02.07
Bill Elliott and the crew of the Motorcraft Quick Lane No. 21 Ford Fusion headed into Saturday’s Daytona 500 qualifying session with a seemingly modest, but extremely important goal – to secure a starting spot for the Great American Race.
But Elliott and his David Hyder-led Wood Brothers team blew by that simple goal in a big way, nailing down the fourth qualifying position and leading the way for Ford Motor Company. His was the only Fusion among the top 10 qualifiers. Elliott’s lap at 190.573 miles per hour was just a few ticks of the stopwatch slower than Mark Martin’s pole winning run of 191.188 mph, giving two of the top four starting spots to drivers over age 50.
But, as Elliott pointed out, success in qualifying at Daytona is as much or more about teamwork than driver performance or experience. And his crew came through for him with flying colors. “We worked hard,” he said. “We did our homework.”
Team co-owner Eddie Wood said that while the crew accomplished its goal of being the fastest of the teams outside the top 35 in car owner points and therefore not assured of a starting spot, it could have been a lot more interesting if the backstretch tailwinds that propelled some of the earlier qualifiers hadn’t subsided before Elliott hit the track. “We would have loved to have been on the pole, but going out late hurt us there,” Wood said. “But the important thing is that we’re in the Daytona 500.”
Just like last year at Daytona, the No. 21 Motorcraft Quick Lane entry drew praise for its workmanship from both garage insiders and TV commentators covering the race. FOX broadcaster Larry McReynolds, a former crew chief, pointed out to viewers that hundreds of hours were spent sanding and polishing and tweaking on the car to come up with a sleek finished product that outran 50 other competitors.
Elliott, who knows a thing or two about car preparation himself having been a hands-on mechanic earlier in his career, joined in the praise of the Wood Brothers’ work. “I’m telling you, this is a gorgeous race car, very well put together,” he said. “I’m just proud to race it come Sunday afternoon.”
His qualifying lap assures him of a Daytona 500 start no matter how he finishes in Thursday’s 150-mile Gatorade Duels that will determine the starting line-up for the 500. Elliott said that now that the initial Daytona goal has been met, the celebration needs to be short because it’s time for him and the crew to get back to work preparing for Thursday’s Duel and then the Daytona 500 next Sunday. “Our sights are set on the Daytona 500,” he said. “I think we’ve got a pretty good idea of what we need to do, and that is to let the guys do their magic in the garage and then see what we can do on the race track.”
Great job….It looks like a wonderful car..And I was hoping for a pole for bill and the wood brothers…but heck now we can with the 125 and the daytona 500
go bill go , i knew if the woodbrothers could build you a great car that you would show how good it really is . best of luck in the 500 and hope you can bring it home on sunday with a win or top 5 or top 10 good luck
Bill is the best driver to ever lap Daytona in a truely fast car…if they would let these cars really run, say over 205, he could easily win the race. He knows how to handle the track at high speed …these other guys don’t.
Excellent run guys! It’s a shame that the tail-wind which helped the earlier qualifiers didn’t cooperate win Bill came out.
Bill and the Wood Bros. came to Daytona hungry for that pole position and it showed.
I hope that that the sun shines on that #21 team for the rest of the week, they deserve it.
Great Work Team! Way To Go Awesome Bill! Looking Good Out There!
We’re not surprised @ Bills fast lap. Especially in a FORD !
LOOKING FORWARD TO A WIN SUNDAY THAT WILL BE AWESOME
just proves as we all have said. bill with the right equipment can compete with the best because he is the best.
Congrats !!!!Great effort by Bill and the whole Wood bros.team
Great job Bill and the whole Woods bros. team. Why didn’t Bill race in the Bud shotout?
Can one tell me? Thanks
FRED THEY HAD NO SPONSOR
Why is Bill stating on second row of Thursday 150 qualifying race and not the front row since he was fouth fastest????
Way to go Bill. have been a fan of yours for 30 years,
ever since I saw you run the qualifying race in 1979….Will always be a fan of yours and
that # 21 Wood brothers car looked beautiful Saturday…..
The Wood Bros and Bill decided to focus all there efforts on the Daytona 500. They felt like the Bud shootout would take away from that. It would really make my day to see Bill stading in victory lane after the 500 holding the trophy. I think every race fan would like to see Bill show everybody up! If Bill can’t win it, then I would settle with a victory for Mark Martin.
Thanks old number 9. If Bill don’t win, I’d like to see Kasey Khane in the winners circle.
I can’t be pulling for no bow tie.
Outstanding Bill. Once again, the fastest Ford in Qualifying. Great job
Woods Bros and your crew. Have a great Daytona 500 and bring home
the checkers!
Good job Bill! Good luck in the Daytona 500. I would love to see you win that race again. You are the greatest!! Glad to see you in the Ford Fusion again.
I would like to see Bill get agressive when the time is right, heck he’s not running for points so really from that standpoint they have nothing to lose, however I do understand that going the 500 miles and not tearing your car up is the first phase in having a chance to win.I’m just saying if he’s in that position on the final lap,let it all hang out baby.
Is Ernie Elliott building race engines for the sprint cup series,if not I would like to see if he could come up with something other than the yates/rousch package, maybe that is the best, but how do you know if your getting what their teams are getting it just makes me wonder if Ernie could possibly make more power, he sure out did them in the 80′s and 90′s, we all know the man is ford through and through.
Congratulations Bill. I can’t wait for Sunday. Go Bill!!!
Way to go Bill & crew. We can see good things happening for the 500! Good luck Guys.
you know i was having a pretty crappy day saturday until i got back home , turned on qualifying, and watched my hero pull onto the track in that bright red 21 wood bros ford. the next thing i knew i was up standing in the middle of the living room floor yelling, come on bill get up on that wheel and show everybody there is still only one millon dollar bill!!!! and sure enough the king of speed did it again. so thanks bill for saturday and all the other days you have given all us fans, on good days or bad a reason to cheer and be proud to be an elliott fan. now lets take care of her till 50 to go then get back up on that wheel and give em hell. i’ll be up in the middle of the living room floor yelling and cheering you on just like i have every race since 1983.
GO BILL GO…..I love that you are still in this sport…wouldn’t watch if you weren’t! We love you here in Kentucky! Would love to see another WIN from WILD BILL FROM DAWSONVILLE!!!
dose bill still have fans club?
Good luck in the 500 Bill and the Wood Brothers and crew. I have watched Bill for 30 years Love seeing him back in a Ford. Iam like a lot of other people, would love to see you win another race.
I have sat here and read all the wonderful comments of the fans of the awesome one, and thought to myself that this man is just as genuine to everyone else as he has been to me the two or three times that I have talked with him. The first time was at an autograph session on the south side of Indy. Bill arrived, and went inside a small gas station to speak with handicapped kids for the first 20 minutes of his session. Then he came outside in the heat, and signed autographs until he had signed for everyone, taking the time to talk to people and answer their questions. Bill Elliott is the type of person you want as a role model. He does not put himself above his fans, and is truly AWESOME. Good Luck in Daytona and the rest of the season.
He truely is the best role model a person could have. I was as proud as I have ever been when he ran that qualifying lap on Saturday. I still strongly believe in his abilities as a driver, and will always believe in his abilities as a true hero. Bill, no matter what happens the rest of speedweeks, go out there and have a good time. I know we do everytime you hit the track. I can’t wait for the 500 and the rest of the season. Good luck this week to the 21 team
TRUELY AWESOME, WE ALL WANT TO HERE THE BELL RING ONE MORE TIME AT THE DAWSONVILLE POOL HALL , BILL YOU ARE A TRUE CLASS ACT , YOU ARE A HERO TO ALL OF US AND ONE OF THE REASON NASCAR IS WHAT IT IS TODAY . WIN OR LOSE ON SUNDAY WE WILL BE PROUD OF YOU AND THE WOOD BROTHERS 21 . GOD BLESS AND GOOD LUCK , PS GLAD TO SEE YOU BACK IN A FORD
there has only been one race car driver and thats bill good luck in 500
Just try to stay clear of the idiot’s on the track as much as possible, I know that don’t really narrow it down that much, but the race isn’t won on lab 1 or lap 199 it’s 200, and it seems that most forget that. Just be as safe as possible and let’s pray that no one gets injured due to these great nascar rules that suppose to make this race so much better than any other,watching the bud shootout I couldn’t see any real difference, you still cannot pull out as pass the leader without having a train behind you. I just think restictor rules suck, and you drivers are the ones suffering the consequence.
thats good run on sat lets see if the woods can keep bill up front
Praying for a safe race and a Awesome win for Bill Elliott and family. This year is going to get better and better for Bill. God Bless !!! Your fans in Quiucy, Il
Do you all remember the year 2000 when Bill led every lap I think in the 125′s ? That was a great day ! Have new T for sundays race-Have a great time #21 TEAM…..
You know I have been watching every single one of the posts that all of Bill’s fans have been putting up for the last several days. I have wanted to respond to each individual but their are no words that could describe the way we feel. All of you, Bill’s fans, are just incredible. The posts over the last few days have overwhelmed our hearts and we are so thankful to have you pulling for Bill. We just wanted to say thank you.
Mr.Elliott I am so excited to see you back at the Dytona 500. Back in 86 or 87 we made the trip to the atlanta 500 where we watch the 500 that day and still to this day was the most exciting event my eyes have seen. The next day we went to your shop and recived a tour, you could eat off the floor it was so clean. What a wonderful thrill it was to meet you and you crew. The best of luck this weekend your the man Bill Elliott.
Get em Bill. You are my most favorite driver and always have been, NASCAR has changed so much and I I have lost interest in some ways, but if I heat Bill Elliott is in the mix, Im back in!!
Good luck Bill
Jeff Lula GA.
Proverbs 21:21 He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness and honour. Its a honour to be a Bill Elliott Fan. Its going to be a blessed day on sunday the 14th for the Elliott family. Awesome God , Awesome Bill ,in An Awesome ford!!! No better way to start the day and to win it Amen !!! God Bless you all !!! Tim & Tammy Quincy, IL
God Bless You both as well. And thank you for the righteous words.