SADLER LEAVING YATES RACING Well another rumor has been resolved, on Thursday it was announced that Elliot Sadler, who drives the number thirty-eight Ford Fusion in the Nextel Cup Series, was granted a release from his contract with Robert Yates Racing at the end of the 2006 season. This makes a huge change for the team since previously reported that veteran driver Dale Jarrett would be heading to Michael Waltrip Racing driving one of the new Toyota Camry's in 2007. Team owner Robert Yates said, "We would like to thank Elliot for his commitment to our organization over the past four seasons and for all the success we've enjoyed together.” He followed up by saying, "We are excited about the opportunity to find a new driver who will continue the successful run of the number thirty-eight Ford as we maintain our focus on the future of our organization.”
Sadler will be heading over to Ray Everham's Race Team driving the number nineteen car in 2007, but the question is where will Jeremy Mayfield, who currently drives the car, go in 2007. Rumors are that Mayfield may go to Waltrip Racing in 2007. As for Yates Racing there has been mention of Ward Burton and Stephen Leicht as possible drivers in 2007, but as of now nothing is official.
BUSCH SERIES HARVICK WINS FOURTH AT MARTINSVILLE Kevin Harvick won his fourth Busch Series race of 2006 at Martinsville on Saturday in the Goody's 250. Harvick was able to hold off his Richard Childress teammate Clint Boyer by .271 seconds to win after leading one hundred forty-nine laps of the two hundred fifty lap event, in the first Busch Series race at the track since 1994. Although Harvick had to contend with a record of nineteen caution flags that totaled up to eighty-five laps, but it did tie him for seventh place in career wins which has some awesome talent including Dale Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt Jr, and Harry Gant. Although Mark Martin still holds the lead with forty-seven career wins.
Denny Hamlin had to start in the back of the field because he missed qualifying, but battled hard and finished third, Reed Sorenson also missed qualifying and was forced to the back, but fought hard and finished fourth. Johnny Sauter finished fifth to round out the top five finishers. With Harvick's win he now has a three hundred forty-eight point lead over Carl Edwards and a four hundred two point lead over teammate Bowyer.
BUSCH SERIES TOP TEN FINISHERS 1. Kevin Harvick 2. Clint Bowyer 3. Denny Hamlin 4. Reed Sorenson 5. Johnny Sauter 6. Carl Edwards 7. John Andretti 8. Jason Leffler 9. J. J. Yeley 10. Jay Sauter
TOP TEN IN POINTS 1. Kevin Harvick – 3282 2. Carl Edwards – 2934 3. Clint Bowyer – 2880 4. Denny Hamlin – 2832 5. J. J. Yeley – 2774 6. Greg Biffle – 2510 7. Paul Menard – 2505 8. Kyle Busch – 2414 9. Johnny Sauter – 2375 10. Kenny Wallace – 2264
NEXTEL CUP SERIES HAMLIN DOES THE POCONO SWEEP IN 2006 Denny Hamlin may be a rookie in the Nextel Cup Series, but at Pocono he has proven to be a true champion winning the first Pocono race back in June and then came back to win Sunday's Pennsylvania 500 in total dominance. With this win it may lead the rookie into the Race for The Chase, at the current moment he's eighth in the point standings. Some drivers didn't have a good day including Hamlin's teammate two time Nextel Cup Champion Tony Stewart who got pushed up the track and hit the wall after Clint Bowyer hit him. Stewart came back and swerved into Bowyer's car that caused Bowyer and Carl Edwards to get tangled. Race officials immediately black flagged Stewart for rough driving and penalized him one lap, which put him back in the forty-first position, but battled back and finished seventh when the checker flag dropped.
Hamlin led one hundred fifty-one of the two hundred lap event couldn't be beat. Former champion Kurt Busch gave it all he had but had to settle for a second place finish, even four time champion Jeff Gordon couldn't catch Hamlin and finished third. Brian Vickers, teammate to Gordon, finished fourth and Kevin Harvick finished fifth. Point leader Jimmie Johnson still holds on to the lead in points with a sixth place finish and is ninety-seven points ahead of Matt Kenseth. Hamlin is now the sixth driver to do the Pocono sweep and did it both times starting from the pole, pretty amazing considering the hot young rookie used video games to learn his way around the track.
NEXTEL CUP SERIES TOP TEN FINISHERS 1. Denny Hamlin* 2. Kurt Busch 3. Jeff Gordon 4. Brian Vickers 5. Kevin Harvick 6. Jimmie Johnson 7. Tony Stewart 8. Bobby Labonte 9. Jeff Burton 10. Martin Truex Jr*
TOP TEN IN POINTS 1. Jimmie Johnson – 2939 2. Matt Kenseth – 2842 3. Jeff Burton – 2621 4. Kyle Busch – 2582 5. Kevin Harvick – 2563 6. Mark Martin – 2557 7. Kasey Kahne – 2515 8. Denny Hamlin* - 2514 9. Jeff Gordon – 2512 10. Tony Stewart - 2477
Call for Authors!
We are looking for people who would be interested in submiting
articles to AutoGeek.com. Let people know
that you are the best by writing an article in your field of
expertise. Have an idea?
