STATESVILLE, N.C. – Richard Petty Motorsports announced it will partner with Braun Racing to compete in five NASCAR Nationwide Series races in 2009.

The Petty team competed full-time in the series until this season when it chose to run a fourth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team. Team officials said the agreement with Braun Racing makes a successful return to the series more likely.

“We have a commitment to run five races this season,” said Mark McArdle, the Petty team’s vice president of competition. “Braun Racing is one of the most successful stand alone teams in the series that contends for race wins, week in and week out. Partnering with them gives us an opportunity to be extremely competitive and to win races. It also brings the most value to our partners without disrupting anything we are doing with our Sprint Cup programs.”

Elliott Sadler will drive the Auto Value Bumper to Bumper car in the June 27 race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on ABC television while Kasey Kahne will race in the remaining four races.

Kahne’s schedule and paint schemes include:

• No. 9 McDonald’s McCafe car in the July 3 Daytona race on ESPN
• No. 9 McDonald’s car in the Aug. 21 Bristol race on ESPN2
• No. 9 Fritos car in the Sept. 5 Atlanta race on ESPN2
• No. 43 Auto Value Bumper to Bumper car in the Oct. 16 Charlotte race on ESPN2.

Braun Racing owner, Todd Braun, feels this will be a mutually beneficial arrangement.

“We believe that we have first-rate equipment and an extremely talented group here at Braun Racing,” said Braun. “Adding the talents of Elliott Sadler and Kasey Kahne to our driver line-up is a win-win situation for us. We’re very pleased that Richard Petty Motorsports approached us with this opportunity. It’s a good indicator that we have grown into a top-performing team and that it is not going unnoticed.”

Kahne, a seven-time winner in the series with Evernham Motorsports prior to the merger with Petty, looks forward to his four upcoming NASCAR Nationwide Series races with Braun Racing.

“Our plan is to win these races,” said Kahne. “We’ve had a pretty good track record in the series and Braun Racing has run well this season. I think our sponsors will be pleased with how competitive this combination will be in these races.”

Sadler echoed his teammate’s comments.

“This should be a lot of fun,” said Sadler, a five-time winner in the series. “I’m looking forward to getting back in the Auto Value Bumper to Bumper Nationwide car. We have a chance to get a trophy.”