KERNERSVILLE, N.C. (October 28, 2010) – Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) and Richard Childress Racing (RCR) will no longer compete against each other in the NASCAR Nationwide Series beginning in 2011. KHI will field the Nationwide Series entries beginning with next year’s season-opening event at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway with RCR providing chassis, engine and technical support.
KHI will continue to use Earnhardt-Childress Racing engines in both their NASCAR Nationwide and Truck Series programs in 2011.
2005 marked KHI’s first year of fulltime competition in the Nationwide Series, and over the last five years, there have been Sprint Cup Series stars, Truck Series champions as well as up-and-coming drivers taking their turn behind the wheel. With a combined effort, KHI’s Nationwide Series program has scored nine wins, 12 poles, 64 top-five and 123 top-10 finishes.
“This alliance will help both of our race teams,” said Kevin Harvick, co-owner of KHI. “Richard and I have discussed this opportunity for a while and we thought, at this point, both programs would really benefit from this new structure since the Nationwide Series new cars will be so similar to our Sprint Cup cars.”
RCR will focus its development program through its NASCAR Camping World Truck Series program with Austin Dillon and a second team to be named later. Since its inception in 2000, RCR’s Nationwide Series program has earned 56 victories and five championships: two overall championships (2001, 2006 with Kevin Harvick), two owners-only titles (2003 with Harvick and Johnny Sauter; 2007 with Jeff Burton and Scott Wimmer) and one driver-only title (2008 with Clint Bowyer).
“Kevin and I are excited about the partnership between RCR and KHI next year,” said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. “We have talked about having a joint endeavor for several years and, looking at 2011, the timing couldn’t be more right. With RCR fielding at least two Camping World Truck Series teams next year, the trade-off is for us to help KHI with its Nationwide Series efforts. It’s a positive step for both companies.”
KHI will maintain its presence in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, fielding two fulltime teams, as well as continuing its customer support programs. Further announcements regarding KHI’s on-track plans for 2011 will be forthcoming.
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.
About Richard Childress Racing
Richard Childress Racing (www.rcrracing.com) has earned more than 180 victories and 12 NASCAR championships, including six in the Sprint Cup Series with the legendary Dale Earnhardt. RCR was the first organization to win championships in the Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series and Camping World Truck Series. Its 2010 Sprint Cup Series lineup includes Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell-Pennzoil Chevrolet), Jeff Burton (No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet) and Clint Bowyer (No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet). Bowyer drives the No. 21 Zaxby’s Chevrolet in the 2010 Nationwide Series, Austin Dillon drives the No. 3 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet in the 2010 Camping World Truck Series and Tim George Jr. drives the No 31 RCR Development Chevrolet in the 2010 ARCA Racing Series presented by RE/MAX and Menards. Ty Dillon and Ryan Gifford are RCR developmental drivers in both asphalt and dirt track racing.
