Richard Petty Motorsports confirmed Thursday that Bubba Wallace will not return to the organization’s No. 43 Chevrolet for the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season.
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RPM officials released a statement Thursday afternoon. The news was first reported by The Athletic.
“Earlier this morning, Darrell ‘Bubba’ Wallace Jr., informed Richard Petty Motorsports he will not be returning for the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) season,” RPM said in a prepared statement. “We will complete the season with Wallace behind the wheel of the No. 43 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE. We look forward to the next chapter in the making for the iconic No. 43 team. We will announce our new driver in the near future.”
Wallace, 26, will round out his third full Cup Series season with the Richard Petty-owned organization this year. He sits 23rd in the Cup Series standings with five top-10 finishes — a career best for a single season.
“This was not an easy decision as I have nothing but the utmost respect for Richard Petty and his family, but I believe it’s time for someone else to take over the reins of the No. 43,” Wallace said in a statement released on his social media channels. “Thank you to the King and everyone at Richard Petty Motorsports for giving me the opportunity to start my Cup Series career. I’ve grown so much as a driver and as a person since joining them. We’ve got nine more races together, and I hope we can finish the 2020 season on a high note.”