STATESVILLE, N.C. -- This weekend No. 19 Stanley Dodge driver
Elliott Sadler returns to Daytona International Speedway--the site
of the "one that got away." Sadler put himself in position to
win the Daytona 500, leading 24 laps before Matt Kenseth passed him on
the final green flag lap. The pass came seconds before the yellow and
eventually red flag ended the rain-plagued race. Sadler and his Richard
Petty Motorsports team view Saturday's Coke Zero 400 as a chance at
redemption and a piece of unfinished business.
Elliott Sadler:
ON THE SEASON SINCE THE DAYTONA 500: "There has not been a day
since I left Daytona that I haven't thought about what might have
been had we won that race. Winning the Daytona 500 is every
driver's dream, but to win that race, on that day, would have been
the best thing in the world for me as a racer. That would have been the
best way to start the season off on the right foot. It would have been
really amazing for our sponsor Stanley -- it was their first time
as a primary sponsor of a car in the Daytona 500 and that would have been
a great way to say thank you for their support. Now I just want to go
back down there and do my best to win the race and go to victory lane.
Our team has come together a lot recently and I would love to celebrate
with all our guys that have put in so much hard work this season."
ON THE COKE ZERO 400: "The folks at Coke and especially the Coke
Zero brand have been working around the clock to make the Coke Zero 400 a
special event for the fans. We were in Atlanta two weeks ago and got a
first hand look at what they have planned for this weekend. I think a lot
of people are really going to appreciate all the hard work that they put
into making this event fun and refreshing in Daytona for the fans."
* In the season-opening Daytona 500, Sadler started 30th and finished
fifth in the rain-shortened event. Sadler led the 24 laps of the event,
before being passed by eventual winner Matt Kenseth on the final green
flag lap before the event was called due to rain.
* In the last 10 races at Daytona, Sadler is sixth in total points
trailing only Tony Stewart, Kurt Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick
and Jeff Gordon.
* In the last 10 races at Daytona, Sadler ranks in the top-10 of each of
the following statistical categories: Top-Fives (Two, Tied for 8th),
Top-10s (Four, Tied for 4th), Total Points (1,180, 6th), Laps Completed
(1,722, 7th),
and Average Finish (15.7, 9th).
* Sadler has led six races this season for a total of 34 laps, including
at least one lap led in five of the last nine points races. Sadler led
more laps in the season-opening Daytona 500 than he did in all of 2008.
* Chassis No. 260 will serve as the primary. No. 260 last raced in the
Daytona 500. No. 222 will serve as the backup for the third time this
season (last Talladega).
-credit: rpm
