Penske Racing To Switch From Dodge To Ford For '13 Sprint Cup Season

Penske Racing today announced it will switch next year from Dodge to Ford in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition. Penske has raced Dodges for the past nine years; the team drove Fords from '95-'02 (Penske Racing). SPEEDTV.com’s Tom Jensen writes the “timing of the blockbuster announcement is nothing less than shocking: Dodge is set to unveil its 2013 Sprint Cup Charger at Las Vegas Motor Speedway next weekend, with Penske its only frontline team.” Dodge reps declined comment on the move (SPEEDTV.com, 3/1). ESPN.com’s David Newton notes Penske's two-car operation with Brad Keselowski and A.J. Allmendinger, as well as Robby Gordon as an owner-driver, are “the only Dodge teams in the Sprint Cup Series.” However, Gordon “has an agreement with Penske for his racing engines," meaning the move "could leave the series with three manufacturers in 2013: Ford, Chevrolet and Toyota” (ESPN.com, 3/1).