LEBANON, Tenn. (July 24, 2011) - Elliott Sadler and the No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet finished 30th at Nashville Superspeedway after a broken gear on lap 179 forced the team to bring the car to the garage for repairs. The Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) team quickly assessed the problem on the Chevrolet and was able to finish the event 32 laps down.
The green flag waved on the Federated Auto Parts 300 on Saturday evening for the 225-event at Nashville with Sadler starting in the fifth position. Seeking redemption from the 13th-place finish the team earned at Nashville earlier this season, the OneMain Financial Chevrolet pushed to the third position by the second lap.
The field quickly settled into single-file racing, and Sadler began chasing down the race leader. As Sadler crossed the start-finish line on lap 25, he relayed to the crew that he was happy with the handling of the Chevrolet. Holding steady in the third position, crew chief Ernie Cope called the No. 2 down pit road on lap 62 for a scheduled green-flag pit stop. The KHI crew put on four tires, added fuel and made a chassis adjustment. With a quick stop, the No. 2 returned to the track in the third position.
The field slowed for the first caution of the night on lap 82 for debris in turn three. Cope called the No. 2 down pit road for right-side tires and fuel, and another fast stop from the KHI crew sent the No. 2 back on track as the leader. Sadler brought the field to green on lap 87 and led three laps until KHI teammate Austin Dillon passed him for the top spot on lap 91.
Sadler relayed that the OneMain Financial Chevrolet was too tight in the middle of the corners as he fell back to the fourth position on lap 122. A caution fell on lap 128 for a single-car incident involving the No. 30 car, which provided an opportunity for the No. 2 team to come down pit road for four fresh tires and fuel. The team picked up one spot, restarting in the third position on lap 135.
With 75 to go, Sadler continued to chase down the top two cars and was on pace to catch the leaders when a caution fell on lap 177 for debris. The driver told the crew that the Chevrolet was a little tight up front, but became freer on the long runs. Sadler brought the KHI Chevrolet down pit road in the third position on lap 179 for four tires and fuel. As he pulled out of the pit stall, he rolled to a stop, relaying that something broke on the No. 2.
Sadler brought the car back to the garage, where the No. 2 OneMain Financial team quickly assessed the problem as a broken gear. The team worked hard to get the Chevrolet back on the track, and Sadler climbed back into the car and onto the 1.333-mile track on lap 213. Sadler completed the final laps, finishing in the 30th position.
After the event at Nashville, Sadler moves to third in the NASCAR Nationwide Series Driver’s Point Standings, 14 points behind leader Reed Sorenson, and five points behind Stenhouse Jr.
Sadler and the No. 2 OneMain Financial team return to the track at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis on Saturday, July 30. The green flag is set to wave on the Kroger 200 with live coverage from ESPN 2 beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET and MRN at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Comments from driver Elliott Sadler:
“It was definitely a disappointing finish for the No. 2 OneMain Financial team. The guys worked so hard to get the car back on the track after we found out it was a broken gear. We were able to get out there and finish the race. We have a really great race team, and we are still in the hunt for the championship. I’m looking forward to getting to Lucas Oil Raceway with this team, and we will be even hungrier for a win.”