Sadler: Stewart 'waited too late to block me'

Despite late-race scrap, Sadler in top five again

MARTINSVILLE, Va. -- If Elliott Sadler had even the slightest doubt that his Robert Yates Racing team was as good as any in the Winston Cup Series, Sunday's fifth-place effort in the Virginia 500 at Martinsville Speedway served as proof-positive.

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"I told the boys with about 20 to go, 'Y'all must know what y'all are doing if Elliott Sadler can finish in the top-five at Martinsville," said Sadler, whose fifth-place finish in the M&Ms Ford marked his first top-15 effort ever at Martinsville. "Them boys are bad."

And he's not just being nice, either.

One needn't look any further than the stat sheet for evidence of Sadler's distaste for Martinsville. His average finish heading into this weekend was 27th, his best career effort, 17th.

But with the new team came a new attitude, one of confidence that they can compete for victories at any venue on the circuit.

	Sadler led five laps on Sunday. Credit: Autostock

In the month leading up to Martinsville, Sadler had qualified in the top-three four times in five weeks, including the Bud Pole at Darlington.

He also posted two top-10s and a top-five over a four-race span and led the most laps at Texas before a blown tire eliminated him from competition.

Now this.

"We were hoping we could do this, but you don't ever know," said Sadler, who ranks 10th in the championship point standings. "We had a lot of people doubting us here and there, but we've had some competitive racecars.

"With any luck at all we'd be in the top two or three in the points right now, but I've had some bad luck. But we're on the way back. It's a long season, a lot of momentum. To have two top-fives in a row heading into an off weekend feels great."

VIDEO CLIPS Victory Lane Play video B. Labonte ends up second Play video Earnhardt Jr. leads the most laps Play video J. Burton scores his first top-five of 2003 Play video Wallace, Earnhardt Jr, and Gordon battle for the lead Play video Gordon gets off to quick start Play video

Sadler had to work for Sunday's top-five. With three laps remaining, Sadler was engaged in a heated battle for fifth with Jeff Burton and Tony Stewart when Kurt Busch spun on the backstretch, effectively ending the race and resulting in a dash to the caution.

When the smoke cleared, Burton finished fourth, Sadler fifth and Stewart sixth.

As they coursed around under caution for the final time, Stewart nudged Sadler's Ford to voice his opinion of Sadler's tactics.

"Tony was trying to block the 99 (Burton) and me, and I really wanted a top-five bad," Sadler said. "I knew the 99 was going to get me on the outside, and Tony was in the middle of the groove and waited too late to block me.

"I got into his left side and rooted him up a little bit, but this team deserved a top-five. I just don't think he realized how close the 99 I were to him. He just got mad because I rooted him up a little bit, but he would have done the same thing.

"I love racing him, he's probably one of the best racers out here. Didn't mean to cause any problems.

"The longer the race went, the faster we got. So it's a good feeling to have cars that do that each and every week. I love racing with these guys."

The feeling is mutual. They proved it Sunday.