NASCAR BGN Series Dura-Lube 200 Preview: #29, Elliot Sadler
28 August 1997
#29 Elliott Sadler, Phillips 66 Performance Chevrolet Monte Carlo
NASCAR Busch Series Grand National Division
Dura-Lube 200 Presented by Trak Auto Advance
Darlington Raceway
ELLIOTT SADLER NOTES & QUOTES: DURA-LUBE 200
DARLINGTON, SC - Elliott Sadler returns to Darlington Raceway as the
defending Busch Pole winner. Sadler won the pole position in the spring with a
speed of 166.051 mph and time of 29.61 seconds, just one-tenth off the track
record set by teammate Jeff Green in March of 1996. Sadler's qualifying
performance in the spring was one of four pole positions he has won so far
this season.
- "Darlington is one of my favorite tracks to run, and we are thrilled to
have won the pole in the spring," Sadler said. "Finding the right line and
maneuvering through the turns can be pretty tricky. It's really a challenge,
but I've learned a lot about the track the past two races. We are looking for
nothing less than a win when we travel to the track "too tough to tame."
- The No. 29 Phillips 66 Chevrolet Monte Carlo Sadler and the crew are taking
to Darlington is the primary car they took to St. Louis. The car still hasn't
been in racing conditions, but was consistently quick in practice and testing.
Sadler crashed the car prior to qualifying at Gateway International, but he
went on to win the event in his backup car. Sadler's Darlington car was
totally rebuilt from the firewall forward.
- Veteran crew chief Sandy Jones said he doesn't believe the changes to the
track will make a significant difference during green flag conditions, but
restarts could be a little tricky.
"It is still the same old Darlington," Jones said. "They haven't changed the
configuration of the turns, they have just given them new names. Turn one is
now turn three and so on. The only time it will be an issue is on restarts.
Before you could go two wide into turn one on restarts because everyone was
really paying attention. In what is now turn one, you just can't do that. If I
could choose between starting on the pole and starting second, I think I'd
choose second."
DARLINGTON RACEWAY RESULTS
Date Start Finish Poles Wins Top 5 Top 10 Winnings
8/31/96 6 32 0 0 0 0 3,435
3/22/97 1 29 1 0 0 0 6,415
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 23 4 3 6 8 319,559 Gary Bechtel
TOTALS: 38 4 3 7 12 389,994
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
8/16 Brooklyn, MI 39 18 99/100 9,395 Running
8/22 Bristol, TN 32 41 43/250 7,420 Accident
Outside
Starts Poles Poles Wins Top 5 Top 10 LC/TL Earnings
23 4 3 3 6 8 4334/4770 (90.9%) 319,559
By Events & Outings, Inc.