Yes Ernie was sharp as a tack. If stuff was legendary and change the sport forever I think they should have named the restrictor-plate the Ernie plate. I think it's time we should be put in the Hall of Fame. there have been more wins by engine builders.and more wins by certain crew chief but I cannot think of a single one who had that many as crew chief and engine Builder. He had 40 victories in cup. Series as an engine builder and 33 as a crew chief . The only other one nine way I can think of would be Waddell Wilson.bob rahily an Neil bonett won several but that's all I can think of I'm sure their is more.but ernie should be in Hall of fame
Bill Elliot will always be one of my favorite NASCAR drivers. He was most popular 10 years in a row. (Record). I never thought that Bill would go away from Ford when he raced in a Dodge. I was surprised when he drove a Dodge rather than a Ford. But, Richard Petty had a run in with Chrysler when they wanted him to drive a Dodge & he wanted his Plymouth. Sooo He drove a Ford. Now his cars are Chevys. But, Petty's Chevy's aren't winning though his son Chase is winning in a Chevy.
I agree bill will never get the credit he deserves as a driver there was a point in time that I believe Bill was the best in the world I don't know if wrecking at Daytona and preseason testing in 89 or what it was but he never was quite the same after that he could still win but didn't seem to put his self in the middle of stuff if he didn't have quite the car to win after that but Bill was certainly one of the greatest drivers in my opinion ever
Another one was one of Bill's wildest seasons. He won 11 races, and shattered many records. He won the Winston Million, got a pole on all 4 Superspeedway races, and after an oil pump fix put him 2.5 laps down at the Winston 500, he'd make up the entire 6.5 mile deficit under green to win the race! Unfortunately, Darrell Waltrip was just more consistent that season.
Bill had 8 runner-up race finishes before finally breaking through in 1983 at a road course. Ironically, his son Chase would also have 8 runner-up finishes before finally getting his first win in 2018, also at a road course.
Haven't saw this in years thanks for puting this on here.hard to belive that melling racing shop was state of the art at the time an should be to this day .its such a shame that a cup team couldn't compete competitive with what they had an is the reason nascar is in trouble.it shouldn't cost 30 million a year an 100 plus people people to run a competing race team.also 4 people building all engines has killed the sport
It takes a man to withdraw his name from Most Popular Driver since he had won it so many times. I wouldn't swear to that but believe that was the deal as Richard Petty would say.
He wanted to make sure Earnhardt won most popular driver in 2001. Definitely a first class move. Ironic little known fact I heard about: Some fans actually penciled in Bill's name for the votes for most popular driver, and Bill politely asked to have them pulled.
especially considering there history they never got along the greatest i was always an earnhardt fan but that to me put bill elliott in a whole new light. mad respect for him doing that he is truly a classy gentleman
I was standing NEXT to a FORD RACING guy when they came to look at the 9 at Daytona one year, Ernie gets out from under the hood and tells the ford guy, "Get out of here (But I work for Ford we are just looking), The only two things on this car that belong to ford is that little chrome doughnut on the hood and the one on the tail, GET OUT!!!!"
It's okay winning the winston-million was far bigger than winning a championship 33 people can say they are Winston cup champions only three can say they won three of the four big races in a Year and nothing has done more for the sport to make it grow or been bigger in Motorsports then that to win the winston-million million was in 85 it's a miracle they won anything the way NASCAR kept changing rule after rule for 3 years and even give Chevrolet what they call the aero coupe which in reality was nothing more than an aerodynamic Band-Aid to allow the Chevrolet teams to catch up with Elliot. And all the you never heard bill complain or nothing they simply went back two dawsonville and came back with something bigger and better time and time again when history has looked back on we all know who the champion was in 85 and although it's a shame the crybaby Waltrip name is there we all know Bill Ernie and Dan set the Motorsports world on fire and put everybody else on their knees
@@brianbooher7318 you'll love this one. I was reading Bill Elliott's autobiography, and when NASCAR decided to change the ride heights on the cars, lowering the GMs and raising the Fords, and Bill and Harry Melling "protesting" the rule change, where out of site, they were laughing their asses off because the whole time they were racing at 51 inches high, the old mark for GM cars whereas the Fords ran at 50 inches high. NASCAR set a standard roof height of 50 1/2 inches for everyone. It was the minimum height with no maximum height, so the Elliotts, running 51 inches for extra clearance around the tires, actually didn't change anything whereas everyone else did. And NASCAR never noted that all this time. Makes you laugh.
@@adamtereska8734 I had heard about that but I wasn't exactly sure what went on there thanks for informing me I know it was something to do with ride height but wasn't sure about the circumstances around it
@@brianbooher7318 it had to be even more embarrassing to NASCAR and the GM teams to learn they were running at the old GM ride heights before the change.
@@SMIFFTV I love your channel (especially the RAW feeds)! I've got a few plastic totes of old races from the 80's/90's on VHS but no working VCR. I assume all of the races are somewhere on youtube by the point, but I have a few "home video"s that would be cool to see again. Like "Daytona: Drama, Danger, Dedication"
@@SMIFFTV I've got well over a hundred. I would say its primarily Cup races from the mid to late 90's. Random Busch & Truck races. Some Indycar. Because I would set it to record the full tape I have some gems like Sport Center or random TNN stuff after the races. Is there anything you would want me to look for?
Give it a couple years I'm going to say the next five every car will have the same spec engine in it you watch and see. It'll be based off the small block Chevy and everyone will run the same identical motor
