Sadler hunting for first national NASCAR title

NEWTON, Iowa - Elliott Sadler is an avid hunter, but none of his game as been as big for the auto racing veteran.

The long-time race car driver is tracking his first national NASCAR Series championship.

Sadler enters the NASCAR Nationwide Series U.S. Cellular 250 at Iowa Speedway in Newton on Saturday with a slim one-point lead over Richard Childress Racing teammate Austin Dillon. Practice is scheduled for Friday, starting at 4:30 p.m. Qualifying is set for 3:35 p.m. Saturday with the race beginning at 7 p.m.

Sadler has three wins this season and 14 top-10 finishes, including seven in the top five, through 19 starts. He was second to Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in 2011, earning his best points finish in 15 total seasons of Nationwide and NASCAR Sprint Cup competition. The points title is the primary goal for Sadler and his team.

"I've been close and I want this championship," Sadler said. "We just have to not make mistakes and be competitive each and every week.

"We have to maximize our points every week and we need to win some more races. If we can do that, it'll be a dream come true for me, my family and my team."

Cue Iowa Speedway, where Sadler has performed relatively well in a short period of time. He made his debut at the 0.875-mile track last May. He claimed the pole position in the last two Nationwide races in May and last August. He finished second in the Pioneer Hi-Bred 250 in May and third in the 2011 U.S. Cellular 250. Sadler hasn't finished lower than fifth in three starts here, but is still looking for his first win, while defending points champion Stenhouse, who is third just 13 points back of Sadler, is looking for his fourth straight Nationwide victory at Iowa Speedway.

"We have run good there in the past," Sadler said. "Ricky is really good there. We've massaged on our cars some for this weekend and really feel like we'll have a piece good enough to win."

Sadler is coming off a disappointing finish in the Indiana 250 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Sadler was vying for a win at the famed racing venue, but was penalized when officials determined he jumped the restart with 17 laps remaining. Sadler was black-flagged and forced to pass through the pits, dropping him to 15th. NASCAR officials later announced that Sadler did not jump the restart but he inappropriately beat the No. 1 car to the start line.

Situations like last week have to be avoided to reach victory lane, including this weekend. It is essential to maintain his points championship hopes.

"In racing it takes a lot to win. No major mistakes," said Sadler, noting the necessity of good pit stops, pit strategy, making good adjustments and staying out of wrecks. "The driver has to run a good race and know which direction the track is going. We feel like we have what it takes and hope to get our fourth win of the season."

Sadler's recent success coincides with his move to RCR, claiming his first NASCAR wins since 1998 and tying his season-best mark set in 1997. Dillon, the grand son of team owner Richard Childress, is in his first full-time season on the Nationwide Series after winning the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Trucks Series points title. Sadler said RCR is making a big statement with two drivers contending for a title in a recent return to Nationwide.

The duo have a good relationship, according to Sadler, who is 37 years old compared to the 22-year-old Dillon.

"Our teams share a lot of information and I feel like he's come a long ways quickly in the series," Sadler said. "He's won a race and he's run the majority of the laps which means he's gaining valuable experience. We definitely wanna beat one another on the track but I don't just wanna beat him. I wanna beat everyone out there."

Sadler and RCR seem like a perfect fit, considering how much Childress and Sadler have in common. They both hunt, like the outdoors, win and racing. Most of all, they both share the same competitive nature, which might be why they are in position to claim a championship.

"It's definitely the most stable position I've been since I worked with Robert Yates," Sadler said about the 2005 and 2006 seasons with Yates Racing. "Hopefully, we win some more races this year and find ourselves on stage as a championship team at the end of the year."