2011 NNS Qualifying Elliott Sadler - Photo Credit: Getty Images for NASCAR

This was Sadler’s fourth series pole of the 2011 season, his tenth series career pole and his first series pole at “The Monster Mile.”

Starting second and on the outside pole with a qualifying lap speed of 153.728 mph, will be Carl Edwards, followed by Joey Logano (153.505) starting third, Clint Bowyer (153.472) fourth and Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender, Ryan Truex (153.420) will start from fifth.

Rounding out the top-ten starting positions will be Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (153.152) starting from sixth, Kasey Kahne (152.614) seventh, Brad Keselowski (152.549) eighth, Trevor Bayne (152.445) ninth and Kenny Wallace (152.355) will start from the tenth starting position.

Failing to make the starting lineup were the #03 driven by Marc Davis and the #74 driven by Tony Raines.

This afternoon’s OneMain Financial 200 is scheduled to get underway approximately at 3:50 PM (EDT) with ESPN2 beginning their (pre-race) coverage at 3:00 PM (EDT).

2011 NNS OneMain Financial 200 Starting Lineup

(i) Ineligible for Points in this Series
# Denotes Rookie

No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet (Elliott Sadler) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

The Nationwide Series took to the 1.5-mile Chicagoland Speedway on Saturday for the 14th event of the season. An afternoon rain storm caused NASCAR to cancel qualifying, setting the 43-car field per the rule book lining teams up according to practice speeds. Sadler and the No. 2 OneMain Financial team started the night from the second position.

Fans witnessed tight door-to-door racing in the opening laps of the 200-lap event. Sadler shifted from second to the third position and communicated to crew chief Ernie Cope that his Chevrolet Impala was really good but too tight in the center, especially in turns three and four.

NASCAR waved the yellow flag on lap 25 for a scheduled competition caution with the No. 2 Chevrolet running in the second position. Cope called Sadler to pit road for the OneMain Financial team to take advantage of the early-race caution period. The crew bolted on four tires, filled the KHI machine with fuel and made minor chassis adjustments in an effort to resolve the tight-handling condition Sadler had reported. A solid pit stop by the KHI crew put the No. 2 in the lead position for the lap 31 restart.

As the field resumed full speed, Sadler and the second-position driver engaged in tight battle swapping positions multiple times as they sailed around the D-shaped oval. The No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet settled into the third position as the tight racing continued. Sadler relayed that his car was much better but needed to be tightened up a little more to help the handling through the center of the turns.

NASCAR waved the yellow flag for the second time on lap 62. Running in the fourth position at the time of caution, Sadler communicated that the KHI Chevrolet was still tight in turns three and four. Cope made the call for his driver to come to pit road where the OneMain Financial crew changed the four tires, added fuel and made some additional minor chassis adjustments as a continued effort to get the handling just right for Sadler.

The field returned to green-flag racing conditions on lap 67. Restarting from the fourth position, Sadler quickly muscled his way to the second position. The Emporia, Va. native continued to hold track position among the top three as the night raced towards the halfway mark. With green-flag pit stops approaching, Sadler radioed to his team that the last round of changes helped the OneMain Financial Chevrolet in the middle of the turns but on the long run was becoming a little loose on exit.

The No. 2 team was planning a lap 123 green-flag stop but on lap 111 lead cars started to come down pit road. Cope quickly made the call to come early and brought Sadler down pit on lap 116 for four tires and fuel.

Shortly after Sadler returned to the track, the field was slowed for the third time on lap 120. Sitting in the sixth position, the KHI team opted not to make a stop during the caution and gained two positions for the lap 127 restart.

Elliott Sadler

Back under green-flag conditions, Sadler took the lead, putting the KHI team in position for the win. With 20 laps to the finish, the driver slipped to the second position but kept the leader in sight. Fighting hard to regain the lead in the final 10 laps, Sadler reported that the right-front tire did not feel right.

With only seven laps to go, he relinquished the second position and brought his Chevrolet to pit road where the crew discovered that the right-front tire was starting to cord and come apart. The KHI crew put fresh right-side tires on the vehicle. Sadler returned to the track one lap down and with the wave of the checkered flag, sailed across the finish line in the 11th position.

The No. 2 OneMain Financial team and Elliott Sadler remain in the hunt for the series title sitting second in the Driver’s Point standings, two markers out of the lead. The Nationwide Series will return to action at Michigan International Speedway on Saturday, June 18. Tune in to ABC to catch the racing action live at 3:30 p.m. ET.

- Kevin Harvick Inc. Press Release

No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet (Elliott Sadler) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

After rain canceled qualifying and set the field per the NASCAR rule book, Sadler took the green flag for the weather-delayed 5-Hour Energy 200 from the eighth position based upon practice speeds. After taking over the seventh position on lap one, a multi-car wreck on lap two brought out the yellow flag. Too early in the race to visit pit road, Sadler remained on track and maintained his position for the lap eight restart.

Sadler slipped to the 12th position by lap 10, radioing to crew chief Ernie Cope that the No. 2 Chevrolet was too tight in the center and exit of the turns and needed more rear grip. As laps clicked by and air pressure began to build up in the tires, Sadler said that the car’s handling was improving and he moved into the ninth position before the scheduled competition caution on lap 40. Bringing the OneMain machine into the pits for the first stop of the day, the Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) team provided Sadler with four tires, fuel, and both air-pressure and chassis adjustments. Quick work by the crew earned Sadler one position in the pits, and he took the green flag for the lap 46 restart from the eighth position.

Sadler advanced to the sixth position by lap 52 and relayed to the crew that they had done a good job with the changes and the car was running much better. Maintaining his position until a lap 88 caution, Sadler brought the No. 2 car down pit road for four tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment. Once again the team earned a spot on pit road, and Sadler took the green flag on lap 101 in the fifth position.

Holding onto his top-five position until lap 123, Sadler felt that the car was losing grip and he slipped back to eighth before the yellow flag waved on lap 141. As rain threatened to sprinkle over the Monster Mile, Sadler brought the No. 2 down pit road for four tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment to regain grip. The crew once again provided a quick stop, but when Sadler returned to the track he was notified that he was too fast exiting pit road and would have to restart from the back of the field. Before green-flag racing could resume, rain began to fall and threatened to end the 200-lap race prematurely with Sadler scored in the 16th position. Fortunately, after a 28-minute red flag, the rain cleared and the track was dried for a lap 148 restart.

With his handling now improved, Sadler began a campaign to the front, and by lap 162 he was running 12th and laying down some of the fastest laps on the racetrack. Sadler entered the top-10 with only nine laps of regulation racing remaining, but the yellow flag waved on lap 198 for a single-car incident, forcing a green-white-checkered finish. With several cars opting to pit, Sadler took the green flag on lap 203 from the eighth position. Before the field took the white flag, a stalled car on the track brought out the yellow one lap later, further extending the planned 200-lap contest.

Restarting in eighth on lap 208, Sadler was approaching the white flag when a dramatic multi-car wreck erupted in front of him. Sadler skillfully navigated the melee, which included his KHI teammate Clint Bowyer in the No. 33 and brought out the yellow. With the white flag already in the air when the caution broke out, the race was officially complete on lap 209 with Sadler scored in the sixth position. The sixth-place finish moved Sadler into the championship lead, 10 points ahead of second place.

Elliott Sadler

The Nationwide Series returns to action next weekend at Iowa Speedway on May 22nd for the John Deere Dealers 250 presented by Pioneer.

- Kevin Harvick Inc. Press Release

No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet (Elliott Sadler) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

After rain canceled qualifying and the field was set by practice speeds, Sadler took the green flag from the sixth position. By lap 14, Sadler had moved up into the fifth position and was running the fastest lap times on the track. Sadler relayed to crew chief Ernie Cope that the No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet Impala was good on entry, but that he required more front grip.

A competition yellow on lap 25 gave Sadler the chance to bring the Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) machine down pit road, and Cope made the call for two tires, fuel and a chassis adjustment. The two-tire strategy put Sadler in the lead for the lap 32 restart, but he quickly slid out of the lead and back to seventh place before the second caution flag of the night waved on lap 45. Sadler radioed that the car was exiting the turns much better, and when the leaders in front of him chose to remain on track under yellow, the No. 2 team did the same.

Green-flag racing resumed on lap 52 with Sadler in seventh, but he immediately nabbed one position after the restart. Sadler maintained the sixth position until the next yellow flag on lap 73. Stating that the car had remained good on entry but still in need of front grip, Sadler brought the OneMain machine into the pits for four tires, fuel and a major chassis adjustment. Quick work on pit road allowed the team to maintain their position, and Cope and his crew calculated that Sadler was only a few laps short of making it to the checkered flag on fuel. Cope asked his driver to conserve fuel for the remainder of the race in an attempt to avoid pit road for the remainder of the night.

Restarting on lap 80, Sadler immediately relayed that the No. 2 was turning much too loosely, but he quickly advanced to the fifth position and was running lap times close to the leader by lap 84. On lap 89 the caution flag was in the air once again, but the KHI team opted to remain on track because they had endured only 10 laps of green-flag racing. However, most of the cars on the lead lap, including the four cars in front of him, took the opportunity to hit pit road, which put Sadler in the lead for the lap 95 restart. The yellow flew on the same lap as the restart for a multi-car wreck behind Sadler, bringing the field to caution speed for the final time that evening. Taking the lap 104 restart from second place, Sadler fought side-by-side to resume the lead before taking it on lap 108.

Sadler kept the No. 2 on point until lap 124, when the No. 18 of Kyle Busch edged by him. Sadler immediately radioed his crew to apologize for relinquishing the lead, stating that the car was just too loose to hold Busch off. Sadler wheeled the OneMain Chevrolet hard despite the loose condition, but on lap 132 the No. 20 of Denny Hamlin took over the second spot, bumping him back to third. While racing Hamlin hard for position, Sadler brushed the wall, which only worsened his loose condition. For the remaining 15 laps Sadler soldiered on, maintaining the third position until crossing the finish line.

Elliott Sadler

Sadler gained one point on current points leader Justin Allgaier, and is now only five points out from the championship lead. The Nationwide Series returns to action next weekend at Dover (Del.) International Speedway on May 14th for 5-Hour Energy 200.

- Kevin Harvick Inc. Press Release

No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet (Elliott Sadler) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

HEADING HOME: This Friday, Elliott Sadler and the No. 2 OneMain Financial team head to Richmond (Va.) International Raceway, the stop on the circuit that Sadler considers his “home track.” Located only 45 minutes from his home in Emporia, Virginia, Sadler has more NASCAR Nationwide Series starts at Richmond than any other track on the NNS circuit. In his 15 races at RIR, Sadler has earned one top-five and three top-10 finishes. Sadler has also led 58 laps at the 0.75-mile d-shaped oval and has completed 97.0% of laps attempted at the track.

HERE ‘TIL THE END: This weekend, the No. 2 Chevrolet Impala will sport the familiar OneMain Financial paint scheme, which has already adorned the Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) machine three times this season. Richmond will kick off the organization’s 26-race streak as primary sponsor of the No. 2 until the end of the 2011 season.

DID YOU SPOT IT? April 27th kicks off the Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) segment of the Nationwide Insurance Code Spotter Sweepstakes. Play the Nationwide Insurance Code Spotter Sweepstakes for your chance to win a one-of-a-kind Race Weekend Road Trip VIP Experience. Find out what it takes to be part of a NASCAR Nationwide Series race team with a visit to the KHI race shop. Watch Sadler’s racecar as it’s packed into the hauler and then road trip all the way to the infield at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway and much more! Enter now at CodeSpotter.com.

AUTISM AWARENESS MONTH: During the month of April, Sadler and the rest of the NASCAR community will celebrate Autism Awareness month. Sadler, whose niece was diagnosed with Autism a few years ago, started the Hermie and Elliott Sadler foundation which raises funds to help educate those who have children that are affected by the spectrum disease which reportedly affects 1 in every 110 children in the United States.

CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 2 OneMain Financial team will utilize chassis No. 068 this weekend at Richmond International Raceway. This is the same chassis that Sadler raced to a 12th-place finish at Phoenix International Raceway in February.

PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Elliott Sadler fought the handling of his racecar for the duration of the Nashville 300 at Nashville Superspeedway, wheeling the No. 2 Hunt Brothers Pizza Chevrolet to a hard-fought 13th-place finish. In the 16-year veteran’s debut at the 1.333-mile track, Sadler’s Chevrolet Impala transitioned from very tight to very loose, preventing the NASCAR Nationwide Series championship contender from earning his fifth consecutive top-five finish. Despite dropping three positions in the point standings, Sadler remains only five points outside of the points lead.

Elliott Sadler

How do you feel going to your home track of Richmond International Raceway?

“It’s always great going back home to Richmond. My dad and I have been going there for years and years, not only when I was racing, but watching my uncle race and watching my brother race. I was there the day that it went from a half-mile racetrack to a three quarter-mile racetrack. It’s only 45 minutes from my house in Emporia, so it’s very special place for me being that it’s home.”

What would it mean to take the checkered flag at Richmond?

“It’s a place where I reached out to my crew chief Ernie Cope and said ‘Man, it’s really important to go there and run good and be competitive.’ To get a trophy at Richmond to me is just as important as winning a race at Daytona or Indy or Charlotte. It’s definitely one track on the list that I’d like to conquer before my career is over.”

CitiFinancial

CitiFinancial, soon to be OneMain Financial, is the premier community lender in North America. With more than 1,300 locations across the United States. CitiFinancial has been serving communities since 1912. Additional information may be found at www.citifinancial.com.

Citi

Citi, the leading global financial services company, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 140 countries. Through Citicorp and Citi Holdings, Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management. Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com or www.citi.com.

- Kevin Harvick Inc. Press Release

Elliott Sadler

After starting the race in the eighth position, Sadler initially relayed to crew chief Ernie Cope that the No. 2 Hunt Brothers Pizza machine was extremely tight and the front tires were chattering. Dropping to the 12th position on lap 17, Sadler held the spot until the first caution flag of the day waved on lap 51 for debris. Bringing the No. 2 down pit road, the Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) crew provided four tires, fuel and a major chassis adjustment to allow the car to turn more freely. Quick work by the crew allowed Sadler to pick up four positions and restart in the eighth position on lap 55.

When green-flag racing resumed, Sadler slipped back into the 13th position after only two laps. Stating that the Chevrolet Impala was still tight rolling through the center of the turns, he earned one spot, and then settled into the 12th position until green-flag pit stops began on lap 110. Bringing the Hunt Brothers Pizza machine to pit road on lap 111, Sadler took four tires, fuel and made a spring rubber adjustment. After pit stops cycled through under green, Sadler was once again in the 12th position when the second yellow flag for the day waved on lap 135 for a spin in turn two. Now the last car on the lead lap, Cope decided to make wholesale changes to the No. 2, taking on four tires, fuel, in addition to a spring rubber and shock adjustments.

The green flag waved on lap 139, but the field was once again under caution for debris only two laps later. Sadler stated that the car seemed a little better, so the team remained on track through the yellow, taking the green flag from the 11th position. With a few green-flag laps under his belt, Sadler relayed that the car was now tight in the middle but turning too loosely on entry and exit, and he once again slipped back to 12th, maintaining the spot until the caution flag waved on lap 170. Cope made the call for two tires, fuel, an air-pressure adjustment and the addition of grille tape, and the quick stop put Sadler back on track in fourth when green-flag racing resumed on lap 174.

Despite having track position on his side, Sadler once again lost positions, finding himself in eighth when the final caution flag of the race waved on lap 178. Remaining on track, Sadler restarted in the same position on lap 182, beginning a 43-lap green-flag stretch to the end. Dropping to 10th on lap 188, Sadler told Cope that he was losing grip on entry and exit, but he held his ground until sliding back to 12th on lap 202. Fighting hard to maintain the position with the loose-handling Chevrolet, it was with only three laps remaining that Sadler relinquished 12th, crossing the finish line in the 13th position.

Sadler now sits sixth in the Nationwide Series Driver’s Point standings, five points out of the championship lead. Sadler will attempt to take over the points lead when the series returns to action next weekend at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway on April 29th for the Bubba Burger 250.

- Kevin Harvick Inc. Press Release

Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) 10-Year Anniversary Logo Thumbnail

Sadler quickly overtook fourth place when the green flag dropped, but by lap six he relayed to crew chief Ernie Cope that the No. 21 was turning too tightly in the center of the corners. Slipping to eighth place by lap 19, Sadler could feel that the concrete track was loosening up with each lap, but the truck still remained tight in the center. With green-flag pit stops beginning on lap 50, Sadler continued to run in the eighth position, bringing the Bully Hill Vineyards machine to pit road on lap 53. Cope called for four tires, fuel and an air-pressure adjustment, which he hoped would improve the handling of Sadler’s Silverado.

Green-flag pit stops cycled through with Sadler in the 7th position just before the first caution flag of the night waved on lap 59 for debris. Although Sadler stated that the No. 21 was still a little tight in the center of the turns, the team opted to remain on track. With some of the leaders choosing to pit in front of him, Sadler took the green flag from fourth on lap 64. Although he gained one position immediately after the restart, Sadler slipped back to fourth 10 laps later. When the caution flag waved for oil on the racetrack on lap 76, Sadler relayed that the Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) machine was still too tight in the center, but the team once again opted to remain on track.

Taking the green on lap 80, Sadler maintained the fourth position for 16 laps, then quickly lost two spots. When the caution waved for debris on lap 103, Cope called Sadler to pit road for four tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment. Unfortunately, as the field went green on lap 107, Sadler immediately felt that the No. 21 truck had become extremely loose. As the laps progressed, Sadler struggled with the truck’s handling, falling to 16th by the time the yellow waved for a multi-truck incident on lap 138. Although the original strategy was to stay on track until the conclusion of the race, Cope called Sadler to the pits for one final attempt at improving the loose handling.

Following a pit stop for four tires and a chassis adjustment, Sadler returned to the track in 19th for the restart on lap 142. Unfortunately the truck’s handling did not improve, and Sadler was only able to improve one position before taking the checkered flag in 18th. Kyle Busch earned the win in the Bully Hill Vineyards 200, followed by KHI teammate Nelson Piquet Jr., Timothy Peters, KHI veteran Ron Hornaday and James Buescher.

The Truck Series returns to action May 13 at Dover (Del.) International Speedway. Tune in to SPEED at 8:30 p.m. EST to catch the trucks battle under the lights.

- Kevin Harvick Inc. Press Release

No. 2 One Main Financial Chevrolet (Elliott Sadler) - Photo Credit: Chris Graythen / Getty Images for NASCAR

After taking the green flag from the third position, Sadler immediately relayed to crew chief Ernie Cope that the No. 2 Chevrolet Impala was turning way too loosely. The race progressed without a caution for over 50 laps, so Sadler remained on track, slipping back to the fifth position. On lap 51, Sadler brought the car down pit road in a green-flag pit cycle, taking four tires, fuel, an air-pressure adjustment and a chassis adjustment. Unfortunately, the car’s condition did not improve with the adjustments.

The first caution flag of the night waved on lap 69 for a spin in turn two and Sadler was scored in the 11th position. Cope used the opportunity to bring the No. 2 back to pit road and make wholesale changes to the OneMain Financial machine. In an effort to continue improving the handling of the KHI machine, Cope called for four tires, fuel, spring rubbers and shock, air-pressure and major chassis adjustments.

Elliott Sadler

The final round of adjustments made a major difference in the handling of the No. 2 Chevrolet, and Sadler began his march to the front of the pack. By lap 164, Sadler was sixth, running lap times similar to the leaders. On lap 176, Sadler brought the No. 2 to pit road under green for the final pit stop of the evening. The team quickly changed four tires and filled the car with enough fuel to make it to the checkered flag. Sadler was once again running sixth as pit stops cycled through. With 10 laps remaining, Sadler broke into the top-five, running fifth when he crossed the finish line.

“I am so proud of this team tonight, this finish was all because of them,” said Sadler following the race. “We were so incredibly loose at the beginning and we just kept adjusting on it until we got it right. The guys were really fast on our final pit stop under green, and that’s what put us in the position to finish in the top five. It just shows how much our team has progressed. We’ve gained more positions in the points than any other team since Daytona, and we just keep getting better. I’m so grateful that Kevin and DeLana [Harvick] have given me such awesome equipment and such a great team so I can run up front each and every week.”

The Nationwide Series returns to action next weekend at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on April 16th for the Aaron’s 312.

- Kevin Harvick Inc. Press Release

Fast Fixin

“We had a good day with the No. 2 Fast Fixin’ Chevrolet, but track position was everything,” Sadler said after the race. “It was tough because it seemed like the track changed a lot from practice Friday to the race Saturday. We were too tight in practice so we loosened the car up and could just never get it back to the right balance during the race. We learned a lot today and I’m looking forward to continuing to build momentum as the season goes along.”

Sadler started the Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 from the 11th position. As he battled the two Roush Fenway Racing teammates of Trevor Bayne and Ricky Stenhouse, Sadler radioed to crew chief Ernie Cope that the car was too loose. Sadler held the 10th position and was gaining on the leaders when the first caution of the day waved on lap 54. The No. 2 team brought the car to pit road for four tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment.

Even with the adjustments the No. 2 team was able to maintain track position sending Sadler out in the 10th position for the restart on lap 59. Stuck in the outside lane, Sadler slid back to the 15th position shortly after the field went back to green-flag racing. However, as the air pressures came up in the tires Sadler was able to slowly work his way back toward the front of the field. By lap 96, Sadler had climbed into the 11th position and continued to run laps as fast as the leaders. The caution flag waved for the second time on lap 106 when the No. 22 of Brad Keselowski blew a right-front tire.

The No. 2 team brought Sadler to pit road on lap 107 for four tires, fuel and a track-bar adjustment. Sadler returned to the track in the 11th position. However, after the stop the team realized that all the fuel had not been dispensed from the gas can. In 2011, the NASCAR’s top three touring series’ are using a new self venting fuel can which has eliminated the catch can man. The No. 2 team experienced a malfunction within that new system which prevented fuel from being released from the can. Sadler came back to pit road on lap 109 to put additional fuel in the No. 2 Chevrolet Impala.

Sadler restarted the race on lap 112 from the 15th position on the lead lap. Working his way through traffic, Sadler made his way up to the 13th position before the car became extremely loose. Despite running lap times comparable with the leaders, race leader and eventual winner, Busch had a solid lead on the field and placed Sadler one lap down on lap 158. As luck would have it the No. 2 team caught a quick caution on lap 164, just as the final round of pit stops were scheduled to begin. Sadler received the “lucky dog” award and was placed back on the lead lap.

The No. 2 team took advantage of the caution, coming down pit road to change four tires, add fuel and make multiple chassis adjustments as further efforts to try and fix the handling of the car. With only 29 laps remaining in the event, the race restarted with Sadler at the tail-end of the longest line due to the receiving the “lucky dog” award. He quickly managed to catch the 11th-place car of Jason Leffler, but was unable to make the pass before the checkered flag flew crossing the line in the 12th position.

Busch won the Bashas’ Supermarkets 200 followed by Carl Edwards, Sadler’s KHI teammate Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman and Reed Sorenson. Sadler moved from 27th to 15th in the driver’s point standings. The NASCAR Nationwide Series heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the third race of the season. Coverage begins live on ABC at 3 p.m., EST on Saturday March 5th.

- Kevin Harvick Inc. Press Release

No. 33 Jimmy John's Chevrolet Impala - Photo Credit: Getty Images for NASCAR

“We had a really good car, but we did not need the last caution late in the race,” said Harvick following 200 laps of racing. “On the final restart, my car got too tight and Kyle (Busch) was able to get out far enough that we could not catch him. We just came up a little short in the end.”

Strapping in to the No. 33 KHI Jimmy John’s Chevrolet for the final time of the 2010 season, Harvick started the Ford 300 from seventh and by lap 10 radioed crew chief Ernie Cope that the car was too tight. Taking over fourth on lap 16, the second caution of the race waved on lap 21. Making the first scheduled stop of the day, Harvick pitted for four tires, fuel and an air-pressure adjustment to help the handling of the car. With the No. 7 car opting not to pit, Harvick restarted the race fifth on lap 27.

Driving a fast car, Harvick was able to take over second on lap 29, but after another caution on lap 30, Harvick fell to fourth on the restart. Several laps later, the caution flag waved for the fourth time and again, the team opted to stay out on track and restarted the race fourth on lap 45. With a solid restart, Harvick moved to the lead for the first time of the race on lap 46 before slipping to second on lap 48.

As the race continued, Harvick radioed Cope on lap 56 that the car was getting too loose. Four laps later, the caution was again displayed for a spin on the frontstretch with Harvick riding in the second position. For the second time of the race, Harvick brought the No. 33 car to pit road for four tires, fuel and another air-pressure adjustment. A solid stop by the team gained Harvick a position on pit road and on lap 65, he restarted the race in the second position after a car opted to stay on track instead of pit. Again, Harvick quickly moved to the lead on lap 66 before falling to second on lap 68.

Kevin Harvick

Continuing to battle eventual race winner Kyle Busch for the lead, Harvick continued to run second throughout most of the race.

The eighth caution of the race waved on lap 133 and with a loose-handling car, Harvick opted to pit for four tires, fuel and an air-pressure adjustment. With a slow stop after a crew member got tripped up on pit road as he was rolling a tire to the wall, Harvick lost two spots and restarted the race fourth on lap 138. Wasting no time, Harvick moved back into second on lap 139 behind Busch.

Having put on the last set of sticker tires and close to making it to the end of the race on fuel, Harvick immediately went into fuel conservation mode as he continued to run in second. With several late race cautions, Harvick was able to save fuel and with a fast car, moved back into the lead on lap 170. The race restarted for the final time on lap 177 and battling the No. 18 car for the lead, Harvick slipped to second on lap 178. In the final laps of the 200-lap event, the No. 33 car became too tight and Harvick crossed the finish line second behind Busch. The 2010 Nationwide Series Driver’s Champion Brad Keselowski finished third followed by the 2010 Raybestos Rookie of the Year Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Trevor Bayne rounded out the top five.

The No. 33 KHI Nationwide Series team finished the season with a career best third-place finish with team co-owner DeLana Harvick in the Nationwide Series Owner’s Point Standings on the strength of three wins, four poles, 21 top-five and 30 top-10 finishes with five different drivers, Harvick, Elliott Sadler, Ron Hornaday, Mike Bliss and Max Papis.

About Jimmy John’s:

Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches was founded in 1983 by 19-year-old Jimmy John Liautaud in a converted garage in Charleston, IL. Since its inception, the company has grown to over 1,000 corporate and franchised locations in more than 37 states throughout the U.S. The company is known for its obsession with fresh, quality products and high-speed execution. For more information, visit www.jimmyjohns.com.

About Kevin Harvick Inc.:

Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI), established in 2001 by Kevin and DeLana Harvick, is an 80,000 sq. ft. facility located in Kernersville, N.C. Home of the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship team, KHI enters 2010 in its seventh full year of competition with two full-time Truck Series teams and one full-time Nationwide Series team. Four-time Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday returns to the helm of the No. 33 Truck team looking for his fifth title and third championship for KHI (2009 and 2007), while Sprint Cup series stars Kevin Harvick and Elliott Sadler guide the No. 2 Truck team. Two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Harvick will again shine as the lead driver of the No. 33 Nationwide Series team as he continues to make his mark in motorsports and establish KHI as one of the top teams in NASCAR competition. For more information about KHI and its teams, please visit www.KevinHarvickInc.com.

- Kevin Harvick Inc. Press Release

CitiFinancial Racing

Taking the green flag from the fourth position, Sadler quickly advanced to third, but immediately relayed to crew chief Ernie Cope that the No. 2 Chevrolet was turning too loosely. Moving up to second place on lap seven, Sadler explained that the truck was not very good in turn two, but that he was hoping that the truck would come to him as track conditions changed. Slipping back to fourth on lap 12 as he battled his truck’s handling, Sadler maintained his position until the first caution flag of the evening waved on lap 31 for the No. 90 spinning in turn two.

Calling his driver down pit road, Cope gave Sadler four tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment to tighten the handling of the truck. Unfortunately, the team had a slow pit stop due to an air hose catching on pit wall, and the No. 2 dropped to 11th before emerging from pit road.

Going green on lap 36, Sadler attempted to make up the positions lost in the pits, advancing to ninth by lap 37. However, Sadler once again told Cope that the truck was still loose, and that the adjustment made in the first pit stop hurt his handling in the center of the turns. As a long run played out, Sadler relayed that the truck was getting better, but that he was still unable to drive it as aggressively as he wanted. After making the pass for eighth on lap 74, the yellow flag waved on lap 76 for debris on the backstretch.

Bringing the No. 2 to pit road, Sadler received four fresh tires, fuel and an air-pressure adjustment to prevent the truck’s rear end from sliding around the race track. The team performed a very fast pit stop, and when green-flag racing resumed on lap 81, Sadler was scored in the fifth position. Sadler immediately felt that the truck was even looser than it was on the previous run, and he slipped to seventh prior to the caution flag waving again on lap 90 for an accident in turn three. When a majority of the leaders opted not to pit, Cope and Sadler also decided to stay on the track in preference of track position.

Going green on lap 94, Sadler restarted in sixth. Slipping to seventh on lap 102, Sadler explained to Cope that the truck was still very loose, and Cope convinced Sadler that they’d repair the truck on their next trip to pit road. The team would have their chance on lap 105 when the caution waved again for an accident. Cope called Sadler down pit road for what he planned to be the final pit stop of the day, providing the CitiFinancial Chevrolet with four tires, fuel, a track-bar adjustment and a major air-pressure adjustment. The green flag waved on lap 111 with Sadler in 14th due to several teams opting to stay on track or take only two tires.

The yellow and red flags waved on lap 113 when a truck hit the safety barrels at the entrance to pit road and sent sand flying all over the race track, requiring a major cleanup. Restarting the race on lap 114 in 13th, the handling of the No. 2 finally allowed Sadler to charge toward the front, and he had maneuvered up to sixth by lap 117. As he attempted to make the pass on the No. 13 of Johnny Sauter for fifth on lap 127, Sadler became extremely loose and the No. 2 machine spun down the track.

Sadler was able to skillfully avoid hitting anything, but the truck required four fresh tires. Sadler brought the truck down pit road, but upon returning to the track he found that the truck had an unbearable vibration, forcing him to pit for a second time before the final restart of the night on lap 131. Having taken the green flag in 23rd, a great restart allowed Sadler to advance to 16th by lap 132. In the final two laps, Sadler gained three more spots to cross the finish line in 13th.

“We were just too loose the entire race,” said Sadler following the race. “We fought the handling of the truck all night, and ultimately it was our undoing when we spun there at the end. It was an unfortunate way to end a fantastic season, but I really enjoyed having CitiFinancial back as a sponsor for the first time in years. I’ve had a great run at KHI this season, and I’m already looking forward to running the full Nationwide schedule for Kevin and DeLana [Harvick] in 2011.”

Kyle Busch took the checkered flag for the Ford 200, followed by KHI teammate Ron Hornaday, Sauter, Todd Bodine and Aric Almirola rounding out the top five. The No. 2 truck finished the 2010 season fifth in the Owner’s Point standings, 496 points behind Owner’s Championship winner Busch.

The Truck Series returns to the track in 2011 in the season opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on February 18th.

- Kevin Harvick Inc. Press Release

Clint Bowyer celebrates winning the Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix International Raceway, his second career win in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Photo Credit: Chris Trotman/Getty Images for NASCAR

“From the first time I got into the No. 2 Kroger Chevrolet this weekend, it was very fast, and I knew that I had to do my job to get the truck into victory lane where it belonged,” said Bowyer in victory lane. “Kevin and DeLana [Harvick] have done a great job with KHI and getting the right people surrounding them to compete at the top level and win races in the Truck Series. It’s a lot of fun to be able to run in this series. This is my second-career truck win, and it means a lot to me to get to victory lane in this series.”

Taking the green flag from the third starting spot, Bowyer maintained his position until the first caution of the night waved on lap 18 when No. 89 truck hit the wall in turn four. Bowyer relayed to crew chief Ernie Cope that the truck was turning too loosely off the corners, but that it was “pretty decent.” Although the team remained on the track through the first caution, Cope ensured Bowyer that they would improve the truck when they made their first pit stop of the evening.

Going green on lap 24, Bowyer jumped into the lead and immediately pulled away from second place by five truck lengths. In only 10 laps, Bowyer had opened up more than a four-second lead over the field, and he continued to lead until the caution waved for the second time on lap 54. Although the truck still had a loose condition, Bowyer felt that the No. 2 Kroger machine needed only minor adjustments, and Cope called for four tires, fuel and a slight air-pressure adjustment. A fast stop by the No. 2 crew put Bowyer back in the lead when the field went green on lap 60.

Once again, Bowyer quickly shot out into the lead, but a quick caution two laps later tightened up the field. Not getting quite as dominating of a restart on lap 67, the No. 18 of Kyle Busch was able to pull ahead of the No. 2, but Bowyer was confident that he would be able to reel him back in. Maintaining the second position until the next caution of lap 90, Bowyer came back down pit road for four tires, fuel and another air-pressure adjustment to help the truck rotate better in the middle of the turns. The No. 2 crew performed another solid stop, and Bowyer took the green flag on lap 96 in the second position.

Bowyer battled with the No. 18 but was able to retake the lead when, the field was closed back up by a caution on lap 115 involving Bowyer’s KHI teammate Ron Hornaday and the No. 3 of Austin Dillon. Returning to green-flag racing on lap 118, Bowyer immediately drove off from his competitors, leading the remainder of the race before taking the checkered flag.

Bowyer’s win gave the No. 2 truck its fourth consecutive Truck Series win at Phoenix International Raceway. Busch, Johnny Sauter, Matt Crafton and Aric Almirola completed the top five.

The Truck Series hits the track for the final time in 2010 on Friday, November 19th for the Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The race can be seen live on SPEED at 7:30 p.m. ET.

- Kevin Harvick Inc. Press Release

No. 33 Jimmy John's Chevrolet Impala - Photo Credit: Getty Images for NASCAR

“We had a great qualifying effort for our Jimmy John’s Chevrolet,” said Harvick following the race. “We had a bad set of tires and a bad pit stop earlier in the race and that got us off sequence. Overall, it’s another solid top 10 that we’ll take and head to Phoenix next week.”

Starting the O’Reilly Challenge from the second position, Harvick immediately began dealing with a loose-handling car, sliding to the third position when the first caution waved on lap 43 for an incident involving the No. 30 car. Opting to take advantage of the caution, Harvick brought the No. 33 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet down pit road for four tires, fuel and a round of adjustments. With a solid stop by the team, Harvick restarted the race on lap 48 from the second position.

Kevin Harvick

Closing in on the halfway mark, Harvick informed the team that the car had not gotten any better and crew chief Ernie Cope began to work on a plan to adjust on the car during the next stop. Sliding back to the eighth position and fighting a loose-handling car, Harvick made a scheduled green-flag pit stop on lap 139 for four tires, fuel, and an air-pressure and track-bar adjustment. Losing one lap to the leaders, Harvick was scored in the ninth position and back on the lead lap on lap 143 once the entire field cycled through green-flag stops.

Gaining one position, Harvick was eighth when the caution waved on lap 147 for debris on the track. Deciding to stay on track with the leaders, Harvick restarted the race eighth on lap 152. With the handling still not right, Harvick again began to slip in the field, moving into 10th on lap 182.

Several laps later on lap 184, the caution waved for a spin in turn two involving the No. 42 car. With less than 20 laps left in the race, the team opted to bring Harvick to pit road for four tires with an air-pressure adjustment and fuel. Maintaining his position, Harvick restarted the race in the 10th position on lap 190.

Moving up to seventh on lap 193, the race would again be halted for the blown motor of the No. 21 car. With the late-race caution, NASCAR was forced into overtime, ending the race with a green-white-checkered finish. Harvick made his final restart of the race on lap 203 from the seventh position and slipped one spot to finish the race eighth.

Carl Edwards won the race followed by Kyle Busch, the 2010 Nationwide Series Driver Champion Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and Martin Truex Jr.

About Jimmy John’s:

Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches was founded in 1983 by 19-year-old Jimmy John Liautaud in a converted garage in Charleston, IL. Since its inception, the company has grown to over 1,000 corporate and franchised locations in more than 37 states throughout the U.S. The company is known for its obsession with fresh, quality products and high-speed execution. For more information, visit www.jimmyjohns.com.

About Kevin Harvick Inc.:

Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI), established in 2001 by Kevin and DeLana Harvick, is an 80,000 sq. ft. facility located in Kernersville, N.C. Home of the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship team, KHI enters 2010 in its seventh full year of competition with two full-time Truck Series teams and one full-time Nationwide Series team. Four-time Truck Series champion Ron Hornaday returns to the helm of the No. 33 Truck team looking for his fifth title and third championship for KHI (2009 and 2007), while Sprint Cup series stars Kevin Harvick and Elliott Sadler guide the No. 2 Truck team. Two-time NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Harvick will again shine as the lead driver of the No. 33 Nationwide Series team as he continues to make his mark in motorsports and establish KHI as one of the top teams in NASCAR competition. For more information about KHI and its teams, please visit www.KevinHarvickInc.com.

- Kevin Harvick Inc. Press Release

Team-Realtree

Starting on the front row in the No. 2 truck for the fifth time in 2010, Sadler took the green flag for the WinStar World Casino 350K from the second position. The first caution flag of the night waved before the completion of the second lap for a two-truck incident in turn four, with Sadler running in the fourth position. While under yellow, crew chief Ernie Cope asked Sadler about the handling of his truck, and he replied that the truck was good and he was running flat out, but didn’t have any drafting help for the first two laps.

Restarting on lap six, Sadler and KHI teammate Ron Hornaday swapped back and forth for the third spot, with Hornaday eventually claiming the position. On lap 19, Sadler relayed to Cope that the truck was turning too tightly in the middle of the turns and needed more rear grip. Cope promised to improve the truck when the team made their first pit stop of the evening, but it wasn’t until lap 42 that the field would see the yellow flag again.

Sadler entered the pits for his first scheduled pit stop of the evening in the fourth position, and the team gave him four tires, fuel and an air-pressure adjustment. Gaining a position in the pits, Sadler restarted in third on lap 49, but he immediately slipped back into the sixth spot. Before Sadler could completely assess his truck, the yellow flag waved once again on lap 53 for a multi-truck wreck involving Hornaday, the damage from which ended the night for the No. 33 truck. Restarting on lap 60, Sadler dropped to seventh in only four laps and relayed to Cope that he didn’t have enough rear grip and was turning too loosely. By lap 85, Sadler continued to run seventh, but was running lap times as fast as the leaders.

Improving to sixth by lap 91, the leaders began making green-flag pit stops on lap 94. Sadler brought the No. 2 Realtree Silverado down pit road on lap 96 while running second, and the team gave him four tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment. Returning to the track in the 17th position as pit stops continued to cycle through the field, Sadler immediately stated that the truck was once again too tight and had lost the front grip that he’d had on the previous run. Moving back into the top 10 on lap 108, Sadler made the pass for seventh before the yellow flag waved for the final time on lap 122. Cope decided to undo the wedge adjustment he’d made on the previous pit stop, and also provided Sadler with four tires, fuel and an air-pressure adjustment.

Sadler restarted in seventh on lap 127, but quickly slipped to 10th one lap later. However, his truck’s handling began to come to him as the laps ticked by, and soon he was running the fastest laps on the track and picking off his competitors. On lap 136, Sadler made the pass for fifth, but even though he was closing the gap between himself and the trucks in front of him, Sadler and his competitors were too spread out for him to improve his position any more before the checkered flag waved.

“I would have liked to have done better tonight, but we were just too tight at the end,” said Sadler after the race. “I can’t complain though, Kevin and DeLana [Harvick] continue to give me great equipment week after week. I qualified on the front row, finished in the top five, and was competitive the entire race. That’s all I can ask for. I’m really looking forward to my future with KHI. I’ll be back in the truck in Homestead for the season finale and I can’t wait.”

Kyle Busch took the checkered flag, followed by Johnny Sauter, Matt Crafton, and Todd Bodine. The No. 2 remains fifth in the Owner’s Point Standings.

The Truck Series hits the track again on Friday, November 12th for the Lucas Oil 150 at Phoenix International Raceway. The race can be seen live on SPEED at 7:30 p.m. ET.

- Kevin Harvick Inc. Press Release

Kevin Harvick Inc.

With KHI teammate Ron Hornaday on the pole, Schrader started the Mountain Dew 250 fueled by Fred’s in the fourth position. Losing several positions on the initial start, Schrader was scored in 15th by lap three. Working his way back toward the front, Schrader drafted back into fifth before the first caution of the day waved on lap 24 for a two-truck incident.

Crew chief Ernie Cope called Schrader down pit road for four tires, fuel and a track-bar adjustment to improve the handling of the Moore’s Marinade machine. The No. 2 restarted seventh on lap 33, and with the best drafting line constantly changing, Schrader slid back to 13th on lap 34, but surged to sixth on lap 47 while Hornaday led. As the lead pack of trucks ran single file, Schrader darted to the outside and attempted to start a second drafting pack on the high side, but few trucks followed initially, preventing the line from making much progress. However, on lap 53, Schrader’s persistence in the outside line paid off, and the group charged ahead, allowing Schrader to take the lead for the first time in a KHI truck.

Hornaday reclaimed the lead a lap later, and Schrader moved around the top 10 as the leaders began green-flag pit stops on lap 57. Cope called Schrader into the pits on lap 58 while in the seventh position, but Schrader was unable to maneuver past the train of trucks inside him and remained on track. Cope warned that if he did not pit on the next lap he would run out of fuel, but the caution waved for an accident in the trioval before Schrader could come to pit road.

With Cope relaying that he would have to pit immediately regardless of whether the pits were open, Schrader brought the No. 2 down pit road while it was still closed, and the crew provided him with four tires and fuel. Returning to the racetrack, Schrader informed Cope that he had acquired a bad vibration. Cope called Schrader back to pit road with the intention of tightening all the lug nuts, but decided not to risk the chance that the vibration was a tire problem, ordering the team to change all four tires and top the truck off with fuel before the restart.

Penalized for pitting before the pits were opened, Schrader was sent to the end of the lead lap and restarted 13th on lap 65. Schrader worked his way back into the top 10 on lap 70, and the yellow flag waved again on lap 75 for a two-truck accident. With several leaders choosing to top off with fuel one final time, Schrader and the team chose to do the same, and he restarted 11th on lap 78. Schrader moved into 10th before the caution waved for a stopped truck on lap 87, and he remained on the track before restarting on lap 89.

Schrader once again tried to use the high line to his advantage and work his way to the front, but his efforts were thwarted on lap 93 when rookie Grant Enfinger bump drafted too aggressively with points leader Todd Bodine, sending him into Mike Skinner and initiating “the big one.” While Hornaday went airborne and tumbled down the apron, Bodine swerved and bounced off of Enfinger, careening into Schrader’s right-front fender. Following a brief red flag, Schrader drove into the pits and the team quickly attempted to repair the fender and reshape the hood. One of several drivers rushing back onto the track for the restart, Schrader was 15th when the green flag waved for a green-white-checkered restart.

With a damaged truck and a jumble of competitors around him, Schrader skillfully navigated the No. 2 into the 10th position before the white flag. Schrader lost one position on the final lap and was initially scored in the 11th position. However, after video playback, it was determined that Schrader and Skinner had made passes before the start/finish line on the restart, and both were assessed post-race penalties and scored at the tail end of the longest line, ultimately putting Schrader in 14th.

“It’s a shame,” said Schrader following the race. “We had a shot until we lost the right-front fender in the wreck, and we were still competitive until the final lap. I thought that I was going to be able to follow the No. 3 and get that top-10 finish, but we got separated and everybody spread out at the start/finish line. I’m really disappointed that I didn’t get to take the No. 2 truck to victory lane this season, but I can’t thank Kevin and DeLana [Harvick] enough for the opportunity, and I’ve got to thank all the guys at KHI for all their hard work.”

Kyle Busch took the checkered flag in the closest Truck Series finish (.002 second margin of victory) since the implementation of electronic scoring, followed by Aric Almirola, Johnny Sauter, Matt Crafton and Ricky Carmichael rounding out the top five. The No. 2 remains fifth in the Owner’s Point Standings, 405 points out of first place.

The Truck Series hits the track again on Friday, November 5th for the WinStar World Casino 350 at Texas Motor Speedway where Elliott Sadler will be behind the wheel of the No. 2 truck. The race can be seen live on SPEED at 8:30 p.m. ET.

- Kevin Harvick Inc. Press Release