Harvick merging with RCR in Nationwide

Kevin Harvick Incorporated reached an agreement with Richard Childress Racing on Wednesday to merge its current NASCAR Nationwide Series program starting in 2012.

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KHI will continue to be involved on the business and competition sides with RCR while co-owner Kevin Harvick remains active in the Nationwide Series program. The No. 2 and No. 33 teams for KHI will continue with Elliott Sadler in the No. 2 Chevrolet and a combination of RCR's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers in the No. 33 Chevrolet.

Merging with RCR will increase the resources and business-to-business opportunities for KHI's current sponsors.

"KHI and RCR have worked together very closely over the last several years," Harvick said in a statement. "DeLana and I are fortunate that Richard has always been supportive of KHI over the last 10 years. We feel like this merger will benefit our on-track performance as well as provide our sponsors with more opportunity off track. We will still be very involved and are excited about the Nationwide team's new direction."

RCR has more than a decade of success in the Nationwide Series, earning 55 victories and five championships from 1999 to 2010, with Harvick responsible for 32 of those wins and three of those championships (overall in 2001 and 2006, owner-only in 2003 with co-driver Johnny Sauter).

Meanwhile, KHI has earned a total of 10 wins since beginning its Nationwide program in 2004.

"A few years ago, Richard Childress Racing moved its NASCAR Nationwide Series efforts to Kevin Harvick Incorporated to assist KHI in strengthening its overall program," Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing, said in a statement. "When Kevin and DeLana decided they were interested in consolidating operations, it made sense to merge our efforts. RCR is committed to the Nationwide Series as part of our overall team and driver development efforts. This move will continue the close collaborative effort RCR and KHI have enjoyed for the past 10 years."