This article is about the NASCAR driver Bill Elliott. For the similarly named film, see Billy Elliot.
Bill Elliott (Born October 8, 1955) is a driver in the NASCAR Nextel Cup series. Elliott drove the #9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge Intrepid for car owner Ray Evernham from 2001 to 2003 and won four events including the Brickyard 400 in 2002.
In 2004, Elliott relinquished the #9 car to rookie Kasey Kahne and switched to a part-time schedule driving both the #91 Dodge Intrepid for Evernham in four events including the Budweiser Shootout and his self-owned #98 Dodge Intrepid in three other events.
In 2005, Elliott continues his part-time driving duties which includes driving a 'retro' #39 Coors Dodge Charger for Chip Ganassi Racing in the Budweiser Shootout and the #91 Evernham Dodge Charger in several events.
Elliott won both the Winston Million in 1985 and the NASCAR Cup Championship in 1988 while driving the Coors Ford Thunderbird for Harry Melling.
Elliott fielded his own Winston Cup race team from 1995 until 2000, but was never as successful as he was with Melling and the Junior Johnson owned team (with which he finished second in the points standings in 1992).
Also, he has won NASCAR's Most Popular Driver Award a record 16 times which he last won in 2002. He withdrew his name from the ballot after that and the award will be renamed after Elliott when he retires from the sport.
Throughout his career, Elliott has garnered 44 wins in the Cup series, including 2 victories in the Daytona 500, as well as 1 Busch Series win at Watkins Glen.
Teams and Sponsors
Teams
- Melling Racing- 1982-1991
- Junior Johnson- 1992-1994
- Bill Elliott Racing- 1995-2000
- Evernham Motorsports- 2001-Present
Sponsors
** One-race or multiple race sponsor
