Brian Scott to reportedly drive for Richard Petty Motorsports in 2016

Richard Petty Motorsports has reportedly found the successor to Sam Hornish Jr.

According to Motorsport.com, Brian Scott is set to be teammates with Aric Almirola in 2016. RPM issued a release Wednesday morning for a driver announcement for Friday. No driver was identified in the release.

Scott has driven full-time in the Xfinity Series since 2010. In 208 career Xfinity Series starts he has 20 top-five finishes and 77 top 10s. He’s finished in the top 10 of the Xfinity standings in each of the past five seasons. He finished 8th in 2015 and had six top-five finishes and 18 top 10s.

He drove in 10 Cup Series races in 2015. His highest finish was 12th at Kansas in the fall. He drove a fourth car for Richard Childress Racing in those four races; RCR was his team in the Xfinity Series.

Scott has been sponsored by his father’s Shore Lodge resort in Idaho. While other drivers, notably Chris Buescher and David Ragan, were considered to be candidates for Hornish’s No. 9 because they have Ford ties, Scott has one thing they didn’t have. Sponsorship. RPM pieced together sponsors for part of the 2015 season for Hornish’s car.

Per Sports Business Journal, Scott will be sponsored by Albertson’s, a grocery chain his family is associated with.

Following up on @jim_utter report on RPM’s No. 9, hearing sponsor will be @Albertsons, which struck B2B deal w/ Smithfield as part of pact.

— Adam Stern (@A_S12) December 9, 2015