WELCOME BACK SADLER: Elliott Sadler returns to Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) to pilot the No. 2 Best Buy/Insignia Silverado for the second time this season. Sadler made his first KHI start in February at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway where he started from the outside pole and finished 20th due to an early-race accident.
GOING GREEN: Elliott Sadler and the No. 2 KHI team will sport the bright green colors of Insignia this weekend at Dover (Del.) International Speedway. The Insignia brand of electronics, which is sold exclusively at Best Buy, is making its first ever appearance in the Truck Series. For more information on Insignia products please visit www.insigniaproducts.com.
AUTISM SPEAKS: This Friday at Dover International Speedway, both KHI entries will sport the Autism Speaks puzzle piece logo in support of the non-profit organization. This weekend, which culminates with Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the Autism Speaks 400 presented by HERSHEY’S Milk & Milkshakes, marks the fourth consecutive year of the track’s relationship with Autism Speaks.
SPECIAL MEANING: Autism Speaks is an organization which is particularly close to Sadler’s heart, and he has been heavily involved with autism advocacy due to his niece Halie’s affliction with the neural development disorder.
Autism Speaks was founded in February of 2005 by Bob and Suzanne Wright, grandparents of a child with autism. Since then, Autism Speaks has grown into the nation’s largest autism science and advocacy organization, dedicated to funding research into the causes, prevention, treatments and a cure for autism; increasing awareness of autism spectrum disorders; and advocating for the needs of individuals with autism and their families.
MEETING THE MONSTER: Despite the fact that Sadler has been competing in NASCAR’s top-3 series for over 15 years, he has never made a Truck Series start at Dover International Speedway. Sadler has, however, made a total of 27 combined starts in the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series at the one-mile concrete track. Sadler has led a combined total of 189 laps at the track, and has earned a best finish of sixth in both series (Fall of 2005 in Cup, Fall of 1997 in Nationwide).
Thoughts from the Driver: Elliott Sadler
How do you feel about returning to the No. 2 truck for the first time since February’s race in Daytona?
“I’ve been itching to get back in the truck since Daytona. We led a ton of laps in the beginning of the race before being caught up in a wreck. [Kevin] Harvick and [Ken] Schrader have run really well in the last few races, so I’m confident that I can run really well too.”
Is there any added pressure in returning to the truck that currently sits first in the owner’s points?
“No pressure at all. I know it’s a great truck and I’m really looking forward to being behind the wheel of the Best Buy/Insignia truck at Dover. It’ll be a lot of fun.”
What do you feel is the key to performing well at Dover?
“I’ve never been in a truck at Dover, but I have a lot of experience there. Hopefully we’ll get the truck to rotate well through the center of the corner so we can carry a lot of speed down the straight-a-ways. I like Dover. This weekend will be a lot of fun.”
This weekend both KHI trucks will be running the Autism Speaks puzzle piece at Dover. Why is Autism Speaks such an important organization for you and your family?
“It hits really close to home because my niece, Halie, is autistic. The great Autism related charities we’ve worked with over the years like, Autism Speaks, offer many different programs and opportunities to help not only those suffering from this developmental disability, but also their families. It is a cause that I’ll do all I can to help raise money and awareness.”
PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: With 54-year-old veteran Ken Schrader behind the wheel, the No. 2 team had a solid weekend at Kansas Speedway. After taking the green flag from the 12th position, Schrader remained inside the top 10 nearly all day, finishing ninth and allowing the No. 2 to remain first in the Owner’s Point standings by nine points.
CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 2 team will utilize chassis No. 024 this weekend at Dover International Speedway. Chassis No. 024 has served as the backup truck for the last three events at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway, and Kansas Speedway. Ron Hornaday also took this chassis to Victory Lane at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May of 2009.
ARE YOU A FOLLOWER? Twitter users can now keep up-to-date with Kevin Harvick Inc.’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Teams by following at http://twitter.com/KHI_TruckSeries. In addition, you can follow KHI’s Nationwide Series team at http://twitter.com /KHI_NNS. Want more from KHI? Follow KHI’s co-owners Kevin and DeLana Harvick at http://twitter.com/kevinharvick and http://twitter.com/delanaharvick.
MEDIA ACCESS: Members of the media can now log on to www.kevinharvickinc.com to gain access to press kit information online. For more information, please email Jessica Trippy at KHI: jtrippy@kevinharvickinc.com.
About Best Buy Co., Inc.
With operations in the United States, Canada, Europe, China and Mexico, Best Buy is a multinational retailer of technology and entertainment products and services with a commitment to growth and innovation. The Best Buy family of brands and partnerships collectively generates more than $45 billion in annual revenue and includes brands such as Best Buy; Audiovisions; The Carphone Warehouse; Future Shop; Geek Squad, Jiangsu Five Star; Magnolia Audio Video; Napster; Pacific Sales; The Phone House; and Speakeasy. Approximately 155,000 employees apply their talents to help bring the benefits of these brands to life for customers through retail locations, multiple call centers and Web sites, in-home solutions, product delivery and activities in our communities. Community partnership is central to the way we do business at Best Buy. In fiscal 2009, Best Buy donated a combined $33.4 million to improve the vitality of the communities where its employees and customers live and work. For more information about Best Buy, visit www.bestbuy.com.
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.
QUICK NOTES
Race Info
May 14, 2010
Dover (Del.) International Speedway
Dover 200
Race length: 200 Laps/200 Miles
Banking/Turns: 24-degree turns;
9-degree straight-a-ways
Track layout: 1.0-mile
Shape: Concrete Oval
Pre-Race Schedule
Thursday:
Practice: 2:30 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. EST
Final Practice: 4:15 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. EST
Friday:
Qualifying: 10:10 a.m. EST
Race: 4:45 p.m. EST
TV: The Dover 200 can be seen on SPEED on Friday at 8:00 p.m. EST (Tape delayed, actual start time 4:45 p.m. EST)
Radio: The Motor Racing Network (MRN) will broadcast live at 4:45 p.m. EST
Truck Specs:
Chassis: 024
Engine: Earnhardt-Childress Racing (ECR)
Elliott Sadler
Truck Series Statistics at
Dover International Speedway
-No Previous Starts-
Elliott Sadler
Sprint Cup Series Statistics at
Dover International Speedway
Starts: 22
Wins: 0
Poles: 0
Laps Led: 188
Average Start: 15.3
Average Finish: 21.8
Elliott Sadler
Nationwide Series Statistics at
Dover International Speedway
Starts: 5
Wins: 0
Poles: 0
Laps Led: 1
Average Start: 18.4
Average Finish: 13.6