RPM Confirms Blickensderfer Hiring

Blickensderfer to RPM

Richard Petty Motorsports confirmed today that former Richard Childress Racing crew chief Drew Blickensderfer has joined the team as crew chief of the No. 9 Ford and driver Marcos Ambrose.

Prior to his tenure at RCR, the Mount Zion, Ill., native spent the majority of his career with teams associated with Ford Racing and Roush-Fenway Racing. He is a former Daytona 500 champion and has multiple Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series wins with drivers Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth.

"Drew has a lot of experience with Ford Racing and also how our current operation works," said team owner Richard Petty. "His knowledge can immediately improve the performance of the No. 9 race team. Marcos has proved to win races and compete in the top-five. The addition of Drew will hopefully provide those results on a more consistent basis."

Ambrose has one win, eight top-10 and three top-five finishes this season. In addition, Ambrose has won two poles this year.

"We have had success this season and now we're just looking for more consistency as we prepare for next season," said Ambrose. "Drew brings a strong resume to our team and can help us find the results that we want each week. I'm looking forward to working with him."

Blickensderfer replaces Mike Ford, who is expected to land at BK Racing.

Photo: Action Sports Photography