Sawyer's seat search hinges on sponsor
By Troy Fletcher, Special to Turner Sports Interactive
January 7, 2002
10:52 AM EST (1552 GMT)
Job security is something that Elton Sawyer has never had to really worry about.
The veteran NASCAR Busch Grand National Series driver had run in 166 consecutive events, through the end of 2001. That string, however, may end in 2002 as the Chesapeake, Va., native is scrambling to find a ride.
The Michael Kranefuss-owned team he was competing for in 2001 shut its doors in November, shortly after Sawyer captured a runner-up finish at the final event of the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
"Considering the effort we turned in last year in the No. 98 Starter/Hot Tamales Ford, it is frustrating to have the team shut down," said Sawyer, who has made 389 career BGN starts, the first in 1983 at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. "But what I have come to realize is that it is extremely important to have success on the track and I feel because of the success I have had I will get another opportunity.
"The biggest problem right now is that the economy is so soft because of the terrorist attacks Sept. 11."
Sawyer's best chance to find employment behind the wheel might come from Bill Davis.
Scott Wimmer, a BGN rookie in 2001, is driving the No. 20 Pontiac in the Busch Series this coming season. Sawyer is hoping to land a sponsor to fund a second car.
"Ever since I worked for Bill in the early 1990s, it has been a dream of mine to go back and drive for Bill and his wife, Gail," he said. "We are still real good friends and I have been talking with Bill about trying to put together a package to run a second Busch car for his team in 2002. Bill has agreed to do it, now it is just a matter of finding a sponsor to fund this second Busch program."
Sawyer's ties to Bill Davis date back to when he part of his team's crew in 1992 for the Baby Ruth car driven by Jeff Gordon.
The next season, Davis moved his team to Winston Cup with driver Bobby Labonte in the Maxwell House No. 22 machine and Sawyer also was part of that crew.
Bill Davis Racing, based out of High Point, N.C., is scheduled to run two Winston Cup Dodges with Ward Burton and Hut Stricklin as his drivers.
"Bill Davis Racing is one of the most stable organizations in NASCAR racing today," Sawyer said. "And so it would not only be a great opportunity for me to drive for them, but a great opportunity for a sponsor as well."
Sawyer placed fifth in the 2001 BGN points chase, collecting six top-five and 19 top-10 finishes. That matched his career best, accomplished in 1998 and 1999.
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