Can Petty Enterprises Find a Second Driver to go with Bobby Labonte?

I read a article online last week that totally left me frustrated at Petty Enterprises.

It seems like they just can't get it together, finding a decent teammate to complement Bobby Labonte and stop just bumbling along.

The Winston-Salem Journal had a article about the team with comments Robbie Loomis made.

Basically, they have faced up to the facts of where both team cars are running point-wise. They won't be able to get a A-level driver to be Labonte's teammate next season.

Guess Loomis never saw that very popular commercial, "Baby, Let me Upgrade." Now even funnier, they are trying to create one: like Brett Favre with the Green Bay Packers.

But here's the problem, Labonte's already the team's Brett Favre. Why gamble with an unknown driver, cross your fingers and hope you end up with a B-level, possibly an A-level driver.

Doesn't it make more sense to sign a driver who's an upgrade to Kyle Petty? Someone who is a B-level driver already, who has won in both the Craftsman Truck Series and the Nationwide Series in the past.

He has shown promise with MB2, Gillett-Evernham Motorsports and Stewart-Haas Racing, but in my opinion just never really fit in with those teams.

Right now, he's your best choice left unsigned for 2009. On paper, Scott Riggs is your best choice to upgrade your team and give Labonte the best possible teammate available.

I did research the Craftsman Truck Series for a veteran driver, but the few that would fit with Labonte are all under contract.

Now here lies the biggest hurdle for Petty Enterprises. What to do with Kyle Petty? Well I'm going to be nice, I have solved their dilemma for them. But I will mention maybe the King needs to take Kyle out to dinner and have a father/son chat about retirement.

Apply to NASCAR for the No. 40. Then apply the owner points from the No. 45 to the No. 40 car. Riggs will drive the No. 40 car with State Water Heaters on it, with other associate sponsors from the team.

We might even see both Checker's and Valvoline abandon ship with Gillett-Evernham and join Petty Enterprises.

Then you can keep Kyle Petty in the No. 45 along with your project driver. (More on that in a minute.)

Why wouldn't you try to sign Riggs? He's a great guy, his sponsors have always loved him and he does have his share of fans in NASCAR Nation. 

He's a perfect fit with Labonte, both would benefit from it and both would be Top 20 teams. Without upsetting any fans, based on experience Riggs would be with the best teammate he's ever been with in Sprint Cup.

Now I know Petty Enterprises plans to sign Chad McCumbee from the CTS. He'll split seat time with Kyle in the No. 45 during 2009. While it's not official yet, it's basically a done deal.

Does this help Labonte or his crew on the No. 43? No.

Is it fair to treat Labonte and the No. 43 team like that? No.

It's time for the King, Robbie, especially Kyle and Boston Ventures to realize my next comments and the truth behind them.

Had Labonte followed Cheerios to RCR and had they agreed on the contract. Petty Enterprises is done, period. Boston Ventures would not have bought into the team. There's no way you would have recovered from the loss and in a year or two. Bye bye, off to NASCAR history you go and with the history of the No. 43. That's sad.

Plus, you're behind the gun anyways with Boston ventures on board. You either perform better, so they get a return on their investment, or they will sell you, just as fast as they bought in.

I do like Chad McCumbee. He's done a great job in the No. 8 MRD Motorsports Chevrolet truck with limited sponsorship. In 17 races, he's compiled two Top fives, seven Top Tens and is 11th in points.  In Sprint Cup, he qualified making his debut at the second Pocono race and finished 17th. 

But I feel McCumbee needs more time, probably a year or two away from making the jump to Sprint Cup. Makes sense to add a third team car. Labonte gets a teammate, that will help his performance and your giving McCumbee more time to develop.

Plus you can also find teams that he could run some races in CTS and Nationwide for whenever Kyle's driving the No. 45.

Lastly, in no way am I mad at Labonte, his crew chief Jeff Meendering, his pit crew or the rest of the No. 43 car's team. I know they have talent, they just need a teammate that's competitive and they'll improve themselves from having that.

Let's face it, Petty Enterprises may field two cars each week, but really it's only a one car team in it's current state.

I do have alot of respect for the King, and the history with the No. 43 and think it's cool Labonte's driving the car. I'm actually proud of him for staying with the team. I do feel adding a third team car, with Riggs driving it, gives Labonte and the No. 43 crew the best chance to get back to victory lane and into the Chase.

I took three sentences and turned it into a opinion based article. I really do believe, should Petty Enterprises do this signing Riggs. He's going to surprise everyone with what he'll do.

After all, it's how well a driver matches up with his team that's important and chemistry with their teammates.

Oh, I also can't forget to mention the late Benny Parsons was high on Scott Riggs. He said he'll be a winner one day in Sprint Cup, while he made the comment his first year at MB2. When was BP ever wrong on talent regarding the drivers? It just might happen.

Let me mention as a fan, I've invested 17 years in cheering and rooting for Bobby Labonte. Followed him from his days at Bill Davis Racing, to Joe Gibbs Racing and onto Petty Enterprises. Have collected a huge collection of memorabilia that spans his entire career.

So when you leave comments, don't mention about changing drivers because that's out of the question.