By Sarah Handy, Staff Writer
In this week’s edition of Flashback Friday, Kickin’ The Tires relives when NASCAR driver Elliott Sadler won at the track known as Too Tough to Tame, Darlington Raceway. We take a look back at Sadler’s NASCAR Xfinity Series victory from September 3, 2016 in the No. 1 for JR Motorsports.
Elliott Sadler had come close to victory lane at Darlington Raceway on a couple previous occasions, including two back-to-back finishes of second place in 2013 and 2014.
However, he would finally finish one position better in the 2016 VFW Sport Clip Help A Hero 200 from Darlington. A position that matched his car number for JR. Motorsports.
Sadler not only led a race high 75 laps, but he was able to hold off a hard-charging Denny Hamlin for the victory.
Hamlin was able to bring his No. 18 Sport Clips Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing alongside Sadler’s No. 1 OneMain Financial Chevrolet on multiple occasions during the final laps.
As expected, Sadler was elated post-race.
“I’ve been wanting to win here for a long time.”, said Sadler.
Sadler dedicated the win, the 12th of his NASCAR Xfinity Series career to JR Motorsports car owner, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
It was announced previously around that time that Earnhardt would miss the remainder of the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup season due to concussion-like symptoms.
“This means the world to me. If we’re being honest, I watched a lot of videotape this week. I called my crew chief and said, ‘I’ve got to change the way I drive this race track. Denny Hamlin, he whipped us here last year’, Sadler said.
Career Update:
Elliott Sadler announced last August that he would retire from full-time competition at the end of the 2018 season.
However, Sadler has continues to race on a part-time basis, as he joined Kaulig Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for a two race deal this season at Richmond Raceway and Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The Las Vegas race is coming up in September, but Elliott finished 12th in the No. 10 Nutrien Ag Solutions Chevrolet for Kaulig Racing this past April.
Thus far in his Xfinity Series career Sadler has amassed 13 wins, 106 Top-5s, 226 Top-10s and 18 pole awards in 396 starts over a 22-year span.
Furthermore, Sadler has 438 starts in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series over 17 years having amassed three wins, 19 Top-5s, 69 Top-10s and eight pole awards.
The Virginia native also has 20 starts over five years in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series with one win, 4 Top-5s, 10 Top-10s and two pole awards.