Sadler: old team, new name

It didn't matter that Gillett Evernham Motorsports fired him, Elliott Sadler never doubted he was wanted.

However, the Emporia native didn't exactly exude confidence days after receiving his pink slip. First, he protested. Then, he threatened to file a breach of contract lawsuit, alleging he was unfairly yanked from the No. 19 Dodge he had driven the past 2½ seasons.

Admittedly, Sadler blew a gasket. Besides, this isn't exactly the kind of news one carries on a honeymoon.

On the one hand, it wasn't an unexpected development. On the other, he appeared blindsided.

"When I first found out that it could be a possibility that I might not be in the 19 car, it was gut-wrenching," said Sadler, who was married last weekend. "I know how hard we've worked and how much improvement we did make from 2007 to 2008 and how much improvement I think we can make again for the 2009 season.

"It was definitely tough, but I think it's made me better. It's made me realize a lot of different things. I think it's made the race team better. I think it's made us a stronger family having this fight."

Still, in Sadler's mind, it was only one big misunderstanding. No one at GEM (now Richard Petty Motorsports), it seemed, was on the same page -- or flipping through the same book.

Now, Sadler is ready to turn the next page, in part, because he'll fire up the 19 engine for the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 15. Like a sly poker player, he went all in against GEM, which figured Sadler would fold and seriously consider their suggestion to seek another ride.

Sadler said GEM was only "looking to see what their options were" and gave him enough information to decide whether to pursue a different team -- or insist that GEM recognize the two-year contract extension he signed last summer.

"I don't think it's fair to sit here today and say that the team didn't want me," Sadler said emphatically. "I think what [GEM] wants is the best possible situation they feel they can succeed in as far as their sponsors are concerned, as far as the crew members and stuff like that are concerned.

"We came up with a whole list of things to change, and one of those was a driver change. That's something that came up."

"At the end of the day, everybody has to be held accountable for what you're trying to do on and off the racetrack," added Sadler, who has three wins in 357 career starts. "We went through some meetings, and the team was not happy with the 19's performance."

Sadler has failed to match the high expectations after his departure from Robert Yates Racing midway through the 2006 season. He largely has been a middle-of-the-road finisher, amassing only 12 top-10s in 85 starts with GEM.

Indeed, GEM president Tom Redden wasn't happy with Sadler's 25th-place finish in the Sprint Cup standing. As a result, A.J. Allmendinger was signed in hopes of sharpening the team's competitive edge.

Sadler, with his attorneys flipping through their legal briefs, recoiled against Allmendinger's signing.

"My legal team did what they thought they had to do to protect me and to protect some of the sponsors and stuff that we have," Sadler said. "But between me and the team, I never wanted the legal stuff to come between me and them.

"I think we've all been a part of this business long enough to know that performance is the bottom line."

With their legal issues resolved, Sadler is focusing on winning for the first time since capturing the checkered flag twice in 2004. He and new crew chief, Kevin Buskirk, will test at Rockingham before heading to Daytona for Speedweeks.

"The best news my wife heard the whole this week was, "Baby, we're coming home early from the honeymoon because I'm going to test Rockingham," Sadler said. "So we're going to Rockingham."