Elliott Sadler won't be looking back at 2005 too often this season. Credit: Autostock

Sadler has new outlook for new season

Driver of No. 38 Fusion glad last year is over; optimistic about '06

Forgive Elliott Sadler if, at times, he feels like a rookie this year.

Of all the driver swapping, hiring and firing that went on leading up to the 2006 season, Sadler's Robert Yates Racing team was one of the few that made minimal changes. No new sponsor. No new number. No new driver.

	Credit: Autostock
	Inside the Numbers Elliott Sadler in 2005 Wins 0 Top-5s 1 Top-10s 12 DNFs 2 Poles 4 Laps Led 383 Avg. Start 14.1 Avg. Finish 17.6 Earnings $4,706,803 Out with the oldElliott Sadler knows 2006 will be better than last year Sadler readyElliott Sadler is anxious to take his Fusion to Victory Lane Sign up for TrackPass now BUY THE NEXTEL i836

Yet he says this year will be a whole new chapter in his career.

"Last year, to me, seems like 10 years ago," Sadler said at Preseason Thunder in Daytona. "I don't feel like we've got the same mentality, the same chemistry, the same team, anything. It's just a whole new outlook on racing."

Part of that could be the one change Sadler's team made in the offseason, the hiring of crew chief Tommy Baldwin Jr.

Baldwin comes to the No. 38 team after two years directing Kasey Kahne's No. 9. And he, too, is excited about his new squad's challenges.

"There is potential for great success next season at RYR," Baldwin said when the team announced the move in November. "I think we've only seen the beginning of what Elliott can accomplish behind the wheel, and I look forward to the task of leading this team to the next level."

That next level is where Sadler had expected to be this time last year.

Following 2004's performance of two wins and eight top-fives en route to a ninth-place finish in the points, Sadler spiraled downward last season. He went winless and collected just one top-five -- a second-place at the Bristol spring race, where he started from the pole. It wasn't exactly the follow-up performance anyone expected.

"We had just not had the success last year that we thought we were going to have -- that we thought we needed to have -- and missing the top 10 was tough and hard to swallow," Sadler said, "so we felt like we needed to do something different.

"We're at a time in our career as a team where we need to get back in the ballgame and win races."

	ACCELERATION 2006 There's more to the new season than just driver changes. Read more about what to watch for as we rev toward Daytona.  •   Complete coverage, click here ARCHIVE •   2006 Driver Previews

Enter Baldwin.

He helped Kahne make a smooth transition to the Nextel Cup Series two years ago, and his tutelage led Kahne to Victory Lane last year at Richmond despite season-long struggles.

In Sadler, Baldwin is finding a driver who has tasted success -- three career victories -- and is starving for more.

In Baldwin, Sadler's finding a crew chief with whom he can communicate well.

"I've had a great time working with Tommy," Sadler said at the end of Daytona testing. "I think we're going to get our language better and better each and every weekend we work together. We're starting to learn more about what each other needs to be competitive and needs as far as on the knowledge side."

They still have their homework to do in adjusting to the new Ford Fusion, although early indications are that it could be a good fit. According to Sadler, the car was right on in wind-tunnel testing, and it unloaded fast at Preseason Thunder.

"I'm pretty happy with my car," Sadler said. "I think Tommy's got it driving very well. In years past, if your car drives good, you're going to run good in the 500."

That's good news for Sadler. He clocked the third-fastest speed of his three-day session two weeks ago.

Now the preparation turns to the 2006 season, and it's not just focused on the track.

"I can sit here today and say I'm very optimistic, which everybody is, about the new year," Sadler said. "I think I learned a lot as a person last year off the track ... to be better prepared this year for each race. So we'll see what happens."