Sadler will drive for GEM

-- Emporia's Elliott Sadler will remain in the No. 19 Dodge of Gillett Evernham Motorsports.

The announcement came yesterday, nearly two weeks after Sadler had been dropped by GEM in favor of A.J. Allmendinger.

Sadler, who hasn't won a Sprint Cup event since 2004, had threatened to file suit against the organization for breach of contract.

He signed a two-year contract extension last year.

"I want to drive. I'm a racer, and that's what I do," said Sadler, who is scheduled to marry next weekend. "We are all on the same page now, and I think you will see that show on the track."

On Dec. 31, Sadler's attorney, John Buric, had filed an "application and order extending time to file complaint," according to NASCAR.com. At the time, Buric said a suit would be filed unless Sadler and GEM reached a settlement. Sadler and GEM began negotiations this week.

Tom Redden, GEM's CEO, said the team and Sadler resolved the issues that triggered his dismissal last month. But team spokesman Ryan Barry declined yesterday to detail those issues.

"We are a family," said Redden. "Sometimes in a family you have differences. We have resolved all differences. We are moving on and excited about heading to Daytona."

Sadler has been racing full time on the NASCAR Cup circuit since 1999. He joined Evernham Motorsports -- which later became GEM -- midway through the 2006 season after leaving Robert Yates Racing. He has three wins in 357 career starts with 18 top-five finishes.

His best year was 2004, when he won two races and finished a career-high ninth in the NASCAR point standings. Last season, he finished 24th in the points.

The settlement spared Sadler and the team from setting an apparent legal precedent. According to NASCAR spokesman Kerry Tharp, the sanctioning body knows of no instance in which a fired Sprint Cup driver filed suit to keep his ride.

Barry told The Times-Dispatch that GEM is negotiating to put Allmendinger in one of the team's four Dodges. Redden issued a statement that said the team is impressed with Allmendinger and "excited about A.J. in our fourth car."

The 2009 season opens with the Daytona 500 on Feb. 15.

Yesterday, GEM finalized an agreement with Petty Holdings to complete a proposed merger that ends the existence of the Petty operation as a stand-alone team. The merger means one of the GEM cars will bear the No. 43 made famous by Richard Petty. Also, GEM may change its corporate name to include "Petty."

Contact Ralph N. Paulk at (804) 649-6851 or .