DOVER, Del. — The relationship between veteran drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Elliott Sadler isn’t new. Before JR Motorsports was even a thought in Junior’s mind, the duo raced against one another in late models years ago and formed a kinship off the track.
The pair’s relationship added a new facet on Friday, when officials announced at Dover International Speedway that Elliott would drive for Earnhardt-owned JR Motorsports in the NASCAR XFINITY Series in 2016. Earnhardt Jr. broke the news earlier in the day via Periscope.
“I’m excited to work with Elliott full-time and give him the best opportunity we can, to put him in the best car we can and to get to work with all our guys,” Earnhardt said during the press conference at Dover on Friday. “… It’s going to be a lot of fun. Winning races is great, but when you do it with your friends, it’s even better.”
“We’ve been friends a long time and I feel like we’ve had each others’ backs on and off the track a long time.” Elliott added. “I think when you’re vested personally like we are, I think to put this group together is going to be very, very exciting.
“It makes you want to — on so many different levels — to do a good job and perform like you’re supposed to. Not only on the race track, but off the race track.”
Elliott’s number and crew chief are yet to be determined, but he will bring long-time sponsor OneMain Financial from his current Roush Fenway Racing ride. In a sport that thrives on sponsorship, a long-term supporter like OneMain Financial gives team owner Earnhardt a sense of steadiness.
“Elliott has worked with One Main for a very long time so that’s an easy relationship to trust and get behind and be a part of,” Earnhardt said. ” … I will say when we told our employees on the shop floor, they were ecstatic. It brings stability and those people really depend on that. When they see those cars go out of the shop without a sponsor on them, that makes everybody nervous.”
JR Motorsports currently fields three cars in the XFINITY Series with reigning series champion Chase Elliott and Regan Smith behind the wheel full-time, and a group of drivers, including Ben Rhodes as well as Sprint Cup stars Earnhardt, Kevin Harvick and Kasey Kahne piloting the third car. For Sadler, who has won 10 races in the XFINTY Series and three times in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the chance to drive for an established team like JRM is a prime opportunity – one that supersedes getting back into a Sprint Cup car for now.
“I want to be competitive in the XFINITY Series. I want to win races,” Elliott said. “… There’s nothing like leaving your house on a weekend going to the race track, knowing you have the opportunity to lead laps, sit on poles, run up front.
“… My goal right now, and my heart and soul, and my passion is still very great when I come to the track. But it’s more what I can do on Saturdays and what I can do in the XFINITY Series. If I go out and do a great job and win every race and those (Sprint Cup) opportunities come, we’ll look at that at that time.
“But right now, man, we’ve got to jump on this — this is great.”