Meeting and interviewing Elliott Sadler, driver of the No. 19 Stanley Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports, was fun. Plain and simple fun. He’s a funny guy, very personable and clearly in love with his 5-month-old son, Wyatt. In addition to asking him those same 10 questions from ITAS, I asked him about being a new father and how, if at all, it’s changed his approach to racing.
“No,” said Elliott. “My feeling about racing has not changed at all other than I’m more determined now than ever because I don’t want my son to think I’m a failure. That’s the biggest thing. I take more things to heart. When we run bad I take it a lot worse now than when I did before he was born just because I don’t want him to think that his dad couldn’t do this or shouldn’t do this.”
When he said that I had, like, 50 internal responses going on at the same time. First, I wanted to tell him that his son is going to love him no matter what place he finishes in a race. Then at the same time I was, like, “For the love of god please let him win a race!!” It broke my heart a little bit, if I’m being honest. I wasn’t expecting him to be that candid. I know Elliott can win and maybe getting back with his former crew chief Todd Parrott will help that happen sooner than later.
—
What is your favorite word? Awesome
What is your least favorite word? Trouble
What turns you on? Being at home, being around my family. I love being from a small town and just being back at home with all my friends and family. It just seems like we never have a bad time, everything’s always going in the right direction.
What turns you off? Any bad Sundays or any frustrating Sunday is a big, big turn off for me.
What sound or noise do you love? The ocean. I go to sleep to it every night with my sound machine. I love it.
What sound or noise do you hate? Alarm clock. It’s always too early.
What is your favorite curse word? The F-bomb.*
What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? I would have loved to be have been a professional basketball player. I just love that sport. I love following it. It’s a game I’ve always been intrigued by.
What profession would you not like to do? Hockey. I wouldn’t want to do hockey ‘cause I can’t ice skate. I tried ice skating when I was, like, 17 or 18 years old and my butt hurt for a month.
If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? Thank god you made it!
*It should be noted that Elliott polled a bunch of people in the hauler on what cuss word he used the most before settling on his favorite. That was funny.
Elliott Sadler and me after I interviewed him at Infineon Raceway this year. 🙂
Follow Elliott Sadler on Twitter @Elliott_Sadler
—
Read more of my “Inside the Actor’s Studio” questionnaire interviews in the archives and read about how it all started with Tony Stewart.
