by Bruce Martin
SportsTicker Contributing Editor
FONTANA, California -- If NASCAR officials were looking
for a true Hollywood atmosphere, they found it under the bright
lights of the California Speedway on Sunday as Elliott Sadler
delivered a blockbuster performance to win the Nextel Cup Pop
Secret 500.
It was Sadler's second win of the season and the third of his
career.
The race started in bright sunshine and with temperatures
hovering around 100 degrees and finished under the lights as the
first night race at the two-mile oval offered a unique
presence.
It was the first time since 1949 that NASCAR's major racing
division competed in an event on Labor Day weekend other than
the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.
Sadler was the leader with 10 laps to go after a caution period
following a crash between Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Chevrolet and Ken
Schrader's Dodge with 17 laps to go. Sadler was in front of
Casey Kahne, Mark Martin, Brian Vickers and Jamie McMurray.
Sadler's Ford Taurus was able to pull away from the pack and he
finished 0.263 seconds ahead of Kahne's Dodge. Martin's Ford
was third followed by McMurray's Dodge and Ryan Newman's Dodge.
"We were California dreaming here tonight," Sadler said. "It's a
great, great day here at California. The cautions definitely
helped me. It was unbelievable those last 10 or 12 laps.
"This is why I decided to drive for Robert Yates. It's a great,
great day. We've gotten something for them in the championship
and we might be the sleeper before it's all over with."
With 24 laps remaining, pole-winner Vickers was the leader after
a caution flag following Earnhardt's spin. The rookie driver
from Hendrick Motorsports was in front before Sadler passed him.
Kyle Petty's engine blew up two laps after the green flag waved
for another caution period.
It was the 10th caution of the race - a record for a 500-mile
race at the track, which opened in 1997.
When the green flag waved with 22 laps remaining, Sadler hit the
accelerator and attempted to pull away from Martin. But Kahne
passed Martin as the 23-year-old rookie from Enumclaw,
Washington was trying to reel in Sadler to score his first
victory.
"That was a great run for our team and it really helped us get
into the top 10," Kahne said. "We have to finish strong in
Richmond next week."
Earnhardt spun in the fourth turn to bring out a yellow flag on
lap 218. With 17 laps left, Earnhardt crashed into Schrader
starting a fiery crash. Both drivers were able to get out of
the car without injury.
There is just one race left to determine the 10 drivers eligible
for the chase for the championship. After next Saturday
night's Chevy Rock and Roll 400 at Richmond International
Raceway, the top 10 in the standings will advance into a 10-race
shootout for the title.
The points differential for the shootout will be reset to
five-point increments between each spot in the top 10.
That led to some frantic battling throughout the pack as drivers
attempted to get into the top 10. Ryan Newman and McMurray
battled it out in the closing laps.
One driver who already was locked into the Chase for the
Championship suffered problems in the race.
Jeff Gordon, who ran among the leaders for most of the race,
dropped out of the race when his engine blew up on lap 210.
Gordon entered the race leading the Nextel Cup point standings
and was running fourth at the time his Chevrolet engine seized.
"It could be a lot more frustrating," Gordon said. 'It doesn't
mean anything right now. I may drop a few spots in the standings
but right now it's getting ourselves in gear for those last 10
races."