NASCAR BGN Detroit Gasket 200 Preview: #29, Elliot Sadler
14 August 1997
#29 Elliott Sadler, Phillips 66 Performance Chevrolet Monte Carlo NASCAR Busch Series Grand National Division Detroit Gasket 200 Advance Michigan Speedway ELLIOTT SADLER NOTES & QUOTES: DETROIT GASKET 200 BROOKLYN, MI - The Detroit Gasket 200 is Elliott Sadler's one year anniversary with Diamond Ridge Motorsports. It was at this race last year that Gary Bechtel's organization tapped Sadler to finish out the 1996 season and compete full time in 1997. So far in his first full season with Diamond Ridge, Sadler has collected three wins, four pole positions, six top-five and eight top-10 finishes. He has also started on the front row seven times, more than any other driver this season. Sadler and the Phillips 66 Performance Team are taking the same car they used earlier this year at Atlanta, Texas and Charlotte. The No. 29 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Sadler will run this weekend has one top-10 finish (Atlanta) and one outside pole position (Texas). Sadler is looking forward to racing at Michigan Speedway again. Last year's trip to Michigan was his first race on a superspeedway and he has developed a lot of respect for the larger venues in the past year. "Michigan was the first track I raced on that was really big, and experience wise it was unreal," Sadler said. "It was a little scary at first, but now I actually look forward to racing on the big tracks. Even though this isn't the type of track I cut my teeth on, I really look forward to racing on them. "I feel like we always have a chance to put the Phillips 66 Chevy on the front row because our qualifying effort has been really strong this season, but I'm also excited about our chances during the race. We have made a lot of improvements on race day, getting the car where it needs to be at the end of the race so we are in a position to win. We've really learned a lot over the past year and I'm looking forward to what we can accomplish in the next 12 months with Diamond Ridge Motorsports." Sadler took a little much-needed R&R on his weekend off from the NASCAR Busch Series. He spent several days in his hometown of Emporia, Va., including a lot of quality time at the family's lake house. MICHIGAN SPEEDWAY RESULTS Year Start Finish Poles Wins Top 5 Top 10 Winnings 1996 10 9 0 0 0 1 5,995 ELLIOTT SADLER CAREER NASCAR BUSCH SERIES RESULTS Year Starts Poles Wins Top 5 Top 10 Winnings Car Owner 1995 2 0 0 0 1 6,065 Marion Sadler 1996 13 0 0 1 3 64,370 Gary Bechtel 1997 21 4 3 6 8 302,744 Gary Bechtel TOTALS: 36 4 3 7 1 373,179 1997 NASCAR BUSCH SERIES RESULTS Date Location ST FIN LC/TL Earnings Status 2/15 Daytona Beach, FL 1 15 120/120 18,262 Running 2/22 Rockingham, NC 6 5 197/197 9,985 Running 3/1 Richmond, VA 20 26 246/250 5,901 Running 3/8 Atlanta, GA 2 9 196/197 11,355 Running 3/16 Las Vegas, NV 2 30 140/200 13,925 Accident 3/22 Darlington, SC 1 29 147/144 6,415 Running 3/29 Hickory, NC 11 8 300/300 5,795 Running 4/5 Ft. Worth, TX 2 20 200/200 13,725 Running 4/12 Bristol, TN 28 14 249/250 6,455 Running 4/19 Nashville, TN 12 30 286/320 3,970 Running 4/26 Talladega, AL 7 16 117/117 10,280 Running 5/10 Loudon, NH 11 34 140/200 4,885 Accident 5/18 Nazareth, PA 1 1 200/200 30,887 Running 5/24 Charlotte, NC 8 21 199/200 5,842 Running 5/31 Dover, DE 7 12 199/200 10,310 Running 6/13 South Boston, VA 24 22 238/300 6,790 Running 6/29 Watkins Glen, NY 8 11 82/82 8,812 Running 7/6 Milwaukee, WI 11 2 250/250 28,575 Running 7/12 Myrtle Beach, SC 1 1 250/250 30,750 Running 7/26 Madison, IL 12 1 240/240 48,925 Running 8/1 Indianapolis, IN 19 2 200/200 18,900 Running Outside Starts Poles Poles Wins Top 5 Top 10 LC/TL Earnings 21 4 3 3 6 8 4192/4420 (94.8%) 302,744 By Events & Outings, Inc.