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Race Recap: Carfax 400 - Elliott Sadler
- Elliott Sadler started the 200-lap event at Michigan International Speedway from the 23rd position
- The No. 19 team brought home its first top-10 finish of the season with a ninth-place result on Sunday
- Sadler holds down the 29th position in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver point standings heading to Bristol
Race Summary: Elliott Sadler was sporting a Petty Blue Racing in America paint scheme when he lined up his No. 19 Ford Fusion in the 23rd spot for the start of Sunday’s event at Michigan International Speedway. Overall, it was a quiet day for the Emporia, Va.-native, but one that resulted in the first top-10 finish of the season for the No. 19 Richard Petty Motorsports team.
Just after the drop of the green flag, Sadler communicated to crew chief Todd Parrott that he was struggling through the center of the corners. Parrott called for air pressure and track bar adjustments during the first pit stop of the day, which came at Lap 36 of the 200-lap event. Sadler returned to the track in the 28th position and was able to begin to maneuver his way past his competitors. By Lap 40, he held down a spot inside the top 20.
Sadler communicated that he needed rear grip help for the restarts just after a pit stop at the halfway point of the race. Though the driver was letting
his team know that the car was the loosest it had been all day, he was posting lap times as fast as the leaders.
A caution on Lap 148 enabled Parrott to make a call for two fresh tires, a track bar adjustment and fuel during the ensuing stop, which moved Sadler into the 14th position for the restart. The best move of the day, however, came during yet another caution period on Lap 157. Parrott and Sadler made the decision to forego fresh tires and stay out on the track. Sadler was credited with the lead of the race on Laps 156 through 159. Though he was unable to hold off everyone with four fresh tires, he hung tough and took the checkered flag in ninth place.
Sadler on the Michigan International Speedway Event: “This was a great run. I have got such good guys on this race team and they don’t give up. They bust their butts in the shop every week to give us the best possible car we can. Todd put a lot of emphasis on this car for this race and it showed
today. I am proud of my guys; they don’t give up with all of the stuff they go through. We will try to take the momentum from this great Racing in America Ford and take it to Bristol with us. I am so proud of my guys. They needed this more than I did. They work so hard all the time and don’t really get the credit. I am proud of everyone this weekend and happy that we were able to run so well for the Racing in America folks.”
