Sadler out of the #21? UPDATEs $11 million sponsor?: ESPN2’s RPM 2 Night reports that Elliott Sadler has asked for his release from the #21 Wood Brothers team. Sadler supposedly is looking at an opportunity with Dale Earnhardt Inc (#15? – no idea). The Wood Brothers have not granted his release yet.(4-30-2002) UPDATE: Word around some shops [and from ESPN] is that Elliott Sadler has asked for a release from his contract from the #21 Motorcraft Wood Brothers Ford. Sadler has supposedly been approached by several teams and wants out of the contract he has had with the team since 1999 to explore those options. One of the teams rumored to be interested in Sadler is Dale Earnhardt Inc., the home of Dale Earnhardt Jr, Steve Park and Michael Waltrip. Kenny Wallace, who filled in for the Park after his Darlington injuries last September, is still under contract to DEI as well.(NASCAR.com Buzz)(5-1-2002) UPDATE: Thursday’s ESPN2’s RPM 2 Night reported that Sadler has sponsor’s worth $11 million to bring to a team and has talked to DEI about taking the sponsor there.(5-3-2002) UPDATE 5: Elliott Sadler, according to several sources, has come up with an $11 million sponsorship with the World Wrestling Federation (actually the WWE not WWF) and is shopping that deal around. Two weeks ago DEI’s Ty Norris, who is in renegotiation talks with sponsor NAPA and Pennzoil (now owned by Shell), confirmed talking with Sadler. Now word from Ford Motor Company sources is that Ford officials are trying to keep Sadler in their camp by trying to put together a new Ford ride for him. One of the Ford options being raised is a ride with Robert Yates, even though neither of Yates’ two current drivers, Dale Jarrett and Ricky Rudd, has expressed any interest in moving on. According to one source, Sadler has not been satisfied with the horsepower he’s been getting from Roush Racing.(Winston Salem Journal)(5-18-2002) AND nore: just speculation but here it is – Several WWE superstars are friends with Elliott Sadler and his brother Hermie (who races cars also) and in his bio Hermie says he will sometimes travel with the WWE and a couple of the wrestlers participated in a golf tournament the Sadlers had. This just adds to the fact that the WWE will likely sponsor his car. According the the Honolulu Advertiser, which looks at the Rock returning to Hawaii (he went to high school there) on June 15th for the WWF event there, where Rock will take on Chris Jericho in a no DQ match.(prowrestling.com) BUT on Speed Channel’s Inside Winston Cup (a jayski must see) Elliot Sadler denied have any sponsorship in hand with any company, then Michael Waltrip asked Sadler if he ever read Jayski, which Sadler replied “everyday”, pretty cool, but anyhow….the point is, Sadler said he has no sponsor in place.(5-21-2002)
