will also be entered in a Ford Fusion as well as Sadler.