(photo courtesy Getty Images)
The Camping World Truck Series visited the Pocono Raceway for the very first time in series history. The truck race was The Pocono Mountains 125, a 50 laps shootout, a mad dash for the cash!
In the past few years Elliott Sadler has been hit and miss, unfortunately he has been unable to close the deal at the end of the race. Some of the pundits have sort of written off Sadler. However on Saturday Elliott Sadler, driving the Kevin Harvick, Inc. #2 Gran Touring Vodka Chevy Silverado, showed those pundits just why he is not ready to be written off! Sadler piloted the KHI truck to his first victory in the Camping World Truck Series, and completing the trifecta! This victory gave Sadler a victory in all three of the elite NASCAR touring series, Sprint Cup, Nationwide, and Trucks!
Sadler, 35, beat Kasey Kahne to the finish line by .445 seconds in a race that went five laps past its scheduled distance of 50 laps at the 2.5-mile triangular track. With his first Truck Series victory, Sadler is the 21st driver to win at least one race in each of NASCAR’s top three divisions. Matt Crafton finished third, followed by Aric Almirola and rookie Justin Lofton.
“It’s hard to put in words what this means to me,” said Sadler, whose last NASCAR victory was Sept. 5, 2004 in a Cup car at Fontana. “To have a tough couple years like we’ve had in the Cup Series, and things not go like we want to, as far as running up front, and winning races and leading laps and things like that. …
“You sit at home a lot, wondering if you’re ever going to make it back to Victory Lane. Are you ever going to have that situation again? Are you ever going to be in that position again? This, to me — I know it’s recent, and it’s [Saturday] — but this is the biggest win in my career.
“There’s a lot of naysayers out there, and there’s a lot of people that write me off, not giving me a chance to make a comeback and be a strong presence again in this sport. To be able to come here and sit on the pole and win the race and race against people like Kasey Kahne and Denny Hamlin [who finished ninth], who I think are two of the best race car drivers we have in our sport, means a great deal to me.”
Sadler’s truck was the class of the field in both practice sessions, as well as in the race!
What did you think of the trucks at Pocono?
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
I was glad to see Elliott Sadler win the Truck race to day. That put him in an elite category being able to win in all three venues. He also needed to win to help his stock go up…LOL. Congratulations Elliott for a job well done….and thanks to my man Kevin Harvick for sporting him a quick truck.
Jerry