"Without
the fans, I'm nothing"- Bill Elliott
Race Track Legends - Bill Elliott holds many
records, perhaps some that will never be surpassed.
The Talladega Speedway record speed of 212.809 mph
set in 1987 at the Winston 500 is one that may never
be bettered in this day of restrictor plate engines.
The record of winning more than a million dollars
in one season was a first for the sport of stock car
racing. But his crowning achievement is his continued
popularity with the fans. He has been voted most popular
NASCAR driver 14 times since 1984. More than any other
racer, past or present. It is a record that is likely
to stand for sometime and one that is likely to grow
as Elliott stays active in racing. This quiet and
humble man began his career on the short tracks of
Georgia in 1970. He made his move to NASCAR full time
in 1983. His star began to rise in 1985 when in one
season he won 11 superspeedway races and the bonus
of $1 Million dollars for winning three of the top
four races in the same season. "Million Dollar Bill"
became a household word and his popularity began to
climb. In only two years since 1984, 1989 and 1990,
has Elliott failed to win the award for most popular
driver. What makes this so special is that this award
is the result of fan balloting conducted by the National
Motorsports Press Association. In short, this is the
people's award in NASCAR. Elliott continues to race
and sometimes wins on the track, but he always wins
the hearts and minds of the race fans. |
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