Why Richard Petty Motorsports could be in trouble in 2022

Randy Sartin / USA Today Sports

     It has been a downward spiral for, what used to be, one of NASCAR's top teams. Richard Petty Motorsports has not had the best of luck in recent years, and now, they could be in danger of possibly shutting down the team due to lack of sponsorship.

Started by Lee Petty in 1949 as Petty Enterprises, that team would bring up non-other than NASCAR's first 7-time champion, Richard Petty. The team would, at the end of 2008, change their name to Richard Petty Motorsports as Petty Enterprises merged with Gillett Evernham Motorsports. There has, to this day, only been 11 different drivers to win for the Richard Petty Motorsports/Petty Enterprises team, winning a total of 273 NASCAR Cup Series wins. In the last 13 years, only 3 drivers have won 5 races for RPM.

The team's last win came in 2014, over 6 years ago, with driver Aric Almirola. Without wins, teams have a hard time finding sponsorship. After all, what sponsor wants to have their name on a car that doesn't win? For that exact reason the team finds it difficult to secure a decent sponsorship today. Current RPM driver, Erik Jones, has 2 career Cup Series wins. So they at least have a proven winner behind the wheel of the No. 43, which is something they haven't had since Aric Almirola left for Stewart-Haas Racing at the end 2017.

The biggest threat to Richard Petty Motorsports as of right now is, lack of funding, and possibly getting bought out by another team. Both of those threats tie together in a few ways. Toyota’s newest Cup Series team, 23XI Racing, has already expressed that they want to expand to a 2 car operation, or even bigger. To do that, 23XI Racing, would have to buy out a team and their charter(s). RPM still owns their chartered No. 43, though you need funding to keep that charter, as well as their team. Many die-hard NASCAR fans were upset about Toyota joining the sport in 2007, some were even turned away by it, but I think even more would be turned away if Richard Petty Motorsports, was bought out by a Toyota team. 

I would be, would you?

Due to all of these factors, Richard Petty Motorsports could be in trouble for 2022, if they don't receive the funding and/or a win by Erik Jones. I think it is up to the loyal RPM fans to help the team through this very low time of its NASCAR running. Maybe we should start a Go-Fund-Me. I don't know, but something needs to happen. And soon. Otherwise, we can kiss Richard Petty Motorsports goodbye.