FERNANDEZ BACK IN THE SADDLE.

Byline: TIM HADDOCK Motor Sports

Adrian Fernandez is a two-time winner at California Speedway. But both his victories came in open-wheel racing. He won one race in a Champ Car and another in the Indy Racing League.

He returns Saturday in the NASCAR Busch Series race. It will be his first race in a stock car on an oval.

While he is no stranger to California Speedway, it is a little surprising to see Fernandez back in a race car.

Even he admits that his racing days were numbered. He was perhaps the best driver in the IRL at the end of the 2004 season. He won three of the last six races and looked like he might contend for the 2005 series championship.

But sponsors fell through and he was left as a two-car team owner without a car of his own to drive.

Fernandez said he was content to step out of a race car and manage his team. He got married and decided it was time to focus on his personal life. At one point, it looked like his racing career was over.

Then he was offered an opportunity to drive in the NASCAR Busch Series race in Mexico. Fernandez jumped at the chance. He led for a time in NASCAR's first visit to Mexico for a points race and the racing bug bit him again.

The California Speedway race will be the first of five for Fernandez as he tests the waters of NASCAR. If he enjoys it, Fernandez said he might return for a full season in 2006.

``I'm grateful to have this opportunity at my age and just not many drivers have this opportunity,'' Fernandez said. ``There are many Mexicans who can have this opportunity. I still feel I'm on top of my game. I'm doing everything I can to be as competitive as I can in these five races and to see if I really enjoy it.''

It's no secret NASCAR is looking to tap into the Hispanic market for new fans. And it looks like it wants Fernandez to be part of that drive. Lucky for NASCAR, it's a role that suits Fernandez.

``One of the biggest pleasures I've had in racing is just seeing the support over the years in the U.S. and Mexico and everywhere we've raced with our fans,'' Fernandez said. ``I miss that. To bring that back to life would be another dream come true. People say maybe I'm too old, but I think that life starts after 42 years old.''

It was brought to Elliott Sadler's attention recently that his Robert Yates Racing teammate, Dale Jarrett, threw out the first pitch at two baseball games back in 2002.

One was before an Angels game, when they were known as the Anaheim Angels. The other before a San Francisco Giants game.

Both teams met in the World Series.

``Wish he'd go throw a pitch around my race shop,'' said Sadler, who like his teammate, is fighting for one of the 10 spots in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Chase for the Championship.

Sunday's race at California Speedway could seal the fates of Sadler and Jarrett. With two races remaining before the Chase begins, a win or strong finish could climb them into the top 10. A poor finish and they could be racing for 11th place and a measly $1 million bonus instead of the Cup championship.

Jarrett and Sadler share more than a race shop. Both were accomplished, NCAA-caliber athletes in other sports: Jarrett in golf and Sadler in basketball.

Jarrett was offered a scholarship to play golf at the University of South Carolina, but turned it down to go into NASCAR.

``I can't ever beat my teammate, Dale Jarrett,'' Sadler said about their golfing expeditions. ``He whoops me every time.''

Sadler had a chance to go to James Madison University on a basketball scholarship and play for Lefty Dreisel. But a knee injury prevented Sadler from continuing his basketball career in college.

Despite making the switch to stock cars, Sadler still finds time to play basketball when he's not racing.

``Every once in a while,'' Sadler said. ``Not as much as I used to, 'cause we just travel too much.''

Sadler said he tries to mix in some games during the weekends at race tracks. During the off-season, Sadler goes back home to Virginia to play at his old high school.

``I'm getting older now,'' said the 30-year-old Sadler. ``It's getting a little harder to do it. I kinda like it when they play half-court, not full-court.''

When it comes to other NASCAR drivers, there aren't many who could challenge Sadler in a game of one-on-one.

``None of 'em,'' Sadler said. ``I'm not really worried about one-on-one basketball with any of them.''

His crew members, well, that's another story.

``My jackman's pretty athletic,'' Sadler said. ``He's about the only guy I'd really worry about in basketball right now.''

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BY TIM HADDOCK