OneMain Financial Team Set to Compete for NASCAR Nationwide Series Championship in 2012

Sadler paired with Crew Chief Luke Lambert at Richard Childress Racing

  

WELCOME, N.C. (January 20, 2012) - When the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series season kicks off in late February, Elliott Sadler will once again be driving the No. 2 OneMain Financial Chevrolet. This season however, Sadler joins forces with Richard Childress Racing and looks to add to the organization's five Nationwide Series championships.

Announced in 2011, Kevin Harvick Inc. merged with RCR on the Nationwide Series programs, moving teams and much of its equipment to the Welcome, N.C., shop. OneMain Financial will continue the sponsorship of the No. 2 Chevrolet at RCR for a total of 29 Nationwide Series events during the 2012 season, marking the company's ninth season with a strong presence in the sport. For generations, OneMain Financial has provided local, one-on-one, personalized service and affordable solutions to customer borrowing needs.

Sadler, an Emporia, Va., native, notched 12 top-five and 24 top-10 finishes, as well as five pole awards last season in the 2011 Nationwide Series season. He finished second in the driver point standings in his first full-time Nationwide Series season since 1998, falling just 45 points short of the championship.

"It is such a great opportunity to compete for such an accomplished organization like Richard Childress Racing," said Sadler. "To have an organization like OneMain Financial support me on and off the track again this year really makes me eager to get back to the track to compete for the Nationwide Series championship. We came up short last year, finishing second in the points, but I know we have all the parts in place to win this year with this RCR team."

Luke Lambert has been tapped as crew chief for the OneMain Financial team for the season. Lambert served as interim crew chief for the No. 31 Sprint Cup Series team for 17 races last season with driver Jeff Burton, leading the team to two top-five and five top-10 finishes. Lambert, 29, joined RCR in 2005, serving as the team engineer for the No. 31 program from 2008 - 2010. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering from North Carolina State University in 2005.

In addition to the sponsorship with Sadler, OneMain Financial will serve as the primary sponsor on RCR's No. 33 Chevrolet driven by Kevin Harvick in the Nationwide Series event at Texas Motor Speedway in November. Harvick is scheduled to share the No. 33 Nationwide Series ride with teammates Paul Menard and Brendan Gaughan for the 2012 season. OneMain Financial will also sponsor Joey Coulter's No. 22 Camping World truck at the fall Texas race.

For additional information on today's announcement, and all that's happening at RCR, please visit rcrracing.com.