Roush Fenway Racing’s Elliott Sadler finished in 17th-place during Saturday’s NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS) race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Sadler qualified for the 200 lap, 300 mile race on Saturday morning and started the afternoon race from the 17th position. The No. 1 OneMain Financial crew battled handling issues on Friday in both practices and it carried over to the race on Saturday. Throughout the race, Sadler and the crew made adjustments to the track bar, wedge, air pressures and spring rubbers. With the handling issues, Sadler and his crew struggled to find the best package to compete with the leaders. Sadler raced in the middle of the pack for the majority of the race and crossed the finish line 17th.
“This weekend was tough on our crew,” Sadler said after the race. “My No. 1 OneMain Financial Ford Mustang struggled all weekend. In practice we fought tight conditions in the center of the turn and the car was crazy loose exiting the turns. My crew busted their tails in practice trying different race packages, but we just weren’t able to find a competitive set up to compete with the front of the field. We had great momentum from the two previous weekends at Daytona and Kentucky, and hopefully we can that ball rolling again next week at Indy.”
Sadler started from the 17th position for the 300 mile event on Saturday, July 18th. On Lap 17, the first yellow flag of the day came out. Running 18th, Sadler and his crew decided to come down pit road and make some adjustments to the car. The crew added 4 tires, fuel and adjusted the wedge. Sadler restarted 25th.
A quick caution came out again after the restart and Sadler worked his way forward three spots before the yellow flag waved.
On Lap 37, the No. 4 car brought out the third caution flag of the day and Sadler came down pit road with the field. During the stop, the crew made adjustments to the wedge and track bar. Following the pit stop, Sadler restarted from the 20th position.
Sadler radioed in the adjustments on the previous stop helped and on Lap 55, the No. 1 OneMain Financial Ford Mustang was scored in the 15th position.
At the halfway point in the race, Sadler radioed in the car is really tight in the center. On Lap 118, running 16th, Sadler pitted under green for four fresh tires, two cans of fuel and the crew added a spring rubber in the right rear.
Lap 145, Sadler pitted again under caution and the crew added four tires, fuel, made air pressure adjustments and added another spring rubber to the right rear. Sadler restarted from the 18th position.
With 30 laps remaining in the race, the yellow flag waved for the final time when the No. 2 car blew an engine. The field pitted under caution and the OneMain Financial team replaced the two outside tires, added fuel, cranked down on the track bar and pulled one of the previously inserted spring rubbers out. Sadler left pit road and restarted 16th.
Sadler drifted back one position in the final 30 laps and crossed the finish line in the 17th position.
RFR PR
