DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (February 20, 2010) — Riding the momentum of a second- place finish in the previous nights Truck Series event, Elliott Sadler and the No. 2 OneMain Financial Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) team had high expectations for the first race of the NASCAR Nationwide Series season. It was not meant to be as the No. 2 car was collected in a lap 24 crash involving six cars. Sadler sustained heavy front-end damage but was able to return to the race 73 laps down to gain valuable championship points finishing the event in the 38th position
“I’m really proud of my guys,” Sadler said after being checked and released for the infield care center. “With Daytona you just never know what is going to happen, I’m not really sure what happened to start the crash but we had no where to go. We were in the wrong place at the wrong time and wrecked a really good race car. But we were able to get it fixed and gain a position. We have to gain all the points we can because we have some stiff competition and when we get to Homestead that one point just might make the difference.”
Sadler began the Driver for COPD 300 from the 19th starting position. From the drop of the green flag, he quickly joined KHI teammates Tony Stewart and Clint Bowyer moving up to the front of the field. The first caution of the race waved on lap 15 for an incident behind Sadler and the lead pack. During the caution the No. 2 team decided to come down pit road for fuel only. Sadler returned to the track in the 17th position for the restart on lap 20.
By lap 22, Sadler had moved into the ninth position and was gaining momentum. Three laps later however drivers Mike Wallace and Michael Annett got into each other right in front of Sadler, leaving the No. 2 car with nowhere to go. Sadler’s OneMain Financial Chevrolet Impala sustained heavy front-end damage. The team took the car to the garage area where they worked diligently for 73 laps before returning the car to the track. Sadler drove the damaged car to a 38th-place finish.
Sadler’s KHI teammate Tony Stewart won the Driver for COPD 300 followed by fellow KHI teammate Clint Bowyer in second. The rest of the top five included Landon Cassill, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Reed Sorenson. The NASCAR Nationwide Series will head west to Phoenix International Speedway for the second race of the 2011 season on Saturday, February 26, 2011 at 5:30 pm, EST on ESPN 2.
