Elliott Sadler – No. 11 OneMain Financial Toyota Preview
Get to Know Newton 250 at Iowa Speedway
IS THIS HEAVEN? NO, IT’S IOWA: After coming off a big win at Talladega Superspeedway last race, Elliott Sadler and the No. 11 OneMain Financial team head to Iowa Speedway for the NASCAR Nationwide Series event. In six Nationwide Series starts at Iowa, Sadler has one victory in 2012 and has won three pole awards; one in 2011, and two in 2012. In addition, Sadler has recorded five top-five and six top-10 finishes with 100 laps led at Iowa. Sadler has only finished once out of the top five at Iowa Speedway, with an eighth-place finish in 2013. Sadler also has an average starting position of 4.3, with an average finish of 3.7.
JUST THE STATS: Nine races into the 2014 Nationwide Series season, Sadler currently sits second in the Nationwide Series driver champion points standings, only one point back from the leader. The Emporia, Va., native has one win, one pole award, four top five and seven top-10 finishes.
LOOKING IN THE MIRROR: This race in 2013, Sadler qualified in the seventh position and gradually wheeled his way to the front of the pack, crossing the finish line in third place.
LAST RACE: TALLADEGA SUPERSPEEDWAY: In the second of three superspeedway events in 2014, Sadler qualified the No. 11 OneMain Financial Toyota on the front row, starting in the second position. Running up front most of the race, Sadler led the field for a total of 40 laps. After a red flag delayed the event, Sadler took advantage of the final restart as he muscled to the front and held off a surge from several cars to score his first victory of the season and first win at Talladega Superspeedway. The win also served as Chris Gayle’s first win as crew chief.
NATIONWIDE SERIES OFF WEEK: The Nationwide Series was off last weekend, but that didn’t stop Sadler from getting behind the wheel. Sadler and the No. 11 OneMain Financial Team spent two days testing at Dover International Speedway and Nashville Superspeedway.
ELLIOTT SADLER QUOTES: “Words can’t explain on how happy I was to win the at Talladega. It felt so good to get a win for my sponsor, OneMain Financial, and for Coach Joe Gibbs.”
“We are all looking directly forward to this week’s race at Iowa Speedway. It has definitely been a great track for us in the past, and this OneMain Financial team is looking forward to a great weekend. A big topic that you will hear this weekend is the feel of the track. Iowa Speedway has always been a bumpy track and a lot of the bumps, which is where a large majority of the patches are on the lower driving lanes. Good thing for me in the past I’ve been successful running the higher lanes above where most of the bumps and patches are located.”
RACE INFO: The Get To Know Newton 250 at Iowa Speedway will be on ESPN at 3:00 p.m. ET, on Sunday, May 18th, as well as MRN and SIRIUSXM 90.
BRANCH DECAL PROGRAM: For each race that OneMain Financial is the primary sponsor on the No. 11 Toyota, two branches will be highlighted on Sadler’s rear quarter panels. The branches selected for Iowa are No. 243 in Sloux City, IA, and No. 108 in Aberdeen, SD.
THINK PINK: The OneMain Financial driver will sport pink Oakley driving shoes throughout the entire Nationwide Series season to show support for breast cancer awareness and honor his mom, Bell. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007, and is now a survivor. Fans will have the opportunity to bid on his race-worn shoes throughout the season, with proceeds going toward breast cancer research and education. For more information, visit www.onemainracing.com.
Elliott Sadler Nationwide Series Stats at Iowa Speedway
Starts: 6
Wins: 1 (2012)
Poles: 3 (2011, Spring
2012 & Fall 2012)
Top 5: 5
Top 10: 6
Laps Led: 100
Avg. Start: 4.3
Avg. Finish: 3.7
2013: Start: 7 Finish: 3
Career Nationwide Series Stats
Starts: 239
Wins: 10
Top 5: 59
Top 10: 113
Poles: 16
Laps Led: 1,466
Avg. Start: 13.1
Avg. Finish: 14.5
