Biffle Breaks Winless Streak At Pocono

Greg Biffle's last NASCAR win was the race at Dover in September of 2008.

His 65-race streak came to an end today as he took the checkered flag at the Pocono Raceway, distancing himself from pole-sitter Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin in the last 20 laps.

The biggest scare on the day was when Kurt Busch was bump-drafted too hard by Jimmie Johnson and he ended up in the mess below.

It was even messier for Elliott Sadler...

The HQ especially likes the call since its in Portuguese...
((HT: NASCAR/Speed Channel/thiagoraposo))


Sadler tweeted after being released from the infield care center:

Just want to let everybody know I'm ok,prob gonna be sore but glad to walk away.Hardest hit I've ever had. Huge difference from a safer wall

Penske Racing and Sam Hornish had the lead coming out of a rain delay with 24 laps left, but he didn't have the car or the tires to stay in front.

Sadler Leaving RPM After 2010

Following in the tire tracks of teammate Kasey Kahne, Elliott Sadler has informed everyone willing to listen that he's leaving Richard Petty Motorsports at the end of the 2010 NASCAR season.

His best finish of the season so far is a 17th place wrap at Sonoma.

"We need to run good," said Sadler before Saturday's qualifying at Chicagoland Speedway. "I need to run good to further my career next year. They need to run good because they have great sponsors that they're trying to land and drivers that need to come back. Richard Petty needs to be a part of this sport, I think. So it benefits both of us for this car to run good the rest of this season."

The Joliet race is the first race that Sadler has been hooked back up with crew chief Todd Parrott since their past lives at Yates Racing in 2004.

Here's how much fun Sadler has had with RPM this year in microcosm... the wreck with Ryan Newman at the Daytona 500...
((HT: NASCAR on FOX/RacingDmp))

Richard Petty, Yates Merging For 2010 Season

((HT: AJC))

Under the agreement announced Thursday, Yates driver Paul Menard will join RPM drivers Kasey Kahne, Elliott Sadler and A.J. Allmendinger next year.

RPM was formed in January when Petty Holdings merged with Gillett Evernham Motorsports.

The team has met with mixed success, though Kahne is in good position to make the 12-driver chase for the championship after picking up his second victory of the season last week in Atlanta. Kahne is sixth in points heading into Saturday's race at Richmond, the final race before the chase begins.

"This is a pretty big deal for us," Petty said. "We're thrilled to partner with Ford. We've talked with a lot of folks, but in the end it came down tothe success the Gilletts and I think we can achieve with Ford Racing."

The switch from Dodge to Ford should ease some of the financial pressure felt by RPM since Chrysler's Chapter 11 filing. RPM laid off employees and cut salaries after Chrysler filed for bankruptcy protection.

"If you are going to compete with the other teams in this sport, you need a lot of support," said RPM managing partner Foster Gillett. "We bring a lot to this relationship as well. We've won twice this season and the power of Richard Petty is hard to beat, plus we have the support of some of the biggest names in corporate in America."

The merger leaves RPM driver Reed Sorenson and former NASCAR champion Bobby Labonte —who has been driving for Yates — looking for work while bringing Kahne full circle with Ford.

Kahne was being groomed by for big things by Ford in 2003 when he suddenly left the fold and signed with Ray Evernham's Dodge team, a move that gave Kahne a full-time ride at the Cup level. Ford sued for breach of contract, but the case was eventually thrown out of court.

Brian Wolfe, director of Ford North America Motorsports, called RPM's decision to switch manufacturers "gratifying."

"We will work with them closely on the technical front to help them become even more competitive than they are," he said. "What's also really good to me is the chance to have someone with the class and the legacy of Richard Petty involved with Ford."

Petty, winner of a record 200 NASCAR races, said some of the details are still being worked on. But he added there is little doubt the merger will help RPM make inroads on NASCAR super teams like Hendrick Motorsports.

"I've won races with Ford and plan to again," he said.

Just not with Sorenson, who is 28th in points this year with just one Top 10 finish.

Labonte is 30th while driving for Yates as part of a joint venture with Hall of Fame Racing, but was pulled from last week's race at Atlanta in favor of rookie Erik Darnell. Labonte ended up driving the No. 71 car for TRG Motorsports and finished 18th while Darnell was 30th.

Yates Racing co-owner Max Jones said it will still field two cars for the remainder of the 2009 season. Menard, who is 32nd in points, will drive one car while Darnell and Labonte will split time in the other.

All the story above does is give us a chance to show you the Sonoma race from earlier in the year where Kahne held off Tony Stewart
((HT: NASCAR Media/TNT))