Category: XFINITY Series

Ryan Truex, No. 20 Schick Xtreme3 Toyota Camry Richmond International Raceway Preview

Richmond International Raceway

Virginia 529 College Savings 250

September 9, 2011

TV: ESPN2 at 7:30 PM ET

Radio: MRN at 7:15 PM ET

No. 20 Notes of Interest

-Friday marks Truex’s 3rd start at Richmond International Raceway in a NASCAR Nationwide Series car, and his 12th start in the Nationwide Series in 2011. He finished 8th at Richmond earlier this year in the Pastrana-Waltrip Racing Toyota Camry.

-The No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry will carry the distinctive blue and white paint scheme for Schick Xtreme3 again in Richmond. The Schick Xtreme3 Get Fresh Fresh Mobile Tour will be set up in outside Turn 2 on Friday and Saturday. Fans can try out the Xtreme3 Fitstyle Refresh razor, win great prizes and get autographs from Ryan and his brother, Martin Truex Jr. To learn more visit:

-Truex will also be behind the wheel of the No. 20 in Chicago, Dover, Kansas and Phoenix.

Ryan Truex on Racing in Richmond

“Richmond is one of the places I’m most excited to go back to. It’s a fast short track and is a lot of fun. I’ve always seemed to run pretty good there. I have a lot of confidence going into this weekend, after our good run at Atlanta. It definitely doesn’t hurt that the 20 team won there earlier this year. We will go in with the same mindset as Atlanta and hopefully we can come out with a great run.”

No. 20 Crew Chief, Adam Stevens, on Working with Ryan Truex

“I’m looking forward to Richmond. We had a decent first weekend together at Atlanta. I can’t think of a worse track for a couple of rookies (myself and Ryan) to cut our teeth together. Ryan really showed the team what he was made of with his qualifying lap. During the race, he did an exceptional job of taking what he could get and not making mistakes. We never got the car quite where it needed to be, but we made the best of it. I’m impressed he returned the car without a scratch given the extremely loose handling condition we battled all night. To barely miss a top 10 in our first outing was a great effort.

Friday, Sept. 9 At-Track Appearances: 2:45 PM* Sprint Experience

3:15 PM* Schick Get Fresh Mobile Display

*times subject to change

Follow Ryan Truex on Twitter! Twitter.com/RTruex00 http://www.twitter.com/rtruex00

Follow Ryan Truex on Facebook! Facebook.com/RyanTruex http://www.facebook.com/RyanTruex

Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. – Virginia 529 College Savings 250

Team: No. 6 Fastenal Ford Mustang

Crew Chief: Mike Kelley

Chassis: RK-644 – primary – last ran at Loudon- finished fourth.

RK–635 – backup – last raced at LOR- finished third

QUOTES

Stenhouse, Jr. on racing at Richmond International Raceway:

“I am looking forward to racing the No. 6 Fastenal/Honoring Our Heroes Ford Mustang in Richmond. We had a strong performance there earlier this year so it would be really special to get a win for all of our troops, The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, and Todd Nicely.”

Crew chief Mike Kelley on racing at Richmond International Raceway:

“We are coming off a strong performance at Atlanta. We were really strong there earlier this year but an untimely caution put us a lap down. The key is to have mistake free pit-stops and stay up front to avoid any accidents which is typical short-track racing. Hopefully we can get this No. 6 Fastenal Ford in victory lane and have Todd Nicely there to celebrate with us.”

FAST FACTS

* So far in 2011, Stenhouse, Jr. has two wins, 11 top-fives, 18 top-tens, and three poles.

* Stenhouse, Jr. is the current Nationwide Series points leader with a 13 points lead over Elliot Sadler.

o Fastenal will be the primary sponsor on the No. 6 Mustang. This will be a special paint scheme to honor some of our American Heroes. This No. 6 will be honoring United States Marine Corps Corporal Todd Nicely.

TREVOR BAYNE

Race:  Virginia 529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway (195 laps 300 miles)

Team: No. 16 Fastenal/Honoring Our Heroes Ford Mustang  

Crew Chief: Chad Norris

Chassis: RK-667-Last ran at Loudon, July 2011, Finished 13^th       

Broadcast Information: Friday, September 9, 2011- 7:00 p.m. (ET) ESPN2 and 7:00 p.m. on MRN radio affiliates and Sirius channel 90

 

FAST FACTS

• TREVOR BAYNE will make his 22^nd start of the season in the NASCAR Nationwide Series at Richmond International Raceway
• TREVOR BAYNE at Richmond International Raceway… Bayne has three starts with one top-five finish in Nationwide Series competition

 

        QUOTES

Trevor Bayne on racing at Richmond: “I am looking forward to running under the lights at Richmond. We have a special paint scheme honoring our fallen heroes from 9/11 and I will be dedicating this race to those special people. It will be a competitive race that will test where we are as a team.  We had a great run going last week and got wrecked.  I have been looking forward to getting back in the car since that last lap.  I didn’t get a chance to run Richmond in the spring and I am very anxious to get to the track and compete. We almost one the last time I was there, so hopefully I can duplicate that effort on Friday night.” 

 

Crew chief Chad Norris on racing at Richmond: “We had a great run going last week when we got caught up in somebody’s mess. We have developed nice chemistry as a team, but we don’t have the finishes to show for it.  We will continue to work hard to perfect our craft and hopefully good things will happen for us. I feel we have a solid game plan for this weekend and I am counting on us running well from the moment we unload. If we have a solid qualifying effort and can get on and off of pit road cleanly, we will be fine.”

 

 

STATS

                                  BAYNE NNS RESULTS AT RICHMOND INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY:

                                                                        BAYNE 2011 NNS RESULTS…

Carl Edwards–Virginia 529 College Savings 250

Team:           No. 60 Fastenal Ford Mustang

Crew Chief:  Mike Beam

Chassis:       RK-707 – primary – New Nationwide Chassis.

RK–596 – backup – New Nationwide Chassis.

QUOTES

Carl Edwards on racing at Richmond International Raceway:   “We are coming off a big Fastenal win in Atlanta .  I am excited for the race on Friday night. It has been a great race track for us in the Nationwide Series. We have won some races and had some epic battles. We are running a special paint scheme to honor some of our American Heroes. It would be great to get a win for all of our soldiers and especially Corporal John Peck who will be honored on our decklid.”

Crew chief Mike Beam on racing at Richmond International Raceway:   “We are coming off a dominating win in Atlanta . We are bringing a new Nationwide chassis that we feel should be strong. Key to this race is to have good pit-stops and stay up front. We are honoring some of our American heroes on our paint scheme. It would be a great honor to win this race for them.”   FAST FACTS * So far in 2011, Edwards has six wins, 15 top-fives, and 19 top-10s * Edwards captured his 35th career NASCAR Nationwide win at Atlanta Motor Speedway. * The No. 60 Ford is currently second in the Owner’s points. 45 points behind first place. * Edwards average finish at Richmond International Raceway is 8.5.

JASON LEFFLER QUICK FACTS

No. 38 Great Clips Impala

Richmond International Raceway

Virginia 529 College Savings 250

September 9, 2011

No. 38 Great Clips Chevrolet News and Notes

Richmond International Raceway (RIR), by the numbers…Leffler has 17 NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) starts at RIR with two top-five and four top-10 finishes as well as one pole to his credit (spring, 2006). His best performance came in the fall of 2004 when he started 14th and finished fourth. He is ranked 10th in number of laps led at the ¾-mile oval with 82.

Leffler also has one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) pole at Richmond to his credit. In his only NCWTS start at RIR (2002), Leffler captured the pole and led for 85 laps before finishing 12th.

Leffler’s In the Loop… According to NASCAR’s Loop Data Statistics, Leffler is ranked in the top-10 in a number of categories at RIR including Closers (2nd), Green-Flag Passes (3rd), Fastest Lap Run (2nd), Laps Led (10th with 82), and Laps in the Top-15 (7th).

This week’s Impala…. This weekend at RIR, the No. 38 team will unload chassis TMS-131. Leffler has previously driven this chassis in races at Nashville Superspeedway in July (18th) and Chicagoland Speedway (5th).

Turner Motorsports: In the hunt… In 26 Nationwide Series events in 2011, Turner Motorsports-prepared entries have notched three wins, 20 top-five and 51 top-10 finishes. All three of Turner Motorsports’ championship-contending drivers are inside the top-six in the driver point standings with Reed Sorenson in third, Justin Allgaier in fifth and Leffler in sixth.

Happy 10-Year Anniversary, Great Clips… This season marks Great Clips’ 10-year anniversary as a primary sponsor in the NNS. The Minneapolis-based Great Clips, Inc., which is currently the longest-running primary sponsor in the series, came onto the scene in 2001 as a primary sponsor of Akins Motorsports No. 38 entry, then driven by Christian Elder.

Leffler on SIRIUS’ Morning Drive every Wednesday… Don’t forget to tune in to SIRIUS Radio’s “Morning Drive” with Mike Bagley and Pete Pistone every Wednesday at 10:30am to hear Leffler’s take on recent events in the Nationwide Series and what you can expect from the week’s upcoming race.

Follow the No. 38 team on Twitter!Twitter.com/No38TurnerNNS

Follow Jason Leffler on Twitter! Twitter.com/JasonLeffler

Follow Turner Motorsports on Facebook! Facebook.com/TurnerMotorsports

Leffler on racing at Richmond International Raceway:

“Richmond is always a lot of fun to race at and it’s a track that suits my driving style. It has a short-track feel but it characteristics of a bigger speedway with the speeds you are carrying. There are always two grooves of racing so there’s a lot of side-by-side beating and banging. It’s also a place where tempers can flare, off the track and on. One of the biggest keys is to keep the fenders on the car because the cars are a little bit more aero- sensitive than they are at your typical short track.”

5-Hour Energy Team News and Notes

· This Week’s 5 Hour Energy Toyota … Steve Wallace will pilot Rusty Wallace Racing chassis RWR-058 in Friday night’s Virginia 529 College Savings 250 at Richmond International Raceway. A workhorse of the 2011 season, this Toyota Camry raced at Auto Club Speedway in March, Nashville Superspeedway in April, and twice in the month of May, at Darlington Raceway and Charlotte Motor Speedway. Wallace then raced it at Michigan International Raceway in June, and most recently, at Bristol Motor Speedway last month.

· Through 26 Races … With 26 races of the 2011 season in the record books, Wallace has accumulated two top-five, five top 10 and 14 top-15 finishes, an average starting position of 13.4 and an average finish of 15.7. Wallace has completed 97.9 percent of the laps contested (4,647 of 4,747) thus far.

· Get to the Points … Since the race at Iowa Speedway on August 6, Wallace has gained 56 points on seventh-place driver Kenny Wallace. He is now just 10 points from overtaking his uncle for the position.

· Wallace at Richmond … In 10 NASCAR Nationwide Series starts at Richmond International Raceway, Wallace has recorded one top-five and two top-10 finishes. His best result at the .75-mile oval is fifth, where he finished in May of 2008. Additionally, the 24-year-old driver has an average finish of 16.4 and has completed 99.7 percent of the laps contested (2,500 of 2,508).

· Welcome Aboard … 5-Hour Energy Racing welcomes Harris Teeter as a partner for this weekend’s race at Richmond. Harris Teeter branding will adorn the TV panel of Wallace’s No. 66 Toyota in Friday evening’s race.

· Last Time Out … Wallace struggled early with a multitude of handling issues in last Saturday night’s Great Clips 300 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, but chassis adjustments made by the Doug Randolph-led crew over the course of the event helped the 24-year-old driver log a 13th-place finish.

· Rusty Wallace Racing at Richmond … In 27 NASCAR Nationwide Series starts at Richmond International Raceway, Rusty Wallace Racing has earned five top-five and 11 top-10 finishes with four different drivers including Brendan Gaughan, David Stremme, Kenny and Steve Wallace. Additionally, Rusty Wallace Racing entries have led 53 laps of competition and have completed 6,284 of the 6,420 (97.9 percent) laps contested in those events.

· Rusty Wallace Racing in 2011 … With 26 of 34 races completed thus far in the 2011 season, Rusty Wallace Racing’s three NASCAR Nationwide Series entries have recorded a combined three top-five, 12 top 10 and 28 top-15 finishes. Rusty Wallace Racing Toyotas have completed 10,331 of 10,719 laps attempted, and have been atop the leaderboard for 19 laps with drivers Michael Annett, Jason Bowles, David Reutimann and Steve Wallace.

· Welcome Home, Jason … Engine tuner Jason Watkins is the only native Virginian on the No. 66 5-Hour Energy team. Watkins was born and still resides in Ridgeway, located about 180 miles southwest of Richmond International Raceway.

· Codespotter … Interested in a chance to win a NASCAR Champion VIP Experience? Go to CodeSpotter.com and enter Steve’s code “SWALLACE” once per day through midnight on September 5th for your chance.

· Cast Your Vote … Voting has begun for the Most Popular Driver of the Year award in the Nationwide Series. Fans are encouraged to log onto NASCAR.com to vote for their favorite driver from the series once per day until voting ends on Thursday, November 17.

“I haven’t always liked Richmond, in fact the first few times I ran there, it was my least favorite track. I just couldn’t get around the place and our team never ran very well there. Since then, I’ve really changed my opinion of the place, it’s become one of my favorite tracks. Our short track program at Rusty Wallace Racing is really strong, so we’re looking forward to this weekend and feel pretty good about our chances.” – Steve Wallace on racing at Richmond International Raceway

CONCORD, N.C. (SEPT. 6, 2011) –Roush Fenway Racing and Fastenal have announced that Carl Edwards, Trevor Bayne and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. will all race special Fastenal “Honoring Our Heroes” Ford Mustangs at Richmond International Raceway in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race on Sept. 9.

All three Roush Fenway entries will pay tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice on September 11, 2001, while giving thanks to three military heroes who were severely wounded in the line of duty. The cars will also feature the logo of the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation – a charitable organization which is raising funds to build “smart homes” for these three servicemen. Stephen Siller was an FDNY firefighter who died in the attacks on the World Trade Center 10 years ago.

Edward’s No. 60 Fastenal/Honoring Our Heroes Ford will honor those who lost their lives in the attack on the Washington D.C. area with a gold wireframe image of the Pentagon that wraps around the car’s sides and TV panel. In addition to the American flag which waves on the sides, the name of United States Marine Corps Corporal John Peck rides on the car’s deck lid. In May of 2010 while on patrol in Afghanistan, Peck was hit by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and lost both legs and both arms in the blast. He is currently recovering at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Bethesda.

The No. 16 Fastenal/Honoring Our Heroes Ford Mustang of Trevor Bayne will carry a tribute to those who died in New York when the Twin Towers were hit by two hijacked planes. On Bayne’s car, a silhouette of the Manhattan skyline with the Twin Towers still standing wraps around the rear. His Ford also carries the name of U.S. Army Specialist Brendan Marrocco on the rear deck lid. Marrocco is the first American to survive losing four limbs in combat. He was injured in Iraq on Easter Sunday 2009 when the vehicle he was riding in was hit by an Explosive Fired Projectile (EFP). The EFP entered Marrocco’s door causing the soldier permanent and life-changing injuries. The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation finished the construction of Marrocco’s “smart home” in June.

Stenhouse and the No. 6 Fastenal/Honoring Our Heroes Ford Mustang will pay tribute to the passengers of Flight 93 who lost their lives over Shanksville, Pa. while saving the U.S. from suffering more casualties on that tragic day. A ghosted number “93” is featured on the C-post and TV panel of Stenhouse’s Ford, while the name of United States Marine Corps Corporal Todd Nicely rides on the rear deck lid. In March 2010, Nicely was injured while leading a unit of 12 men over a bridge in the Helmand province of Afghanistan. He stepped on an IED which exploded and tore off his arms and legs. Since then, he has endured numerous surgeries and has cycled through three kinds of artificial legs and arms.

“I am looking forward to racing the No. 6 Fastenal/Honoring Our Heroes Ford Mustang in Richmond,” said Stenhouse. “We had a strong performance there earlier this year so it would be really special to get a win for all of our troops, The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, and Todd Nicely.”

Marrocco, Nicely and their families will be at the Richmond races on Sept. 9 and 10, where they will watch their cars take the track and be treated to a VIP NASCAR experience. Lionel NASCAR Collectables will also donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each “Honoring Our Heroes” die-cast to The Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation which has earmarked these funds for the construction of customized homes for Marrocco, Nicely and Peck.

“I can’t say enough about Roush and how they’ve decided to not only honor the sacrifice my brother made on September 11, 2001, but also the sacrifices of our country’s finest like Brendan, Todd and John,” said Frank Siller, Chairman of the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation and brother of Stephen Siller. “Our family is touched beyond words and we can’t wait to watch these cars race at Richmond.”

For more information about the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation, please visit www.tunneltotowersrun.org.

CHINA GROVE, N.C. (September 5, 2011) – Robert Richardson, Jr. and the No. 23 North Texas Pipe Chevrolet of R3 Motorsports survived six cautions and 197 laps of action under the lights of Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday night to earn a 26th-place finish.

The day was filled with two practices early in the day, qualifying in the afternoon and then racing at night around the 1.5-mile oval. When the first practice wrapped up, Richardson was 31st on the chart and then 30th after the final session.

When qualifying ended, the No. 23 North Texas Pipe Chevrolet was lined up 35th for the initial green flag start.

Once the race started, Richardson began his trek forward in the running order. By lap 10, he had cracked the top-30 and raced up and down the 20s for much of the early going.

Battling handling and tire conditions and the other 42 cars kept the McKinney, Texas resident busy for much of the night. The team was able to take advantage of the six cautions throughout the night for fuel, tires and adjustments to their Chevrolet.

However, the tire compound used for this race was giving Richardson fits as he tried to get a handling on the car as he sped through the high banks around the track. As the laps wore down to the finish, so did the tires to the point Richardson felt the car slipping and sliding much to his dislike during the race.

When the 197-lap event was over, Richardson crossed under the checkered flags in 26th place. He will return to the No. 23 ride of R3 Motorsports for the Richmond International Raceway event this Friday night.

Robert Richardson, Jr. Quotes: “We made some good strides in practice gaining on the car and what we needed to do get better. I wished we would have had a better qualifying run because it’s always easier to gain track position that way, rather than racing everybody else for them.

“I don’t know what was going on with the tires, but they kept wearing to the point the car felt like it was slipping and sliding more than ever. We tried different air pressure adjustments and chassis ideas, but nothing worked for those long, green-flag runs.

“We were able to do what we needed on pit stops to keep ourselves in the game. The cautions didn’t fall where would have liked them, but the team did a good job with adjustments and getting me off pit road quickly.

“It was good to get back in the car and I’m looking forward to racing Richmond next weekend. We had our best finish of the season there, so we’re looking to top that next Friday night.”

Kevin Harvick

No. 33 Rheem Tankless Water Heaters Chevrolet Impala

NASCAR Nationwide Series Race 27 of 34 – Richmond International Raceway

RICHMOND BOUND: Kevin Harvick and theNo. 33 Rheem team head to Richmond, Va., this week for the second time this season. The Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) co-owner will pilot the No. 33 Chevrolet Impala in the NASCAR Nationwide Series’ Friday night event at Richmond International Raceway, a track the driver knows his way around.

BY THE NUMBERS: Two-time Nationwide Series champion Harvick has 20 starts at the Virginia track with a record that boasts five wins, two poles, 13 top-five and 16 top-10 finishes. The driver has led 790 laps around the 0.75-mile facility.

KHI AT RICHMOND: KHI has made a total of 19 starts in the Nationwide Series at the 0.75-mile track. Last September, Harvick collected the organization’s sole win at the track winning the race from the pole. KHI has a total of seven top-five and nine top-10 finishes in addition to the one win and one pole.

WIN HAPPY’S CHEVY: One lucky winner will not only help children in need, but will take home Harvick’s 2011 Camaro 2SS Coupe. The vehicle, exterior color and trim packages were hand-picked by the driver himself and include black leather interior with inferno orange accents, 21″ machined aluminum wheels, 6-Speed manual transmission, V8 engine, quarter flares and more. Proceeds will be used to further the mission of the Kevin Harvick Foundation through programs such as Kevin’s Krew, Chase Your Dreams Scholarships and the Kevin Harvick Athletic Scholarship Fund. Less than 750 tickets remain for purchase. For more information, go to: http://www.winhappyschevy.com/

CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 33 Rheem team will unload chassis No. 063 when they arrive at Richmond. This particular chassis has been utilized twice thus far this season. Harvick drove to a 13th-place finish at Chicagoland Speedway in June and Austin Dillon came across the finish line 14th at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis in July.

PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Harvick returned to the driver’s seat of the No. 33 Rheem Chevrolet Impala for the Nationwide Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The two-time series champion started from the eighth position and led five times for 31 laps before crossing the finish line in fourth.

HARVICK’S THOUGHTS ON RICHMOND:

“I’ve always liked racing at Richmond and enjoy racing at night. I think everyone likes night racing. Richmond, like the other flat tracks, really suits my driving style, plus we’ve been able to run really good there. I have five wins in the Nationwide Series including last year’s fall race. I’m hoping we can get this Rheem Chevrolet back into victory lane this Friday night and make it six.”

About Rheem:

Rheem Manufacturing Company (www.rheem.com) is privately held with headquarters in Atlanta. In its 86th year of operation, the company manufactures a full-line of eco-friendly, technologically advanced residential and commercial heating and cooling systems; tank, tankless, solar and hybrid heat pump water heaters; whole-home standby generators, controls, swimming pool and spa heaters; indoor air-purification products; and commercial boilers throughout North America and world markets. The company’s premium brands, including Raypak, Ruud and Rheem, have been recognized with countless industry and consumer awards for reliability, innovative design and high quality. Rheem is the official heating, cooling and water-heating supplier to Richard Childress Racing (RCR), Kevin Harvick, Inc. (KHI) and is a primary sponsor of RCR’s No. 29 Sprint Cup Series car and KHI’s No. 33 Nationwide Series car and Camping World Truck Series No. 2 truck. Harvick was named Nationwide Series “Driver of the Decade” in 2010.

Elliott Sadler

No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet Impala

NASCAR Nationwide Series Race 27 of 34 – Richmond International Raceway II

RACING TO RICHMOND: Elliott Sadler and the No. 2 OneMain Financial team will head to Richmond International Raceway for the second event of the NASCAR Nationwide Series season at the Virginia track. In April, Sadler and the No. 2 team battled around the 0.75-mile oval to bring home a fourth-place finish.

HOMEBOY: Sadler, a native Virginian, considers Richmond his “home track,” located 45 minutes from his home in Emporia, Va. Sadler has 16 starts at the facility, the most of any tracks on the Nationwide Series schedule, and has earned two top-five and four top-10 finishes with a best finish of second in 2005. Sadler also has 24 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at the track with a best finish of seventh in 2005.

KHI AT RICHMOND: KHI has made a total of 19 starts in the Nationwide Series at the 0.75-mile track. Co-owner Kevin Harvick earned the organization’s sole win at the track in September 2010, winning the race from the pole. KHI has a total of seven top-five and nine top-10 finishes in addition to the one win and one pole.

DASH-ING 4 CASH: Sadler is one of four drivers eligible for a chance to win $100,000 at Richmond in the third of four Dash 4 Cash segments. The highest-finishing driver of the four this weekend will win the monetary prize and will automatically qualify for the final event at Charlotte Motor Speedway in October. The three highest-finishing drivers that receive Nationwide Series Championship driver points will also qualify for Charlotte.

CHASSIS HISTORY: The No. 2 OneMain Financial team prepared chassis No. 068 for the event at Richmond. This is the fifth time the No. 2 team will run this particular chassis. Sadler brought home a fourth-place finish in the first event at Richmond in April with chassis No. 068. The KHI team also ran this chassis at Phoenix International Raceway (12th), Iowa Speedway (fifth) and New Hampshire Motor Speedway (12th).

EMCEE AND DIERKS BENTLEY: On Thursday evening, Sadler will attend Richmond’s Rockin’ the Raceway event. Sadler, an avid country music fan, will introduce country star Dierks Bentley at the track’s amphitheater for the first Rockin’ the Raceway event to benefit the Cullather Brian Tumor Quality of Life Center at Bon Secours St. Mary’s Hospital. For more information, please visit www.RIR.com.

MEET ELLIOTT SADLER: Fans will have the opportunity to meet Sadler and see the OneMain Financial Chevrolet on Thursday, September 8 at the OneMain Financial branch in Chester, Va., at 11940 Iron Bridge Plaza. From 3-4 p.m. fans can meet Sadler and get an autograph or a photo by the showcar.

PREVIOUS RACE RECAP: Sadler and the No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet team brought home a hard-earned top-10 finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway last Saturday night after going a lap down and battling handling problems with the car throughout the weekend.

TO THE POINT: Sadler remains in the second position in the NASCAR Nationwide Series Driver’s Point Standings. With eight events remaining on the schedule, Sadler sits 13 points out of the lead.

THOUGHTS FROM THE DRIVER: Elliott Sadler

How do you feel heading into this week’s race at Richmond International Raceway?

“Man I love going to Richmond. We’ve been going there as a family as fans of the sport for a long, long time. I remember going there in the 1980’s, and I was there when they made the transition from the half-mile to 3/4-mile race track. We’ve been going there a long time, and I still have a lot of family that have reserved seats near the start-finish line. It’s a very special place for me. It’s such a cool feeling to go there as a fan when I was a kid, and then to have the opportunity to race competitively there. A lot of my family and friends will be at that race, so I want to do a good job in front of them. Now that we have the extra incentive running for the Nationwide Insurance Dash 4 Cash, we have that extra push for the $100,000. I’m really looking forward to it.”

MOST POPULAR DRIVER: Sadler is eligible for the 2011 NASCAR Nationwide Series Most Popular Driver award. Fans can vote for Sadler now through November 17 on www.NASCARNationwideSeries.com.

OneMain Financial

OneMain Financial (formerly CitiFinancial), based in Baltimore, Md, provides personalized loan solutions and one-on-one, local service at more than 1,300 branches nationwide. With a 99-year heritage of helping people realize their financial goals and dreams, their employees are part of the communities where they live and work. OneMain Financial works with each customer to find a solution that best fits their needs and budget, offering a simple and straightforward loan application, with fixed rates, and clear terms. Additional information may be found at OneMainFinancial.com.