Sadler visited Victory Lane earlier this season at Texas. Credit: Autostock

Surprising Sadler confident as Chase starts

LOUDON, N.H. -- You'd be hard-pressed to find any more confident group of people than the drivers who compete in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series.

The physical attributes of driving a racecar are fairly simple: stomp the gas pedal and turn left.

CHASE FOR THE NEXTEL CUP •   Inside the Chase •   Superstore: Chase driver gear •   Official Standings

But doing that for 500 miles at 190 mph with 42 other drivers -- some friends and some foes -- takes a lot more than physical talent. When you turn left at a place like -- well, heck, pick a track -- you better have confidence in yourself and in your fellow competitors.

As the top 10 drivers in the Chase for the Nextel Cup if their team has a good chance at winning the championship this season, and they'll all tell you the same thing: "Of course."

Who is the best driver in the sport? I am. Who has the best team? I do. Who has the best sponsor? I do.

CHECK IT OUT •   Expanded access to the Chase on TrackPass

Is it ego? Sure, there is some of that. But even the most arrogant driver in the sport isn't going to wheel a piece of junk into Victory Lane.

It's a confidence, based on your ability and your team's commitment and performance.

But sometimes, the smallest hint of doubt can creep into a driver's mind. Yes, I can get it done, he might believe, but can we be the best?

Sadler sits sixth in Nextel Cup points heading into Loudon. Credit: Autostock

Elliott Sadler wondered that before the 2004 season. Sadler was about to embark on his second season with Robert Yates Racing, and he knew his No. 38 team had the potential to be good.

But how good?

"We knew we were going to have a good team," Sadler said as his team prepares for this weekend's Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway. "Did we know we were going to be sixth in the points? I don't know."

Sadler had good reason not to be totally optimistic. After all, Sadler had never finished higher than 20th in points in any of his previous five seasons and was 22nd in 2003.

And RYR hadn't exactly burned up the track in recent years, either. Teammate Dale Jarrett was coming off his worst season since anyone could remember and was getting a new crew chief.

Sadler's team was mostly intact from the end of 2003, with veteran crew chief Todd Parrott leading the charge.

When 2004 started, Sadler ran up front. Then he did it again. And again.

ELLIOTT SADLER •   Driver Page •   Ford Driver's Eye •   Superstore: Sadler gear •   Pedigree Pet Tips

And then at Texas Motor Speedway, Sadler went to Victory Lane. Suddenly, the expectations changed. And so did his outlook.

"After seven or eight races, and we won Texas and we started getting some top-fives and top-10s, I was, like, 'You know what? Hey, we got something for these guys,'" Sadler said.

Sadler was one of only three drivers to stay in the top 10 in the Nextel Cup points standings, and he clinched a spot in the Chase with a victory at California two weeks ago.

Now, there is no doubt in his mind he can win the 2004 championship.

Nextel Cup Series •   Results •   Standings •   Schedule •   Best 25 Over Last Six Races •   Best Starts •   Best Finishes •   Complete Race Coverage

"I think if you look at the last five or six races that we've ran here, we've gained just as many points as anybody else," Sadler said. "My team's just getting better and better. I think Todd and I are getting better together, we know how to build our cars a little better, the fab shop's getting better, our engines are getting better, now that we've got the new heads, we're starting to learn more about them.

"So we're peaking right at the right time. I think we're just getting into where we need to be to run for this championship. We think we can win it. If you ask anybody on our race team, we think we're the ones that everybody needs to beat to win this championship, and that's the attitude that we have."

That's the attitude it will take to fend off the nine other drivers in the Chase for the Nextel Cup.

That's the confidence Sadler has.