Annett joins RPM from Rusty Wallace Inc, which suspended operations in the off-season. Annett posted 13 top-10 finishes in 105 Nationwide Series starts and drove to a ninth-place finish in the championship points standings last season.

He said:

They say that when one door closes, another door opens, and that is most definitely true. We were left scrambling a bit because of the situation with RWI and were unsure what the future held, but I couldn’t be happier with the way things have turned out. To have the chance to race for Richard Petty and to be under the RPM umbrella is amazing. It has all come together really quickly, but together with Pilot Flying J and Ford, this is the best opportunity I have ever had to race a Nationwide Series car. There’s a lot to be done before we get to Daytona in a few weeks and I can’t wait to dive in and get started.

Team owner Richard Petty said:

We are looking forward to getting back into the Nationwide Series full time and seeing what Michael Annett can do in an RPM Ford Mustang. Michael has improved every season he has raced in the Nationwide Series and has the dedication and drive to be a success.

Wallace and Gaughan are both in the top 10 in Nationwide Series starts, but neither has won a race this season.

Separately, Rusty Wallace has agreed to represent the Toyota brand nationally.

Wallace said:

I’m very proud to have the opportunity for the team and I to represent the Toyota brand. Our team’s decision on manufacturers involved input from a lot of people within the organization. We decided that at the end of the day, our goal as a race team is simple: To win races and championships. Thus, we all had to take a long look at which manufacturer partner could best help us reach that goal.

Lee White, of TRD, said:

We are looking forward to our partnership and working together with Rusty Wallace Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. As a former Cup Series champion who is now a team owner, Rusty knows what is required – in terms of equipment and people – to win races and compete for championships. The team is a first-class organization, and we are proud that they will be a part of the Toyota Camry roster.

After two seasons, Stremme was released from CGR due to sponsorship issues. He returned to the Nationwide series driving for RWI. Earlier this year, Stremme was hired as a test driver for Penske.

When Ryan Newman announced he was leaving the No. 12 at the end of the season, Stremme was rumored to be on the list of candidates, which also included Casey Mears and Martin Truex Jr. Following the announcement that Truex Jr. would stay at Dale Earnhardt Inc., and that Mears was headed to Richard Childress Racing, Stremme became the lead candidate for the No. 12.

Newman later announced that he would drive for Stewart Haas Racing next season.

Stremme said:

It’s a great opportunity to get to drive for Roger Penske. I mean just look at what the organization has done in motorsports — the Daytona 500, Indy 500, championship drivers — I’m just so excited I barely have the words to explain how I feel.