Elliott Sadler

Racing Career

He began racing in go-karts at the age of seven, and soon moved up to the Late Model stock car division at the local race track. His accomplishments include over 200 total wins, the 1983-84 Virginia State Karting Championship, and the North Carolina Gold Cup in 1991-92. He was runner-up in 1989 for the World Karting Association national title in 1989.

Related Topics:
Stock car - Virginia - North Carolina - World Karting Association

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When he turned 18, he moved to the Winston Racing Series and ran full-time beginning in 1993. That same year, he got his first victory, and in 1995 was crowned track champion at South Boston Speedway, where he got 13 wins that year, including a 6-race winning streak.

Related Topics:
Winston Racing Series - South Boston Speedway

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In 1995 and 1996 Elliott ran a limited Busch Series schedule. In 1997, he earned a full-time ride with car owner Gary Bechtel. He got pole position at the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway, and got his first win 13 races later at Nazareth Speedway. In total, he earned a total of 4 poles, and 3 wins. He also finished 5th in the Busch Series standings that year.

Related Topics:
Busch Series - Gary Bechtel - Daytona International Speedway - Nazareth Speedway

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In 1998, Elliott once again got pole position at the season-opener in Daytona, and recorded two more Busch Series wins before moving to Winston Cup. He ran his first Cup race at the most physically-demanding, and longest, race of the year, the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

Related Topics:
Coca-Cola 600 - Lowe's Motor Speedway

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He soon caught the eye of the Wood Brothers, and they gave him a full-time ride in 1999. That year, he finished second in the Rookie of the Year points, behind only Tony Stewart.

Related Topics:
Wood Brothers - Tony Stewart

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Elliott's first Cup win came in 2001, at Bristol Motor Speedway. He got there after a very gutsy pit call had him not come into pit lane when everyone else did. It really paid off, as Elliott started in 38th place, the lowest anyone has started at Bristol and won. He got two more top-5 finishes in 2001, and he finished 20th in the final point standings.

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After a dismal 2002 season, Elliott decided to leave the #21 Motorcraft Ford. Robert Yates quickly snatched him up, giving him a ride in the #38 M&M's Ford.

Related Topics:
Motorcraft - Ford - Robert Yates - M&M's

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In the first nine races of 2003, he earned two top-5 and five top-10 finishes. During that span, he also got his first career Cup pole position, at Darlington Raceway.

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In 2004, Sadler won twice, and finished a career-best ninth place in the Nextel Cup standings, which also included eight top-5 finishes and fourteen top-10's.

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