Veteran Sawyer Has Fond Memories of IRP

NASCAR Busch Series veteran Elton Sawyer has accumulated six top-10 finishes, including four in the last four races, one pole and an average finish of 10.9 at Indianapolis Raceway Park, site of Friday's Kroger 200.

Sawyer, who has made 345 Busch Series starts, remembers vividly his first encounters with the track.

"The first or second time I ran there I didn't really like it," Sawyer said. "The fastest groove around the track was at the top and that was unlike anything I had driven on in the past. However, after '87 when we finished second, I started to like it and got used to the groove. I also think I ran better the following years because I had good race cars and a good outlook on the race."

Sawyer's tribulations in the 1987 Kroger 200 cost him his first career Busch Series win. After starting 26th in the event Sawyer clawed his way into the lead and even took the white flag up front.

"I was leading the race as I took the white flag," Sawyer said. "Larry Pearson was behind us, three or four car lengths back. I went into turn two, and everything was fine. Down the backstretch we were still in good shape. I went into turn three and came up on a lapped car. I went to the outside to pass him like anyone would, and I guess he didn't see me there. He pinched me up and I slid up into the wall. That enabled Larry to slide underneath us coming out of four. I dove under him going to the checkered and he beat us by half a car length. That was one we really let slip away."

Another close call for Sawyer came in 1995 when Sawyer captured his second career Busch Series pole and led quite a bit of the race. However, Jason Keller caught Sawyer and won the race by five or six car lengths.

Sawyer is reminiscent of his past races at the historic facility, but his focus is now on the future. The team is carrying the same car they ran in Myrtle Beach and South Boston earlier this year. It is a drop-snout car that finished third in both events and a car that Sawyer feels very comfortable in.

"It is very hard to pass here," Sawyer said. "So qualifying and track position are very important here. When they repaved the track in '98 the track had a lot more grip. This allowed us to run on the bottom a little bit. Before, on old tires, it was impossible to pass on the bottom.

"I really like this car we are bringing, and I have a great mental attitude at this track," Sawyer continued. "Another goal we have is to come home at the end of the day with all the fenders on the car, which can be a challenge here. That is another reason we want to qualify up front."

Crew chief Rick Viers knows that having what he thinks is a good car is important, but what he said he is really concerned with is making sure his driver is comfortable.

"When we have a one day event like this on a short track, our key is to get Elton as comfortable as possible," Viers said. "If the car drives good for him and it turns good in the center of the corners, he will be fast.

"This track isn't like a Michigan or Charlotte where you change from a qualifying setup to a race setup. Here, what we run to qualify will be good during the race. Track position is also very important so we need to qualify well. Since we are only allowed to make minor adjustments before the race we will set up our car to be adjustable. It will allow us to do things to the car if it needs help."

Sawyer and his Lysol team hope to continue the pleasant memories of IRP with a strong run this weekend. Coverage of the Kroger 200 begins at 8:30 p.m. ET on ESPN and MRN.