Injured Sadler’s availability to race at Martinsville uncertain
“I feel a lot better today than I did yesterday," Sadler said. “My back is a little sore. I am going to ice it down right now and take some anti-inflammatory medicine and just try to get it best that I can.
“Right now, I feel like I can go maybe halfway. There is a 50-50 chance of going the whole way."
03/28/08 Elliott Sadler said he will qualify his Gillett Evernham Motorsports Dodge today but is still questionable for the Goody’s Cool Orange 500 on Sunday at Martinsville Speedway.
“I was in a lot of pain right there," Sadler said after taking a handful of laps Friday. “Dennis is going to practice the car for us tomorrow one practice, and I might do the second practice. But right now, we’re looking at starting the race and probably putting Dennis in there right now.
"We’ll see how I feel in a couple of days. I got in a couple of laps, and I’m in a lot of pain right now, but I got in a couple of laps, so I can qualify the car, and if I am able to go Sunday, we can start where I qualify instead of having to go to the back."
03/28/08 Elliott Sadler was held out of the start of Friday's practice in the No. 19 car after injuring his lower back during his regular workout routine and aggravating it further playing golf. Truck series driver Dennis Setzer practiced in the car for Gillett Evernham Motorsports and was put on standby for Friday's qualifying and the rest of the weekend.
Mark McArdle, GEM's director of competition, said Sadler suffered the injury on Wednesday. He said a decision on whether to put him in the car for Friday's qualifying or at any time after that would be handled on an hour-by-hour basis.
He hopes Sadler will be well enough by Sunday to drive in the 500-mile race at Martinsville Speedway. "I don't think anything is assured," McArdle said. "Elliott is pretty uncomfortable in any sitting position." Sadler attended Friday night's NCAA East Regional basketball games in Charlotte, N.C., to watch top seed North Carolina defeat Washington State. He said earlier in the week he planned to attend Saturday's regional final and, if UNC wins, fly between Dallas (site of next week's Sprint Cup race) and San Antonio (site of the NCAA Final Four) next weekend.
Asked whether Sadler still would attend Saturday's game, McArdle said, "If I had to answer that on his behalf, I don't think he would be able to. I don't think he could sit for that long, but he might be able to stand and cheer." ESPN.com