04/24/2015
Sadler Gambles With A Fuel Strategy And Finishes 16th
RICHMOND, VA (April 25, 2015) – Roush Fenway Racing’s Elliott Sadler finished in 16th-place during Friday night’s NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS) race at Richmond International Raceway (RIR). Sadler qualified for the 250 lap event on Friday afternoon in a special green paint scheme and started the race from the 17th position. Sadler’s car performed best during long runs and the No. 1 OneMain Financial team rolled the dice on a fuel strategy plan with 100 laps to go. At one point, Sadler was the leader of the race with only 25 laps to go. Without a caution in the final 20 laps, the field caught up to Sadler on his old tires and passed him in the closing laps. Sadler crossed the finish line in the 16th position.
“My No. 1 OneMain Financial Ford Mustang performed best during long run situations,” Sadler said at the end of the race. “We had a chance to take a risk and we gambled by coming down pit road during a caution lap to top the car off with fuel, knowing the leaders would have to make one more stop. The plan worked out at first and we quickly made it to the front and took the lead. But without a caution in the final laps, the rest of the field who pitted, passed me in closing laps. It was a gamble, but I liked how we took a risk to go for the win.”
Sadler ran a special green paint scheme this weekend to support the partnership between OneMain Financial and the National Forest Foundation. This year, OneMain Financial will help plant 200,000 trees in Montana’s Custer-Gallatin National Forest, which is a key part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Sadler qualified Friday afternoon in the green No. 1 Ford and started the race from the 17th position.
On Lap 48, the first caution flag came out for debris. Sadler entered pit road 17th and the crew added four fresh tires, fuel and made a track bar adjustment. When the race went back to green, Sadler restarted from the 16th position.
After 50 laps of green flag racing, the yellow flag waved again on Lap 109. Sadler came down pit road with the field and the crew added four tires, two cans of fuel and a crew member pulled a rubber from the right rear. Sadler exited pit road and lined up in the 14th position.
On Lap 144, the yellow flag came out again for debris on the track. Anticipating another long run, the No. 1 OneMain Financial team decided to roll the dice and come down pit road to top off the car with fuel only. This strategy would allow Sadler to make it to the end of the race, compared to the leaders who would have to make at least one more stop.
In the closing 30 laps, the leaders started to come down pit road for fuel and tires. Meanwhile, each time a driver came down pit road, Sadler would move up one position. With 25 laps to go, the fuel strategy paid off and Sadler took the lead. However, without a caution flag in the final 20 laps, Sadler didn’t have a chance to come down pit road for fresh tires. The leaders, who did pit in the closing laps, caught up and passed Sadler on his old tires. Sadler ended up crossing the finish line in the 16th position.
The No. 1 OneMain Financial Ford Mustang will be back in action next Saturday afternoon at Talladega Superspeedway.
NEXT UP:
Winn Dixie 300
Talladega Superspeedway
Talladega, AL
Sat, May 2nd, 2015
3:00 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 and PRN
RACE SUMMARY
Elliott Sadler
Started: 17th
Finished: 16th
Complete Race Results:
POINTS SUMMARY
Elliott Sadler
2015 Season Total: Seventh with 244 points
2015 SEASON SUMMARY
Elliott Sadler
Starts – 8
Wins – 0
Poles – 0
Top-5s – 0
Top-10s – 2
