NASCAR BGN Series Gateway 300 Preview -- #29, Elliot Sadler
24 July 1997
#29 Elliott Sadler, Phillips 66 Performance Chevrolet Monte Carlo
NASCAR Busch Series Grand National Division
Gateway 300 Advance
Gateway International Raceway
ELLIOTT SADLER NOTES & QUOTES: GATEWAY 300
MADISON, IL - Elliott Sadler picked up his second career NASCAR Busch Series
win on July 12 at Myrtle Beach Speedway. Sadler started the race from the
pole position and led 93 laps en route to the victory. He broke Jeff Gordon's
track record, set in 1992, with his qualifying effort.
Both of Sadler's wins this season came from the pole position:
5/18/97 Core States Advantage 200 Nazareth Speedway
7/12/97 Advance Auto Parts 250 Myrtle Beach Speedway
Sadler leads the standings in Busch Pole Awards midway through the year. He
has four pole positions this season, with one each at Daytona, Darlington,
Nazareth and Myrtle Beach.
He has more front row starts, seven, than any other driver this season.
Sadler is looking forward to returning to Gateway International Raceway, where
he tested three weeks ago. The No. 29 Phillips 66 Performance Team Chevrolet
Monte Carlo the team is taking to St. Louis is a new car that has never been
in racing conditions.
"Coming off the win in Myrtle Beach and a second place finish in Milwaukee, I
really feel like we've got some momentum going into the Gateway 300," Sadler
said. "We've really done well at new tracks this year with our qualifying
efforts, with good starts at both Las Vegas and Texas earlier this year. We
had a real successful test at Gateway a few weeks ago and we are really
looking forward to our trip back to the midwest."
On Tuesday, July 15, Sadler and his Diamond Ridge Motorsports teammate,
Winston Cup driver Jeff Green, visited The Children's Hospital at Carolinas
Medical Center. The drivers signed autographs, played video games and
distributed goody bags to the pediatric patients.
The trip to "The Gateway to the West" will provide one night of relaxation for
Sadler and the crew. The Phillips 66 Performance Team will spend a night at
the ball park on Wednesday, July 23, when the St. Louis Cardinals play the
Houston Astros at home.
Phillips 66 will host a hospitality event for 125 customers at the inaugural
"Gateway 300." The event will include pit tours and a visit from Sadler.
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 19 4 2 4 6 204,169 Gary Bechtel
TOTALS: 34 4 2 5 10 274,744
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
Outside
Starts Poles Poles Wins Top 5 Top 10 LC/TL Earnings
19 4 3 2 4 6 3752/3980 (94.3%) $234,919
By Events & Outings, Inc.