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Elliott Sadler may not be the last veteran driver to lose his ride
By Jeff Owens - Executive Editor
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
While it is somewhat surprising that Elliott Sadler may lose his ride less than two months before the start of the 2009 season, it really shouldn’t be all that shocking.
It fits a pattern, one you are likely to see much more of in the coming months and throughout 2009.
Whenever a downturn in the economy makes it difficult to find sponsors – very difficult for about 16 teams heading into next season – there is one specific group of drivers that usually suffer most – the struggling veteran.
And Sadler, despite being one of the sport’s most popular and likable drivers, certainly fits that bill.
Though he has three career victories, he hasn’t won since 2004 and has finished in the top 10 in points just once. He has finished 25th and 24th in two full seasons with Gillett Evernham Motorsports, which is reportedly on the verge of replacing him with AJ Allmendinger next year.
GEM, which is trying to rebuild its organization with team founder Ray Evernham dissolving his interest in the team, appears ready to give up on Sadler and go with the younger Allmendinger, who showed potential last season with Red Bull Racing and then during a five-race audition with GEM.
GEM has produced one winning race team, with Kasey Kahne winning six races in 2006 and two last season with the No. 9 team. Sadler hasn’t been nearly as successful with his No. 19 team, and GEM is apparently ready to go in another direction.
Though GEM is one of NASCAR’s best second-tier organizations, it is still a team in flux. It gambled on former open-wheel driver Patrick Carpentier in its No. 10 car last year, ending that experiment in less than a full season. It will replace him with Reed Sorenson, who has been less successful than Sadler but still has youth on his side. It is also in negotiations with Petty Enterprises to acquire its No. 43 team in an effort to expand to four Cup teams.
Though GEM is a team on the move, it still has some big pieces to the puzzle to fill. It still needs sponsorship for Sorenson’s team and will need to find another sponsor if it lands the Petty’s No. 43.
A team making such major moves for the future apparently has no room for a driver like Sadler, who appears to have reached his peak and has not shown much progress or promise over the past few seasons.
And with sponsors hard to find and sponsor pressure at an all-time high, teams like GEM are in no position to settle for a solid driver who will finish in the top 25 in points but probably won’t win a race. The team and its sponsors want results fast, or at least want to see potential. Drivers like Allmendinger and Sorenson offer potential while Sadler’s has run out.
Sadler is not the only veteran driver losing this high-stakes chess game. Scott Riggs (who once drove for GEM), Dave Blaney, Joe Nemechek and Kyle Petty were all full-time drivers last season, but have no ride entering 2009. They join Jeremy Mayfield, J.J. Yeley, Tony Raines and Johnny Sauter, drivers who lost their rides during 2008 and haven’t been able to land another one.
Even youngsters like Regan Smith and Michael McDowell, who both showed some potential last season, are still looking for rides.
And with more than a dozen teams still needing sponsors for next season, their prospects are dim.
The one thing that all those drivers have in common is this: They either haven’t won a Cup race or haven’t won in a long, long time.
Just a few years ago, Mayfield was a winning driver and a two-time Chase contender for GEM. Now he can’t find a ride.
Is Sadler, who made the Chase in 2004, destined to follow in his footsteps?
While the jury is still out on his future – and hopefully he lands a new ride quickly – that is what happens to veterans who suddenly struggle and can’t seem to get back on track.
NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series is a dog eat dog world, one in which teams and sponsors have one reoccurring question: What have you done for me lately?
2009 Sprint Cup Race for the Chase Standings
Driver Standings after the AMP Energy 500
| 1 | Jimmie Johnson | 6248 |
| 2 | Mark Martin | -184 |
| 3 | Jeff Gordon | -192 |
| 4 | Juan Pablo Montoya | -239 |
| 5 | Tony Stewart | -279 |
| 6 | Kurt Busch | -312 |
| 7 | Greg Biffle | -340 |
| 8 | Ryan Newman | -402 |
| 9 | Kasey Kahne | -414 |
| 10 | Carl Edwards | -437 |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin | -448 |
| 12 | Brian Vickers | -556 |
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Comments
7 responses to "Elliott Sadler may not be the last veteran driver to lose his ride". Post a Comment.
Pat Draper said:
Dec 30, 2008 at 12:59 PMI don't agree with replacing a veteran driver like Sadler with a young guy is always a wise move. Look at Jeff Burton everyone thought he was done and now he is 40 and doing better than ever. I think you have to have the right team and owners to go places in Nascar. Elliott is popular and very likeable love him on Trackside. Racing won't be the same this year thats for sure. We should have a lot of surprises waiting for us in the spring. I hope some of them are good ones.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportMarion Gainey 111 said:
Dec 30, 2008 at 2:47 PMIt was time for change at Gillett, this late in the season weird but nothing was clicking. i think Sadler will land on his feet,because if sombody can bring a sponsor to EGR theyll get that ride.The rumor is the 19 sponsors were not very happy about a driver change.I really think that Sadler will get his pay for the 2 years he signed for and take 1 or both sponsors with him.The more i think things are finally coming together at Gillett the more they seem to fall apart.As a Kahne fan i hope hes watching what happens close so he can bolt because another rumor is Gilett has money issues Ginn part 2 i guess,also the automaker issue GM will be ok uncle sam will see to that but Chrysler seems like its going to fall thats coming from a Mopar fan the only Dodge teams left is Gillett and Penske maybe the 43 i can tell you now Penske has Toyota waiting in the wings.Where does that leave Gillett? Ford,GM will not pick up any more teams unless Stewart/Haas adds a team or 2 or Yates does the same with Ford, if Toyota gets Penske theyre not picking up anyone else so Gillett will be nothing .Maybe Sadler should take this as a blessing.As a Kahne fan its time for him to go before Gillet just disapears sombody will get Kahne Stewart/Haas ,Hendrick ,Red Bull,RCR if Mears dont work out.2009 is a make it or break it year for Gillett because if Kahne leaves that team is toast.Go Kahne in 2009!!! Good Luck to Sadler hell be back in 2009.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportJames Millholland said:
Dec 30, 2008 at 4:26 PMIt's strang sometimes how drivers come in and run a few races and then there gone seasoned or new.But then there are drivers like Micheal Waltrip that seem to expand regardless of poor performance over many years.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportJames Millholland said:
Dec 30, 2008 at 4:26 PMIt's strang sometimes how drivers come in and run a few races and then there gone seasoned or new.But then there are drivers like Micheal Waltrip that seem to expand regardless of poor performance over many years.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportHeather Martin said:
Dec 30, 2008 at 4:37 PMI find it strange that Sorenson was added to GEM with a rank of 32nd while Sadler was 24th. True, his record has not been what it was in the past, however, when you look at individual races, you will see at least three due to flat tires. I witnessed his 4th place finish at Infineon disappear this past June due to a flat. I will support him no matter where he ends up and if he does not get a ride, I will create my own hat and shirt showing support. Sure, it is a business, but to the fans, it is much, much more.
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» Confirm Abuse ReportFRANK GILES said:
Jan 7, 2009 at 11:19 AMi dont agre with this but with the econmy like it is i guess that has a lot to do with it . but the young wild drivers get out there and totals a car a month which is more profitable.also with the price of tickets and every thing to attend a race now atrue old nascar boy that was raised in the south with nascar cant afford to go so the best thing to do is just stop all the nascar races. then you want have the problem of just certain drivers not having a ride. when bill elliot retired the first time that when nascar stop being nascar.
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This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
» Confirm Abuse ReportFRANK GILES said:
Jan 7, 2009 at 11:20 AMi dont agre with this but with the econmy like it is i guess that has a lot to do with it . but the young wild drivers get out there and totals a car a month which is more profitable.also with the price of tickets and every thing to attend a race now atrue old nascar boy that was raised in the south with nascar cant afford to go so the best thing to do is just stop all the nascar races. then you want have the problem of just certain drivers not having a ride. when bill elliot retired the first time that when nascar stop being nascar.
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