Sadler Granted release after 2002 UPDATE 2 to Yates? Rudd Thinks so: [#21 Ford ]Wood Brothers co-owner Eddie Wood confirmed Friday the Wood Brothers have granted an early release to driver Elliott Sadler so he can leave the team at the end of this season. Sadler had a contract to drive for the team through the 2005 season but earlier this month asked the team for an early release. Sadler, 27, has been with the Wood Brothers since joining the Winston Cup series in 1999. He earned his first career victory last March at Bristol, Tenn. “Elliott will be here until the end of the season like we said to start with,” Wood said. “It’s all fixed and bandaged up.” Wood said his team has started the process of searching for a new driver, but hasn’t done too much since the team didn’t originally think it would be in this spot so soon. “It’s hard to do all that and race, too. We’re looking,” Wood said. “We got all the mess done and we’re trying to go on with business. The car has been running great. As far as I’m concerned, it’s business as usual.” When Sadler’s request for a release first became public during the race weekend at Richmond, Va., Ty Norris, executive vice president for motorsports for Dale Earnhardt Inc., indicated Sadler was one of several drivers he had spoken to regarding driving opportunities beginning next season.(ThatsRacin.com)(5-31-2002) UPDATE to Yates? The Wood brothers have given driver Elliott Sadler his release from the last year of his contract, leaving him free to sign with another team for 2003. And, according to sources close to Sadler, he has already signed a new contract with Robert Yates to replace Ricky Rudd in the #28 Ford. Sadler, Yates and Rudd all had no official comment.(Winston Salem Journal)(6-1-2002) UPDATE 2: Elliott Sadler says he doesn’t know where he’ll race next season, but Ricky Rudd believes he does the #28 Robert Yates Racing Fords Rudd now drives. “I understand they have signed Elliott,” Rudd said Saturday at Dover International Speedway. “I don’t really know. That’s just kind of the rumor mill but you’re hearing too much of it to disregard it. …I’ve got a good feeling that it’s true.” Sadler, who this week was granted a release effective at season’s end from his contract with the Wood Brothers, denied he has signed with a team for 2003. “I have not signed any contract with any race team,” Sadler said. “I am talking to actually three different teams right now. I’m more close with one than I am the other ones but have not signed with any of them.” Sadler said he’d like to have a deal for 2003 signed as soon as possible, perhaps as early as next week. But Rudd seems convinced Yates and Sadler already have a deal. Efforts to reach Yates for comment Saturday afternoon were unsuccessful. Rudd, 45, is in the final year of a three-year contract to drive for Yates. He said last month that he would sign only one-year contracts until he decides to retire. “I told Robert I’d let him know in July, which is usually pretty early, about what I was going to do for next year,” Rudd said. “We talked about it. I let him know my timeline and they never really let me know theirs. Evidently, theirs was a little more pushed than mine was. …I guess for Robert some sense of urgency or panic set in there, not knowing what I was going to do.”(ThatsRacin.com)(6-2-2002) MORE on this at NASCAR.com: Yates miffed by driver rumors, pit miscue. AND – maybe a third team? And the Ricky Rudd story took an unexpected turn yesterday, the day after it was reported that car owner Robert Yates planned to put Elliott Sadler in his legendary #28. Texaco officials have stepped into the picture to say that Rudd could continue as driver of that Havoline-sponsored car as long as he wanted it, according to team sources. Now, according to Ford sources, Matt Kenseth is on Yates’ list of potential new drivers for the 2004 season. Kenseth’s contract with Jack Roush runs through next season. Kenseth is also reported to be under consideration for rides with Dale Earnhardt Inc. In addition, Richard Childress reportedly has shown an interest in signing Kenseth. While Rudd says he understands that Elliott Sadler has indeed signed with Yates to drive one of his cars next season, the Texaco report would seem to leave that issue in some doubt. However, Yates has been working the garage this weekend, lining up some new crewmen, apparently for that possible third team that he reportedly has under consideration for next season.(Winston Salem Journal) AND II: Yates said speculation that he is considering a third team is inaccurate.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(6-3-2002)
