Racing legend Bill Elliott has built one of the most distinguished records in NASCAR Cup history.
Throughout his career he has radiated a modest and friendly personality that has endeared him to race fans of all ages. From cutting up car bodies in the early days to winning NASCAR's first million-dollar bonus, Bill Elliott has seen and done it all. Though quiet and unpretentious, this NASCAR Cup champion has been dazzling fans with his racing ability for an amazing three decades.
In 1985, he won 11 races and 11 poles on his way to winning the first Winston Million in NASCAR history, bringing a new fame to him and the sport of auto racing. His victories in the Daytona 500, the Winston 500 at Talladega and the Southern 500 at Darlington earned him the million-dollar bonus and the nickname, "Million Dollar Bill." Elliott's "fuel-injected" success also landed him on the cover of Sports Illustrated as the first Winston Cup driver to appear on the cover. Additional glory followed and in 1988, with six wins, six poles, 11 top-five and 22 top-ten finishes in 29 races, Elliott earned NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series championship.
In 1995, Bill Elliott began his own team and assumed sole ownership a year later. In 2000, he celebrated his 25th anniversary in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. He made another high-profile move in 2001 when he joined Ray Evernham and Dodge as the lead driver of their organization. The team would herald in a new era for Dodge as the manufacturer made its return to the track after more than 20 years.
His 2001 standings were his best overall since 1994 with one win, two poles, five top-fives, nine top- 10s and a 15th place finish in the points. In the 2002 season, he won four poles, finished four times in the top-five, 11 times in the top-10 and captured the checkered flag twice in a row: once at the Pennsylvania 500 and again at the Brickyard 400. By November 9, 2003 he had achieved his fourth win for Evernham Motorsports at Rockingham, moving up from a start in the rear of the field and leading 140 of 393 laps. During that season, he also finished in the top-five nine times and had 12 top-10 finishes. Moreover, Elliott has achieved amazing popularity, winning the NMPA's "Most Popular Driver" Award a record 16 times, eventually retiring his name from the contest in 2003.
Bill Elliott races a reduced driving schedule as he prepares to retire. During this new stage in his career, Elliott's first thoughts are for his fans, answering their disappointment by reflecting, "The way I look at it, there's got to be a time when you've got to step back. We don't live forever. We don't drive forever. We don't do a lot of things forever. It would be nice to do it, but I feel like this is an opportunity for the fans where I can still run some events." During his less rigorous racing schedule, he has devoted more time to developing his son’s racing career and helping other talented drivers along their way.
Bill Elliott's devotion to both his sport and his supporters equals his talent, making him a legend with both his team and his fans. Career Highlights 1985 Winston Million Winner 1985 Daytona 500 Winner 1987 Daytona Winner 1988 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion 2002 Brickyard 400 Winner 44 Career NASCAR Sprint Cup victories 175 Career NASCAR Sprint Cup Top-5 Finishes 320 Career NASCAR Sprint Cup Top-10 Finishes 54 Career NASCAR Sprint Cup Poles NASCAR Most Popular Driver: 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2002. Fan poll conducted by National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA).