Elliott Sadler Out

[wally20]

Sadler released from #19 AJ Allmendinger to take over Going to be an intresting year coming up!!!

[Sifty]

I saw this the other day.

Sounds like there are a few things to work out before they can release him.

Sifty

[Sifty]

Got this off Foxs Sports sounds like it should be a group to be around......

The Elliott Sadler Saga took another strange twist Thursday.

Sadler will be returning to Gillett Evernham Motorsports for the 2009 season, multiple sources have confirmed to FOXSports.com. The news comes only days after Sadler threatened to sue GEM after rumors began circulating that he may be replaced by AJ Allmendinger.

News of Sadler's return came on the same day that officials with GEM and Petty Holdings announced they had reached a deal to merge.

On Jan. 2, an attorney representing Sadler filed notice in court saying GEM breached its contract with the driver to helm the No. 19 Dodge, according to the Charlotte Observer.

George Gillett, Gillett Evernham Motorsports, Allmendinger and Ray Evernham Enterprises were named as defendants.

John Buric, Sadler's lawyer, said they learned on Dec. 30 that the team had been in negotiations with Allmedinger about driving the No. 19 Dodge for 2009, the Observer said.

According to the filed notice, Sadler wanted to seek "injunctive relief, declaratory relief/specific performance, consequential and punitive damages as a result of Defendants anticipatory and actual breach of Plaintiffs' Driving Services Agreement."

Sadler joined Evernham Motorsports in August 2006 and has a total of three wins in 357 career races. He ended 2008 in 24th spot in the overall standings, finishing 16th or better in 12 of 36 races. In contrast, Allmendinger drove five races in 2008 for GEM, finishing 16th or better in four of them.

Prior to driving for GEM, Allmendinger drove full-time for Team Red Bull, qualifying for 39 races over a year-and-a-half span. He was released by TRB following the Kansas Cup race in September, where he earned his career best finish of ninth.

Sadler signed a contract extension in 2008 that was set to keep him at GEM through the 2010 season.

Sifty

[candiru]

I wonder if he might be getting an engine out of an old Dodge Dart after this?

[Double D]

I was thinking the same thing. Doesn't sound like the best way to get the top car in the garage.

DD

[Rippinlip]

Kinda sounds like what Evernham did to Jeremy Mayfield a few years ago, did not honor the contract and tried to make the driver a scape goat.