NASCAR Cup

Garage Chatter: Talladega 2

Sadler looks to finish right side up: The last two fall races at Talladega Superspeedway have not been kind to Elliott Sadler. In both events, Sadler flipped the No. 38 Ford in the closing laps of the event. There was a brief discussion that the ...

Edited: Oct 1, 2005, 2:39 AM

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Sadler looks to finish right side up: The last two fall races at Talladega Superspeedway have not been kind to Elliott Sadler. In both events, Sadler flipped the No. 38 Ford in the closing laps of the event.

There was a brief discussion that the team would put the car decals on upside down this weekend in tribute of Sadler; but the M&M's marketing department nixed that idea.

Instead, Sadler will attempt to finish on all four tires in lieu of his hood.

"We're looking forward to going back to Talladega this weekend," Sadler commented. "I'm as confident about our chances at a restrictor plate race as I have been in a very long time. Whenever we go to a restrictor plate race, we know that the 24, 15 and the 8 are going to be strong. All the Chevrolets gang up together because they know they are going to be tough to beat."

"That's the same thing the Fords need to do. I think the Roush teams have made some progress and I know we've made a lot of progress at RYR. Our fab shop has done an excellent job this year. After the Daytona 500, we really looked at some things and the car we had at Talladega in the spring was one of the best I've ever driven at a Superspeedway. We're taking that car back this weekend. I had a lot of fun running that race in the spring but we just need to get the Fords up there in front with there with all the bowties."

Gordon also looking for turnaround, tie Earnhardt's record: Jeff Gordon has two things on his mind this weekend: breaking his miserable bad luck streak with a win at Talladega and tying Dale Earnhardt's number of wins on restrictor plate race tracks.

Earnhardt has 11 restrictor plate wins, Gordon 10.

Gordon won the event here in May.

"Dale was the master at these types of races," Gordon said. "I'd love to get the win, but not because of any statistic or record. And it really doesn't add any extra incentive because this DuPont team tries to win every race.

"Statistics are great when it's all said and done but, during the season, you really don't care about them or where you might rank on a list." Earnhardt, Jr. has cars back, ready to go: Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is ready to reassert his dominance at restrictor plate race tracks starting this weekend at Talladega. With crew chief Tony Eury, Jr. back on the pit box and Earnhardt's cars back from the No. 15 team - these guys are ready to rumble.

"I love doing it, but today's bump-drafting ain't like it used to be." Earnhardt said. "It ain't your daddy's bump-drafting. You use to give a bump here, give a bump there, and push the guy in front of you past another car. Now it's more like 'slam-drafting'. At Talladega we hit each other hard. It feels like being hit by a sledgehammer. The car we're taking this weekend had to have a whole new rear clip put on it, because it was so banged up from the last plate race. But it's a part of it.

"Some guys don't like it, but I think its fun. If you do it right, it can be a big advantage, but if you don't ... it isn't pretty."

Earnhardt is the defending race champion.

Hunt for RYR crew chief mounts: Rumor has it that Tommy Baldwin declined an offer by Robert Yates Racing to crew chief the No. 38 Ford. Insiders say that Baldwin was looking for partial ownership.

Todd Berrier and Donnie Wingo are apparently next in line on the Yates/Sadler "wish list".

Parties for all sides denied such reports.

Will Ferrell movie shoots at Talladega: The "untitled" Will Ferrell movie project focusing on NASCAR is shooting this weekend at Talladega and will also film at Charlotte in a few weeks.

Ferrell plays a NASCAR cup driver who pilots the No. 62 Julian's Thongs for Men car with a personal ad for a single divorced white male on the read bumper.

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