KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Elliott Sadler has had two scary moments in as many weeks.
Sadler's car briefly burst into flames when his right front tire blew and he slid into the wall Sunday in the Banquet 400 at Kansas Speedway.
Last week, Sadler went flipping down the backstretch at Talladega after making contact with Kurt Busch, but was back behind the wheel two days later.
Sadler again walked unhurt from the crash. He skidded to a stop near fire and ambulance crews just past the second turn, and the fire was almost out by the time rescue workers reached him.
Sadler's No. 38 Ford was not equipped with a roof hatch, something Sadler hopes to correct:
"I couldn't get out of the car when I wanted when it was on fire, so that hatch can't come quick enough."
BUSCH FIRE: Seventy-seven laps after Sadler's fire, Busch's No. 97 Ford caught fire as it rounded the first turn. Busch drove the car into Turn 2, where emergency workers quickly put out the flames. Busch was not injured.
"I've blown a lot of motors but I've never really had a fire inside the car," Busch said. "I got the window net down and got my helmet hose pulled, and I was able to get out of the car."
BIG BONUS: If Matt Kenseth can reverse his skid and win Saturday at Concord, he will collect the largest-ever leader bonus.
The bonus, which goes to a race winner who also leads the Winston Cup standings, rolled over to $310,000 after Sunday's race. The award, which increases $10,000 each week it is not won, was last claimed when Sterling Marlin won at Darlington in March 2002.
The largest payout under the bonus program, instituted in 1996, went to Bobby Labonte in 2000. He won $190,000 with a victory at Indianapolis.
TOP ROOKIE. AGAIN: Jamie McMurray, who finished eighth, was the only first-year driver to finish in the top 10. That made him the highest finishing rookie for the seventh straight race and nine of 10. McMurray has been the top rookie in 16 races this year. "That's all you can ask for," he said.
SPARK PLUGS: A B-2 Stealth bomber flew over Kansas Speedway during the national anthem. The batlike bombers are headquartered at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, about an hour east of the track. ... The capacity crowd of 80,000 cheered when the unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs' 24-23 win over the Denver Broncos was announced. The game was played at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo., going head-to-head with Winston Cup action a second straight year. ... There were 23 lead changes, a record in the three-year history of Cup racing at Kansas Speedway. ... Rusty Wallace's ninth-place finish was his fifth straight in the top 10.
