Team 19 Best Buy Dodge California Speedway Preview
Sadler Returns To Place of Last Victory

Elliott Sadler is an admitted fan of racing and its rich history. This weekend, the driver of the No. 19 Best Buy Dodge for Gillett Evernham Motorsports is hoping past history repeats itself in the Auto Club 500 at California Speedway.

Sadler won at the two-mile oval in fall of 2004 after starting 17th in the field. The team took part in the recent NASCAR Pre-season Thunder Test Session at California Speedway in hopes of learning how the new NASCAR Sprint Cup Seires race car would perform on the two-mile track. Sadler and team are coming off a sixth-place finish in the Daytona 500 that places them seventh in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Driver Points standings.

Rocking with U2 in 3D: The No. 19 Best Buy Dodge will feature the "U2 3D" concert movie on its hood, sides and decklid at California Speedway this weekend. Filmed in South American during their Vertigo Tour in front of 90,000 fans, "U2 3D" continues the band's use of modern technology. With this endeavor, they once again raised the bar in creating the first digital, multi-camera real time production of its kind. The film opens February 22nd in IMAX Theaters.

Behind the Hauler Open Interview Session: Elliott Sadler will be available to all interested media behind the No. 19 Best Buy Dodge hauler on Friday, February 22nd at 1:45 p.m.

Sadler gets "Sirius" every week: Sirius NASCAR Radio. Ch. 128 listeners will be entertained and enlightened by Elliott Sadler every Tuesday at 4:40 p.m. throughout the 2008 NASCAR Season. The No. 19 Best Buy Dodge driver will talk about whatever comes to mind with host Dave Moody, the Godfather of NASCAR Radio, on his weekly show "Sirius Speedway" airing from 3 - 7 p.m. Monday - Friday.

ELLIOTT SADLER QUOTES

"It is always nice to return to someplace where you've won before, but we're going back this year with a whole new deal. We have a brand new type car that we've never raced there. We've only had the one test session with this new car on this type of track. We haven't raced it on a flat, two-mile oval like California Speedway.

"The good news is we are using the same car we raced at both Bristol, the first Richmond and second Dover races last year. We also had it out to the Las Vegas and California tests last month.

"We were real happy with the car, for the most part, and expect to be even better once we get it on the track this weekend. That is one thing I can say about Rodney Childers (Team Director) and this team; they never give up and work hard to get every car ready to race. Coming off a top-10 finish like we did in Daytona really puts a good shot of confidence in the guys. This team is so ready to have a great year and we're off to a great start. Now, we just have to keep doing well and stay in the top-12 in points."

On racing the U2 3D movie paint scheme: "U2 is one of those bands known around the world. I know so many people who have been to their shows and tell me what an experience it is to see that band live. Now, with this new 3D movie, it seems like everyone in the theater is going to feel like they've been to a U2 show when they leave. California is the perfect place to run this type of scheme. I mean, U2 and a 3D concert film.you don't get much better."


NOTES

Chassis info: GEM Dodge Charger No. 208 was last raced Sept. 07 at Dover International Speedway where Sadler started 12th and finished 17th. The car also ran at both Bristol Motor Speedway races starting third, led five laps to finish 27th in the Spring race and started 21st and finished 29th in the Fall. The car also raced the first Richmond International Raceway event starting 40th and finishing 27th. The car was used at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway and California Speedway pre-season tests this year, as well.

California Speedway

• · Won the 2004 Pop Secret 400 starting 17th and leading 59 laps en route to his third career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory.
  · Has one top-five and two top-10 finishes.
  · Best Starting position was sixth (Fall 2007) of three top-10 starts.
  · Has led 67 laps in 13 starts.

Career

• · First victory came at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2001, second at Texas Motor Speedway and third was fall California Speedway race in 2004.
  · Has won three races while earning 16 top-five and 56 top-10 finishes in 322 starts.
  · Earned seven Pole Awards.
   

 © Copyright 2008 by ElliottSadler.com, All Rights Reserved

Copyright Notice:
Please note that all photos and images posted on ElliottSadler.com are copyrighted by ElliottSadler.com, and/or their respective source (including, but not limited to, CIA Stock Photo, Dodge and Gillett Evernham Motorsports) and all rights are reserved. There can be no reposting of such images without the written permission of ElliottSadler.com.