05.28
After spending much of Friday’s Sprint Cup practice session at Charlotte Motor Speedway among the top 10 on the speed chart, Bill Elliott and the crew of the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion opted for a more conservative chassis set-up for qualifying and wound up with the 25th starting position for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600. Elliott’s lap at 184.344 miles per hour tied him with Dale Earnhardt Jr., but Earnhardt will start one position ahead, as he is higher in NASCAR car owner point standings.
Team co-owner Eddie Wood said he felt like the team’s No. 21 Ford potentially had more speed, but he agreed with crew chief David Hyder’s decision to tighten up the car for Elliott’s run against the clock. “We tightened it up with air pressure just before qualifying,” Wood said. “A lot of cars were getting loose, so that was the right thing to do. “At Charlotte, if you get loose, you can lose a lot of time.”
Since they raced the same chassis at Texas Motor Speedway last month and in the Sprint Showdown last weekend at Charlotte, Elliott and the Wood Brothers crew are upbeat about Saturday’s final practice sessions and NASCAR’s longest race on Sunday. “We’re getting ready for the Coca-Cola 600,” Wood said. TV coverage of the Coca-Cola 600 begins at 5:45 p.m. on Sunday on FOX, with the green flag set to fly just after 6 p.m.
Drive to the front Bill! I want to see an upset provided by the Wood Brothers and Bill Elliott!
Why do I get so pumped up to watch the race on the weekends Bill is racing?!?! I still get that nervous feeling in my gut when Bill is running – ’cause I know he’s always got a shot at winning. Come on Bill – make it a 600 to remember for us Elliott fans!!!
Gosh I wish Bill would run a couple more years full time. Racing just aint the same on the weekends when Bill aint out there.
It’s time for the Wood Brothers to put everything together and get Bill in a car that he can win with. I have complete faith in Bill’s ability to drive the car, if the crew will do their jobs, Bill can win. I’m not satisfied with Bill running 20th or 25th because, I know that Bill can still drive, he just needs a good piece and he’ll go to the front, he always has. Go Awesome Bill!!!!! You’re still the best in the business.
Why do these guys always play it conservative? To beat Kyle and Denny and Jimmie you cant play it safe. We are .8 tenths off in practice today already, that will not get it done in the race. Bill is an awesome driver, the equipment not so much…….
2 laps down top 25! Its pretty easy to predict, not running each week really hurts, even if they did it wouldn’t matter. Not enough money or support for this team, its a shame!!!
I would love to see Bill race with some better funded equipment. Good luck this weekend anyway Bill!
Oh crap, Bill sucked in first practice today.
Ray, the script normally goes more like this. They suck in practice and then start the race out bad. They make a couple of changes to the car and run laps as fast as the leader. By then though, they’re a couple of laps down and out of the race. That is a sympton of not running every week, not being underfunded. Obviously, the equipment is good enough to run up front and Bill can drive it that fast. The problem has been getting the car setup right from the start of the race. Or even close.
So Awesome,
Your telling me the woods have as much funding as the gibbs, hendricks, rousch of the world? No way man. They run laps as fast as the leaders 30 laps into a run when the whole field is within a few tenths of each other. The first 10 to 20 they are not in the same stratisphere (.4 to .6 tenths off). They can not make the car go fast for short amounts of time, they can make it consistent for the last 10 to 15 laps of a run thats about it. Never going to win like that! The setup can only get you so much, resources (like the shaker post and mulitple team mates) equals more speed especially at the cookie cutter tracks. They should have ran the short tracks and michigan, indy, pocono! They were very competitive at Bristol both races in 2008. Big tracks they can’t keep up, not enough speed. NOT Bill’s fault, just feels like the old McDonald days when we cruised around in 15th to 20th! I guess Bill thinks the team is capable of potentiall success, I think once he retires the woods are in trouble!
the equipment is not good enough. the woods have only won like three races in the last 20 years. the last was like eight years ago. the woods need to do what petty did and merge or get out. bill isn’t the problem. but it is hard to watch 25th every time out. i don’t see how bill could enjoy that. put him in the 9 for one or two more seasons. talk to petty. i think petty would love to have bill come there and finish out his career.
I vote to put Bill back into the 9 car; then I believe he can win again; as much as I believe in Bill’s ability and dedication, I don’t really deep down inside think he can win with the Woods. (Sorry) I think that they need a different crew chief, lots of hard work and outside support; before the Woods will ever win again.
the only thing the woods are doing for bill is allowing him to run a part time schedule. because the money isn’t there. merge with someone like front row or someone else. merge resources and have that three car team even if you are not loaded you can be more competitive. i think bill could if he wanted to drive the 9 for petty. good luck this weekend. i will be watching as always.
The one thing that we all agree on is our love and support for Bill. What we have to remember though is there are lots of well financed teams which haven’t won in a year or two if ever. Bill can still race with the best of them any day any track, period.
Other than for the fact that the # 9 team is a Ford again, I don’t want Bill anywhere near that team.
How about Bill following Kasey and Ray to Hendrick??? I would hate to see Earnhardt Jr. lose his ride to an Elliott.
I’m having a humorous moment with what I’m reading here… Kasey ? I’m disappointed he is going to Chevrolet. I still firmly believe that this sport should NOT have multi car teams ! It is what it is though. Bill I hope you have an Awesome evening @ Charlotte ! Again-Go #21*********
My comments were meant to be taken as sarcasim.
I wish that Kasey would remain in a Ford as much as wish that Ford had of stepped in before Bill drove Ray’s Dodge.
Point of the matter though Kasey and or Bill in an Hendrick car would make a lot of the other drivers sit up and take notice including little Jeff and Jimmie
AMEN to KK staying with Petty & Ford ! Just about time to root for Bill and his WBR team.. The longest race-600 miles…
This team is a joke!
With Jack Roush running all of Ford’s Cup racing this year, how do you expect the Woods to run well, with limited funding and being Jack’s step-child, when Jack’s own cars aren’t running worth a dime. Bill and the Woods are damn good people, it’s just the situation that they are in.
GO BILL AND CHASE!
Tough night.. But we pick ourselves up and try to win next time like we’re supposed to ! Corey Hearts’-”Never Surrender”…