If the rumors are correct, Richard Petty Motorsports is considering a choice. Is it an easy choice? Maybe, maybe not. Is this the mere exchange of a middling driver for another? It could be. It could be a game changer.
According to one report, as Richard Petty Motorsports talks sponsorship with Smithfield Foods, there’s talk that the team is considering a change of drivers. One one hand- you have journeyman Aric Almirola. On the other, there is the up and coming Darrell “Bubba” Wallace Jr.
Amidst all the messages going out is discussion that RPM COULD run a full schedule for the 44, to be driven by Wallace, while potentially retaining the services of Almirola in the 43. It’s not hard to imagine this all hinges on sponsorship support, which appears to be a little shaky, according to Sports Business Daily. As one may imagine, that’s the crux of RPM’s future.
Should Richard Petty Motorsports be forced to go with just one, here’s the choice: unspectacular reliability versus potential. It’s not a no-brainer.
Almirola defines journeyman. Generally speaking, he’ll give you a lot of solid, top 20 finishes, and may run up front some. Most Sundays, the Floridian of Cuban descent brings the car back to the garage in one piece. He just puts his head down and does his work. Kyle Busch he is not, in more way than one.
While Double-A is far from controversial, he’s almost too quiet in terms of results. In 232 Cup races, Almirola has one win, and it was in a rain-shortened race to boot. One could argue that Martin Truex went about six years between wins, but the difference is that during those years, Truex was on the cusp of winning numerous times. This writer fails to recall many occasions where the driver who came up through the ranks at Joe Gibbs Racing made that many waves.
One the other hand, you have Darrell Wallace. While running briefly for Richard Petty Motorsports in place of an injured Almirola, Bubba showed a nice run of improvement with each race. Winless in 84 Xfinity races, Wallace has six victories in the truck series.
Where things get sticky is the fact Bubba Wallace Jr. is more famous for his skin color (his mother is African-American) than he is his accomplishments. While not necessarily mentioned in the same breath as William Byron or Chase Elliott, Wallace certainly falls into that category of driver deserving of a legitimate shot. He could be another Almirola, he could be a stud. There’s just no way to know…..yet.
While on the topic, let’s not kid ourselves. Richard Petty Motorsports- while a respectable team- is not on a par with Hendrick Motorsports or Joe Gibbs Racing, or even Penske or Stewart-Haas. This isn’t some back-marker team, but things have been relatively quiet for quite some time. All that’s to say, while Wallace has earned a shot, the question is whether or not this shot is best for him.
Racing is a cruel business. In a perfect world, RPM expands and both drivers race. Alas, it is not a perfect world. If you can only keep one? Which is it? Both have good qualities, both have question marks.
Who would you sign?
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