NASCAR Xfinity Series: Elliott Sadler to officially retire Saturday

Elliott Sadler retired from full-time NASCAR competition after the 2018 Xfinity Series season. But he is set to retire for good following Saturday’s race.

Elliott Sadler announced last August that the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series season would be his last, and he retired from full-time competition when it came to an end following the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

However, the 44-year Emporia, Virginia native announced earlier this year that he would compete in two more Xfinity Series races, one at his home track of Richmond Raceway in April and the other at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this Saturday.

Sadler announced that he would be driving the #10 Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing in these two races with primary sponsorship from Nutrien Ag Solutions, and in the race at Richmond Raceway, he finished in 12th place after starting back in 27th.

But now it has been confirmed that tomorrow night’s 200-lap Rhino Pro Truck Outfitters 300 around the four-turn, 1.5-mile (2.414-kilometer) Las Vegas Motor Speedway oval in Las Vegas, Nevada is set to be his last.

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Here is what he had to say about the matter, according to NBC Sports.

"“One hundred percent sure this is the last time I’ll ever put a helmet on. It definitely has a different feel to it than what we had at Homestead.”"

This race is set to be Sadler’s 855th career start across NASCAR’s top three series over the course of 25 years and his 397th start in the Xfinity Series over the course of 22 years. He also made 438 Cup Series starts over the course of 17 years and 20 Truck Series starts over the course of five years.

Sadler, Kaulig Racing and Nutrien Ag Solutions all made note of the occasion on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/NutrienAgRetail/status/1171078351076941827

In Saturday night’s race, Sadler is set to drive a car with a paint scheme that resembles the paint scheme that was on his first stock car from 1993.

Here is what he had to say about this paint scheme, according to Motorsport.

"“I thought all of the surprises in my driving career had come to an end, until Kaulig Racing showed me my first ever Late Model paint scheme on the No. 10 car this weekend for what will be my final race of the year. I’m so thankful to Nutrien Ag Solutions for allowing me to drive this car. This is the perfect paint scheme for me, personally, this weekend. It’s going to be a lot of fun to strap in one last time at a fast place like Las Vegas Motor Speedway.”"

He added that he wanted to run this paint scheme in the 2018 season finale, but it “wasn’t meant to be”. Here is what he said, according to NBC Sports.

"“I begged my sponsors last year at Homestead to let me run that paint scheme. But it wasn’t meant to be. For (sponsor Nutrien Ag Solutions) to give up a paint scheme to let me do it means a lot. (It’s) a paint scheme that is very near and dear to my family. All of my dad’s gas stations and transport trucks and everything are painted the exact same way. So it’s a color that means a lot to us. For (team president) Chris (Rice) and (team owner) Matt (Kaulig) and those guys, everybody at Nutrien Ag Solutions to let us go out with that color. That’s pretty special.”"

Additionally, Kaulig Racing team president Chris Rice, who served as Sadler’s crew chief in 1995 when they won the South Boston Speedway track championship, is set to serve as his crew chief.

Here is what Sadler had to say about this throwback, according to NBC Sports.

"“Chris and I kind of pretty much started living together in 1994. Then in 1995, we got our breakout season, setting all kinds of records in the late model stock-car world in Southern Virginia. We got a special relationship. I think we helped each other a lot in getting our careers to where they are today. I think we have a lot to be thankful for and it’s pretty cool for it to come full circle to where we first started.”"

Here is what Rice had to say about Sadler and about this paint scheme, according to Motorsport.

"“This paint scheme means so much to not only Elliott, but to his parents Herman and Bell, his family, myself, and various other fans throughout his career. We won tons of races with this paint scheme, and thanks to Nutrien Ag Solutions, Matt Kaulig and all of those at Kaulig Racing, we have the opportunity to go out and try to win one more.”"

Be sure to tune in to NBC Sports Network tomorrow evening at 7:30 p.m. ET for the live broadcast of Elliott Sadler’s 855th and final NASCAR start in the Xfinity Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the Rhino Pro Truck Outfitters 300.