General Mills and The Kroger Co. announced it will partner with Richard Childress Racing and veteran driver Elliott Sadler on the #33 Chevy for the 54th annual Daytona 500 on February 26, 2012 at Daytona International Speedway. ‘It’s great to be back in the Daytona 500. I ‘ve had a lot of success in this race in the past and want to thank General Mills, Kroger and Richard Childress for this opportunity,’ said Elliott Sadler. ‘When we started putting this program together the first thing that came to mind is how strong RCR’s plate program has always been. We ‘re going to go out and have a legitimate chance to win the race. Speedweeks can ‘t get here soon enough!’ General Mills, entering its fourth year of partnership with the Welcome, N.C.-based organization, is teaming up with The Kroger Co. for a special paint scheme celebrating the great brands from both organizations. The special red, white and blue paint scheme adorning Sadler’s Chevrolet for ‘The Great American Race’ will feature the Kroger Co. Family of Stores, Fred Meyer Jewelers and several General Mills brands. The Minneapolis, Minn.-based General Mills also sponsors RCR’s #31 Wheaties Chevy with driver Jeff Burton. Leading the effort for the #33 team will be veteran crew chief Gil Martin, RCR’s NASCAR Nationwide Series program team manager. Martin has been at RCR since 2000 and has served as crew chief for Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, Casey Mears, Kerry Earnhardt and Robby Gordon. He is one of a select few crew chiefs to win races in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup, Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series. Childress, a two-time Daytona 500 champion car owner, will use owner points accumulated during the 2011 Sprint Cup Series season to field the #33 Chevrolet entry as the team finished 13th in the final 2011 owner point standings.(RCR), see images of the schemes on my #33 Team Schemes page.(1-25-2012)
