HEADING WEST: Elliott Sadler and the No. 2 OneMain Financial team return to Phoenix International Raceway for the second event of the season at the Avondale, Ariz., track. In the first race at Phoenix this season, Sadler fought a loose-handling car and battled back from one lap down to finish 12th.
SADLER AT PHOENIX: Sadler has competed at the one-mile tri-oval five times in his Nationwide Series career, with one top-five finish and a best finish of second in 2005. He also has 18 starts in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with a best finish of 10th in 2002.
MILE OF DREAMS: In Sadler’s career in the Nationwide Series, three of his five wins have come at one-mile tracks. His first came at Nazareth Speedway in 1997, Gateway International Raceway in 1997 and Rockingham Speedway in 1998.
KHI IN THE DESERT: KHI has made a total of 18 starts at Phoenix, earning eight top-five and 11 top-10 finishes. Team co-owner Kevin Harvick earned the highest finish for the organization with a second-place finish in 2009 and in the April and November races in 2010.
CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 2 OneMain Financial team will unload chassis No. 068 at Phoenix this weekend. This is the sixth time the No. 2 team has utilized this chassis, including the first event at Phoenix in February where the team finished 12th. The team also used No. 068 in the April and September races at Richmond International Raceway (fourth and sixth), at Iowa Speedway in May (fifth) and New Hampshire in July (12th).
PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Sadler and the No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet earned their 23rd top-10 finish Saturday afternoon at Texas Motor Speedway. The KHI team kicked off the weekend with their fifth pole award of the season, but a loose-handling condition late in the race relegated Sadler to a ninth-place finish.
TO THE POINT: Sadler remains in the second position in the Nationwide Series Driver Points standings. With two events left on the schedule, Sadler sits 17 points behind the leader.
MEET ELLIOTT SADLER: Fans will have the opportunity to meet Sadler at the OneMain Financial Branch at 7620 East Indian School Road, Scottsdale, Ariz., on Nov. 11. Beginning at 5 p.m., Sadler will meet with fans, sign autographs and take photos.
THOUGHTS FROM THE DRIVER: Elliott Sadler
How do you feel heading into this week’s race at Phoenix?
“Going to Phoenix with two-wide racing, we really don’t know what to expect. It’s definitely a wild-card race. We know a little bit about what is going to happen, but it’s a brand-new race track with the repaving. Once we get racing, track position is going to be crucial. It may be one of those races that changes the game in the championship standings, and our OneMain Financial team is going to do everything we can to make the right adjustments throughout the weekend to have a solid finish before heading to Homestead.”
MOST POPULAR DRIVER: Sadler is eligible for the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series Most Popular Driver award. Fans can vote for Sadler now through November 17 on www.NASCARNationwideSeries.com.
Media Access:Members of the media can now log on to www.kevinharvickinc.com to gain access to press kit information online. For more information, please email Erin Sagester at KHI at esagester@kevinharvickinc.com.
OneMain Financial
OneMain Financial (formerly CitiFinancial), based in Baltimore, Md, provides personalized loan solutions and one-on-one, local service at more than 1,300 branches nationwide. With a 99-year heritage of helping people realize their financial goals and dreams, their employees are part of the communities where they live and work. OneMain Financial works with each customer to find a solution that best fits their needs and budget, offering a simple and straightforward loan application, with fixed rates, and clear terms. Additional information may be found at OneMainFinancial.com