Sadler black-flagged on restart at Indy: #2-Elliott Sadler was black-flagged for beating race leader Brad Keselowski to the start line with precious few laps remaining in Saturday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Indianapolis, causing controversy and prompting questions from even the drivers who race under the rules every week. With 18 laps to go, #22-Brad Keselowski was the race leader and chose the inside line in front of Penske Racing teammate #12-Sam Hornish Jr. Sadler was the No. 2 starter and had fourth-place Austin Dillon a Richard Childress Racing teammate behind him. Keselowski started the race in the restart zone, but then he appeared to check up (hit his brakes or got out of the gas). At the same time, teammate Sam Hornish Jr. gave him a push which caused Keselowski to spin his tires. Sadler had already hit the gas and contended it was too late to stop, especially since he was being pushed by Dillon. But that wasn’t an excuse for Sadler to be so far ahead, NASCAR vice president of competition Robin Pemberton said. ‘(Keselowski) went first and was in front of Elliott at the start, and then he checks up like he does every week and false-started’ team owner Richard Childress said. ‘I mean, that’s racing. These guys are doing what they have to do to win, but I hate to lose one and I hate to see Elliott and those guys lose like that, too.â(Read more details at SB Nation) and see transcripts of what Robin Pemberton and Elliott Sadler said, as posted by Dustin Long.(7-28-2012)
