Pit Pass Radio

Elliott Sadler will be wearing a different color uniform this weekend. For the first time since 2003, he will don something other than the yellow and brown dominated suit associated with the chocolate candies that ‘melt in your mouth, not in your hand’. This ends a nearly four year relationship with Robert Yates Racing, the team he referred to as “a family”. One has to wonder if the new red and white uniform he will wear this weekend will be one already made for Sadler, or a Jeremy Mayfield ‘hand-me-down’ (see Robby Gordon taking over for Mike Skinner in 2001).
How did it all fall apart so fast?
Driving for Robert Yates in 2004, Elliott Sadler had a breakout season, winning twice and qualifying for the first Chase for the Nextel Cup. After being ranked as high as third in the points standings during that year, Sadler and the Todd Parrott led team struggled once the Chase began and finished ninth.
Last year it seemed that Sadler and Parrott had everything back on track. Sitting ninth heading into the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. That’s when Parrott decided to, once again, part ways with RYR.
Sadler earned the pole for the race, but an ill-timed pitstop relegated the team to a 32nd place finish.
In a lot of ways, that seemed to take the steam out of the M&M’s team. The same proud team that had carried the number 28 for so many years and had won races with drivers named Allison, Irvan and Rudd. They did capture two more poles before the end of the 2005 season, but did not make the Chase, finishing 13th.
This year has been more of the same, only worse. Veteran crew chief Tommy Baldwin was brought in to help right the ship. After a 4th place finish in the Daytona 500, the team has, again, struggled. Finishes in the 20’s and 30’s have been common.
During the off week before the Brickyard, Elliott Sadler announced he would be leaving Robert Yates Racing at the end of this season. Sadler stated that he and the Yates’ had different philosophies concerning how the team should be run. Rumors centered on Sadler landing with Evernham’s #19 team.
OK, things like this happen. Like any relationship, sometimes the parties involved grow apart over time. But now the Yates camp is faced with the daunting task of rebuilding both of its two existing race teams from scratch, during a time that they need to be expanding to three or four cars to keep up with the Roushes and Hendricks.
With the release of Mayfield by Evernham Motorsports this week, the timetable for Sadler’s departure from RYR was shortened dramatically. That leaves Robert and Doug Yates in a bind because of the fact that their new driver, David Gilliland, would like to keep his rookie status in tact for 2007.
Todd Parrott has, once again, been brought back into the Yates fold to mentor 30 year old Gilliland, who, if the team decides to forego his ‘07 rookie staus (a la Carl Edwards) could be in the seat of the #38 as soon as this weekend at Michigan.
Young developmental driver Stephen Leicht was rumored to be in line for the #88 seat that will be vacated by Dale Jarrett at the end of the year, but most feel he is far from being ready for a full season in the Cup Series.
It’s the beginning of a new era at RYR for sure, and time will tell if this was the right decision for Sadler at this point in his career. Sometimes change is good. Sometimes it’s best to ride out the tough times until things turn around. It’ll be interesting to see if he can bring up the performance of Evernham’s #19 and help them climb from their current position just inside the top 35 in points.
And oh, by the way…Elliott will probably have to buy his own candy from now on.