RPM tabs Hornish for Sprint Cup ride

"This is a great opportunity to join Richard Petty Motorsports and the No. 9 Ford team in the Sprint Cup Series," Hornish said. "Owners Richard Petty, Andrew Murstein and Doug Bergeron have built this organization into a championship-contending team with world-class sponsors and partners.

"Many people have noticed the progress being made here and I'm ready to build off this momentum."

Hornish, 35, repeatedly mentioned his belief in the team's upturn during a teleconference with the national racing media Wednesday morning. This year RPM put its other driver, Aric Almirola, in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, and Hornish said the combination of working for "The King" along with the team's revived potential was a deal too good to pass up.

While the small two-car Petty team is making strides to consistently contend with the mega-teams such as Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing, Hornish said he still felt like he had a lot to prove, personally, as well. He struggled in his first full-time Cup tenure with Penske Racing from 2008-10 when he had only two top-five finishes coming directly from a three-championship career in IndyCar with little stock car experience to prepare him for the Cup level.

"I feel like I'm a lot better prepared. I feel like I'm more ready to go full-time than with my first go-around with only about 12-15 stock car races under my belt,'' Hornish said, adding that he felt much more comfortable with the cars this go-round and able to offer and receive technical communication better.

"This is a different opportunity for sure than the one I had previously."

And, he added, "But if everything had gone perfectly the first go-around I probably wouldn't have had the opportunity to work for Richard Petty so I'm thankful."

After finishing runner-up in the 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship driving for Penske Racing, Hornish purposely did not compete in NASCAR full-time this year despite having offers.

When he found out he would not be retained by Penske at the end of 2013, Hornish said he would rather wait out a good, competitive situation than rush to take just any job.

Instead, he has driven part-time in the Nationwide Series this season making eight starts for Joe Gibbs racing, winning at Iowa Speedway in May and earning the pole position at Talladega, Alabama and his hometown Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course.

Hornish ran one Sprint Cup Series race, finishing 17th at Auto Club Speedway in March as a final-minute substitute in for an injured Denny Hamlin, extending his streak of Cup competition.

He has started at least one Cup race every year since 2007 with three top-fives and nine top-10s in 131 race starts. He has a best-ever finish of fourth place at Pocono, Pennsylvania in 2009.

"Sam is a really good fit for RPM and will be a great addition to the team," Petty said. "He's a family man who fits well with our core values and he will be a great ambassador for our partners.

"Sam's also proven that he can win races and compete for a championship. He came into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with a steep learning curve from open wheel racing, but has shown in the Nationwide Series that he is a winner. We feel that he can get the No. 9 team to Victory Lane and compete in 'The Chase' for us."

RPM Director of Operations Sammy Johns said this will be a multi-year deal and that Hornish will be paired with chief Drew Blickensderfer, who has three Sprint Cup Series victories atop the pit box.

"Sam is a really good fit for RPM and will be a great addition to the team," Petty said. "He's a family man who fits well with our core values and he will be a great ambassador for our partners.

"Sam's also proven that he can win races and compete for a championship. He came into the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with a steep learning curve from open wheel racing, but has shown in the Nationwide Series that he is a winner. We feel that he can get the No. 9 team to Victory Lane and compete in 'The Chase' for us."


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