“I wanted to break his jaw in three places”: Hermie Saddler recalls his closest shot at a NASCAR championship on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s show

NASCAR veteran Elliott Sadler recently shared his near-miss championship story and his frustration with Ryan Preece's aggressive racing. In a candid discussion with Dale Earnhardt Jr., Sadler even admitted to being so upset that he wanted to physically confront Preece that day.

Throughout his 22-year career in NASCAR, Sadler primarily shined in the Xfinity Series, despite not clinching a championship. But the memory that stings him the most is from the 2017 season finale when he was driving #1 for Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s JR Motorsports team.

He was on the brink of victory, having overtaken his teammate William Byron for the lead with just five laps remaining. However, his championship dreams crumbled due to an on-track incident involving Ryan Preece, snatching away what could have been his crowning moment in NASCAR.

Reflecting on the race on Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s podcast, Sadler expressed his enduring frustration about the Xfinity incident at Homestead that cost him a title. He said:

"It's tough for me to talk about because what I don't think people realize I have been chasing a NASCAR championship for 20 years. Me and William Byron were battling. We were up front all night. Both of our cars were fast. And I had passed William with about 10 or 12 laps to go to now I'm the guy in position to win the championship. And we're running Preece down."

"And I go into turn one and try to go under priest thinking he's going to let me clear him and he doesn't. It's right on my right rear, slows us both down, wheeling passes us. and I lose the championship. And... That today is still... It is man. I remember seeing you on pit road after that race. I wanted to break his jaw in three places," he continued.

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Elliott Sadler debunks NASCAR Pocono Crash conspiracy on Dale Jr.'s Podcast.

When Dale Earnhardt Jr. asked Elliott Sadler if there was anything secretive about the crash, Sadler clarified that the lack of clear footage was due to the location of the impact, which occurred off the main track area, making it difficult for cameras to capture. Hence, there's nothing more to it. He explained the sequence of events, saying:

"With the Pocono wreck, there is nothing that NASCAR is hiding. The reason there’s not a good picture of the wreck, where I hit at is too far off the track. Like, there’s no camera angle for it. There’s a wreck on the backstretch. I slow down. My teammate runs into me and pushes me across the grass."

Initially, the JR Motorsports driver thought the incident was minor, but he soon discovered the severity of the situation when he saw the engine dislodged by the force of the crash. The fence he collided with had a V-shaped configuration against the earth, providing no room for impact absorption. He ended up lying on the NASCAR track, waiting for assistance.