Elliott Sadler will drive full-time in NASCAR’s Nationwide Series in 2011 for Kevin Harvick Inc. Sadler, who currently drives for Richard Petty Motorsports in the Cup series, was completing a deal Thursday night which will allow him to compete for the Nationwide championship next season in a Chevy fielded by KHI, sources said. KHI has scheduled a news conference for Friday afternoon at Texas Motor Speedway to announce a “2011 program.” KHI was already planning to field its #33 Chevy Nationwide team again in 2011, with team co-owner Kevin Harvick driving a large number of the races, as well as Richard Childress Racing drivers Clint Bowyer, Paul Menard and Austin Dillon.(Charlotte Observer)(11-4-2010)
UPDATE: Kevin Harvick Inc. announced an expansion of its Nationwide Series program with partner CitiFinancial and driver Elliott Sadler. CitiFinancial and Kevin Harvick Inc. have solidified a multi-year deal to compete full time in the Nationwide Series and run select events in the Camping World Truck Series. The partnership will begin on the track during Championship Week at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where Sadler will run the #2 CitiFinancial Chevy in the Truck Series event. In 2011, CitiFinancial will be the primary sponsor for 29 Nationwide Series races with Sadler, and one Nationwide race with Kevin Harvick. This partnership marks both a new beginning for each of the three parties involved, as well as an opportunity to build on past experiences. CitiFinancial, which has maintained a strong presence in the sport since 2004, announced earlier this year that it will be changing its name and will use this sponsorship as a key platform to launch that new brand. KHI is excited to build on its successes in the Nationwide Series and run for a championship in 2011. Sadler will start the next chapter of his 15-year career by reuniting with a former sponsor as he looks to add to his career win total of nine in the top three NASCAR series.(KHI)(11-5-2010)
