Elliott Sadler will drive a full Nationwide Series schedule for Joe Gibbs Racings in 2013, team president J.D. Gibbs confirmed on Monday. Sadler is leaving Richard Childress Racing after finishing second in points the past two seasons. There was speculation he might drive a part-time Sprint Cup schedule for JGR, but Gibbs said that was not in the plans. Gibbs said Kyle Busch will return to a part-time Nationwide Schedule for JGR after spending this season splitting a ride in his own organization with his brother Kurt. Kyle Busch reduced his time in the Truck and Nationwide Series this past season in an effort to focus on Cup. He finished 13th in points and missed the Chase.
OneMain Financial announced a partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing to be the primary sponsor of the #11 OneMain Financial car driven by Elliott Sadler in the Nationwide Series in 2013. OneMain Financial will also have associate sponsorship on two additional Joe Gibbs Racing Nationwide Series entries. The 2013 season will mark OneMain Financial’s 10th season as a sponsor in NASCAR and they remain committed to the sport and the connections it enables them to make with their customers and employees. Over the last two seasons, the OneMain Racing program with driver Elliott Sadler has recorded 4 wins, 9 poles, 27 top-fives and 48 top-10 finishes in 68 starts.
“With Kyle, not filling his time in Nationwide, racing, that probably caused him more distractions than doing it,” Gibbs said prior to the Nationwide Series banquet in which JGR won the owner’s title with the #18. “Kyle, he’s kind of motivated being around the sport. He races Late Models and is a great ambassador for NASCAR.” Gibbs said Busch would split a Nationwide car with several young drivers such as Drew Herring and Darrell Wallace Jr. He said plans also are being put in place for Wallace to drive a Truck Series team for Kyle Busch Motorsports. Gibbs said he was unsure which numbers would be assigned to which drivers at this point. (ESPN)
