STATESVILLE, N.C. – Elliott Sadler is ready to race. In an offseason marked with changes the one constant is his desire to race. The 33-year-old Virginian saw the name of the race team change from Gillett Evernham Motorsports to Richard Petty Motorsports and his team reunited Sadler with Kevin Buskirk who is now his new crew chief. Oh, and in January Sadler married his hometown sweetheart Amanda Prince.
Sadler Quotes
“For anyone out there who isn’t familiar with Kevin Buskirk you will be very soon. Kevin’s worked with some of the best in the business. He worked with me in 2004 on the No. 38 team at Yates when we won three poles and two races and made the Chase. He won the Daytona 500 as an engineer on the No. 29 team at Richard Childress Racing in 2007. The guy flat out knows what he’s doing and we are thrilled that he came over to join us for 2009.”
“The No. 19 Dodge team has a lot to prove this year. We are coming in with a big, and when I say big—I mean HUGE chip on our shoulders and we want to make sure that we are competitive each and every week of the season. There is no room for error and each and every member of this team is going to be held accountable. The No. 19 team has been given the tools to be successful and now it is up to all of us to use those tools and get this car competitive and into victory lane.”
“This is my first trip to the racetrack as a married man. A lot of guys out there have told me that for some reason they’ve raced better since they got married. No one can really give me the specifics on the science behind it, but I’m looking forward to see if that is indeed the case.”
“I know earlier this offseason I told a lot of media folks on the NASCAR teleconference that I was already in big trouble with the future Mrs. Sadler before our honeymoon because of a passport issue. I want to make sure I clear the air and let everyone know that the issue was resolved and I received my passport the Friday before we left. To be honest, I lose a lot of stuff and this wasn’t much different, but this time I had to answer to my wife!”
