Mixed news on the NASCAR scene today with the announcement that Richard Petty Motorsports has secured sponsorship to extend A.J. Allmendinger’s season and that Earnhardt Ganassi Racing had not done the same for Aric Almirola.

‘Dinger is ranked 20th in the points standings and now will be behind the wheel of the 44 into September. Not the full season yet, but getting there. He’s second-best among Petty’s four cars. (Kasey Kahne is 10th, Elliott Sadler 25th and Reed Sorenson 30th).

Almirola is fourth-best among the four Earnhardt Ganassi cars and ranks 37th in points, outside of the top 35 and a guaranteed spot in the field. With no sponsor and no prospects, his team has effectively closed down. Earnhardt Ganassi is now down to two full-time cars — Juan Pablo Montoya (who came from Ganassi in the merger and is 13th in points) and Martin Truex Jr. (who came from DEI in the merger and is 24th in points) — and part-timer John Andretti, who is 33rd in points.

Almirola’s absence will create increased opportunity for drivers such as Joe Nemechek, Jeremy Mayfield, Scott Riggs, Dave Blaney, Bill Elliott and Regan Smith from one-car teams to crack the NASCAR starting grids.

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