Back in the Sadler again

NEWTON - Elliott Sadler was uncertain about the prospects of racing at Iowa Speedway.

He listened to comparisons to Richmond (Va.) International Raceway, which he admits is not his best venue, his opinion quickly changed once he started running here in 2011.

Since Sadler first took the 0.875-mile oval, he has posted top-five finishes in each of his four starts, three pole position starts and a victory.  The 38-year-old Joe Gibbs Racing driver will attempt to claim his second straight checkered flag at Iowa Speedway, competing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series DuPont Pioneer 250 on Saturday.

"It's one of those tracks," Sadler said in a teleconference. "It's hard to explain. Certain drivers can tell you certain tracks are better for them, what they feel in a car, how they attack a racetrack, the corners. Some tracks are better than others for particular drivers. To me, Iowa is probably my best track."

Sadler, who has more than 650 starts in NASCAR's top-three national series,  won the U.S. Cellular 250 here in August. He has a good feel for Iowa Speedway, knowing where to position the car and accelerate on the track. Sadler is coming off a 28th-place finish last weekend at the 5-Hour Energy 200 at Dover International Speedway, completing 191 laps after an accident at the midway point forced him off the track for repairs.

"But I can't think of another track on the schedule coming off the weekend we had at Dover that I'd rather go to than Iowa," Sadler said. "I mean that sincerely, not because we're talking about it, but because of the record I have there the last two years. I really feel comfortable going to that track and being successful."

Sadler has finished second in the season points race the last two years. He is currently seventh in points, earning just five top-five finishes in 11 starts this season. Iowa Speedway could provide a spark for Sadler to make a move on the Nationwide leaders, trailing leader Regan Smith by 64 and sitting 11 back of fifth-place Austin Dillon, who leaped him in the standings after last weekend.

Momentum is an important factor in any professional sport, according to Sadler. The schedule, including 21 straight weekends of competition, can be impacted by a hot or cold streak. A good showing Saturday and it could lead to the added confidence to turn things around for Sadler's team.

Sadler had the seventh-fastest time during the final practice session Friday night.

"We can get some good optimism going with our race team, get some good direction going," Sadler said. "We can go there and be competitive and run good. That's what our team needs right now, to kind of get back on the ball, get back in the game. I can't think of a better place to go."

NASCAR Sprint Cup regular Joey Logano highlights the field and is the lone Sprint Cup driver in the Nationwide field. Logano is travelling between Newton and Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, following in the footsteps of such drivers as Brad Keselowski, Carl Edwards and Paul Menard.

Logano, of Penske Racing, won last weekend's Nationwide race and currently sits 18th in the Sprint Cup standings. He is a contender for a spot in the Chase. Logano has a history with Iowa Speedway, winning the first NASCAR K&N Series race held at the track in 2007. He even led the very first lap of competitive racing here in 2006.

Penske Racing needed someone to steer its No. 22 Nationwide car, which will be the case in August, and Logano answered the call. Keselowski could do it later this season, and Ryan Blaney could have but is racing on the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

The goal is to have fun and bring home a trophy.

"I do enjoy running Nationwide races," Logano said during a news conference at Pocono. "Penske, as a team, we want to win races anyway we can.

"This is the best opportunity we've got to go up and win races as a team."

The field includes a former Daytona 500 winner. Trevor Bayne, who won the prestigious event in 2011, enters the race with a new team that has excelled at Iowa Speedway in the past. The Roush Fenway driver will get behind the wheel of the No. 6 car that Ricky Stenhouse drove to victory here. Stenhouse won three straight races in Newton, sweeping the 2011 contests and winning last May's Pioneer Hi-Bred 250.

Bayne was fifth in the U.S. Cellular 250 here in 2010, earning the pole and placing fifth.

"We just have to have everything go smooth," said Bayne, who was eighth-best in the final practice. "We can't have any weird stuff happen and I think we'll be able to finish well."

Cedar Rapids native Joey Gase is running for Go Green Racing. He was 35th during the final practice session. Go Green is guaranteed a starting spot.