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With a new name and drive lineup finally in place, RPM now can concentrate on going racing after a winter of rumors and protracted negotiations. At one point, Sadler was ousted from the No. 19 only to threaten legal action and subsequently regain his ride

Driver Kahne, who won two Cup races with the team last season, said Tuesday he was relieved to have all the chaos over with. “There was plenty of craziness going on, whether it was the Petty merger, Elliott Sadler issues, AJ Allmendinger,” said Kahne. The 44, the 10, the 9. The 9 (Kahne’s car) was clean, other than that it’s been a mess.”

In fact, Kahne seemed visibly relieved to have the uncertainties of the off-season behind him. “Heck, yeah, it’s been a mess, I think,” Kahne said when asked if the merger rumors had been a distraction. “But now that they have it taken care of, it’s good. We’re getting ready to race and things were taken care and that’s all I asked – whatever happens here, just make sure it’s taken care of so everybody can focus on racing when we get to Daytona, and they’ve done that.”

Allmendinger, the newest driver on the team, ran the final five races for GEM in 2008. He said he was relieved to get a ride for ‘09, even one that’s only funded for the first five races of the season. “I’m happy to be here, at least for the first the five races,” said Allmendinger, who last year was one of the most improved drivers on the circuit, but was cut loose by Red Bull Racing to make room for Scott Speed.

“Two things make me want to stay here: The Gillett family, first off,” said Allmendinger. “They’re great people. They’re fantastic in their support, they’re very great people. With this company they’ve got all the tools to be one of those teams that can go run up front every week all year. And the association with ‘The King.’ You can’t go wrong have your name put with Richard’s and being associated with him.”

NASCAR 39/10: Reviewing the 60th Season A unique and comprehensive look at a historic season in the annals of stock car racing. For the first time ever, NASCAR fans will be able to relive the entire 2008 Sprint Cup Season, over the course of a 30-hour anthology. From Preseason Testing in Daytona, to the Postseason Banquet in New York, viewers will relive NASCAR’s 60th season, and one of the most important years in the sport’s history.