07.25
July 25, 2010
A 31st-place starting position for the 17th running of the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway didn’t bode well for Bill Elliott and the Wood Brothers’ No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion. But Elliott and his David Hyder-led crew showed their true racing colors and turned in an impressive performance in one of NASCAR premier events, a race that is second in stature only to the Daytona 500.
When the checkered flag fell, Elliott and the No. 21 had moved up 13 positions to an 18th-place finish, the team’s second top-20 finish in seven starts so far in the 2010 season. The other was a 16th-place run at Texas Motor Speedway.
On Sunday at Indianapolis, the Wood Brothers team took advantage of some skillful driving by Elliott, a former Brickyard 400 winner, along with some smooth pit stops and good pit calls by Hyder to run among the top 20 for most of the afternoon and come away with a solid finish that they hope will lead to even better results when the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team returns to action in three weeks for the Carfax 400 at Michigan International Speedway.
Elliott’s driving skills were key to making it past the first lap at the Brickyard. When Kyle Busch and Sam Hornish Jr. spun just in front of him triggering a multi-car crash, Elliott steered the Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion through the smoke and spinning cars, emerging without a scratch on his car.
“That was close, real close,” Elliott said.
He also managed to avoid several other incidents and stayed on the lead lap throughout the race, even as some of the top contenders fell a lap or more behind.
In the closing laps, Elliott was involved in some of the closest racing of the day, and in doing so got himself and his team some quality TV time from the ESPN broadcast crew, which pointed out to viewers what a strong run the Wood Brothers team had going.
In the end, many of the drivers who had fallen a lap or more down took advantage of the wave- around rule to rejoin the lead lap. But Elliott held his ground in the final run to the checkered flag and delivered the team a momentum-building finishing position.
“It was a good day all around,” said team co-owner Eddie Wood. “The car was good. The FR9 engine was strong. Everything seemed to come together.
“We had good calls on the pit stops. Hyder and Bill [Elliott] worked together to make the car better, and Bill drove a really good race.”
Wood said he believes the progress the team made with a brand-new car at Indianapolis is a sign that the struggles of mid-season are behind them.
“A run like we had today is something to build on,” he said.
Check out Wood Brothers Racing’s new website at woodbrothersracing.com
I also have this to say: It’s cool that Cindy actually interacts with everyone on these message boards. Lets have some respect for her and that fact b/c she doesn’t have to do it. Please be thoughtful of her position and situation when asking questions and try not to ask a question that puts her in a bad spot (i.e. ?’s about the business side of Bill’s racing career.) If Bill wanted the public and his fans to know something then he would have said so. I would just hate for these message boards to become a barrage of questions to Cindy that she is not obligated or comfortable talking about. I’m sure Bill and his family discuss his/their racing future and when they know, we will know.
I REALLY appreciate that Cindy comes on here and interacts with us. For years, I have wished we had an insight to Bill and his thoughts during a race. Like, why did you pit?, why didn’t you pit? whay 2 tires? 4?, why not stay out under a caution? what was going on with the car at lap 150? What happened in a certain situation. Not to be critical, but to understand and JUST out of curiosity. Hell, you watch this man race for over 25 years and you feel like crap every time he has a wreck or a bad race and celebrate when he runs good. It is a part of who you are. So, you can’t help but wonder about these things. I can remember when Bill drove the 94 and when he ran good, I LOVED to see those golden arches. But when he ran bad or got in a wreck, I was in a pissed off mood all week and it seemed like wherever I went, wherever I looked, there were the golden arches staring me in the face reminding me how disappointed I was. And I always wanted to ask Bill was he just as disappointed (duh!). Lord knows when Bill won at Homestead for his first win in 7 years, I was jumping up and down the last 10 laps of the race. It seemed like I had waited my entire life for that moment. So, I don’t see what the big deal with people asking questions on here. There is no way to know where the line is without asking. Cindy is a grown person and like she has already done, she will simply say she cannot answer the question. I don’t see what the issue is.
On a lighter note, I am making plans for the Labor Day race at AMS. Its gonna be awesome for sure. Love the night racing at Atlanta. I’ve been to both races every year for the last 15 years! Hope Bill and the Woods can hit the setup right off the truck. Bill has tons of fans that show up for that race and a good run would cap off a great weekend! My question is about Bill’s availability to fans that weekend. Will he be making any appearances around town the week before the race? Or are there any other things planned where fans can interact with Bill? Either way I’ll be high up in the Elliott Grandstands cheering for Awesome Bill!
Awesomeb, I hope you got a Big Mac to get over your disappointment. Other than that, I agree with your post!
Yes, Bill will be back at Allan Vigils for an autograph session just like the old days, except it will be at Allan’s new facility, one exit up from the track, I think. The appearance will probably be scheduled for that Wednesday or Thursday prior to the race weekend.
I gotta tell ya back in the mid to late 80′s it got my blood pumping to see bill and dale go at it on the super speedways. Maybe it was me but it seemed like bill would just hang back around 10 to 15 position and when the time was right bill made a slight left turn and motored to the front, i sure miss those days, id give my left arm to see mr bill elliot drive past a jimmie johnson or jeff gordon one more time, do ya think the crowd would go crazy? Love ya mr elloit miss seeing u lead the pack want, i want to see it one more time. Thanks tim h. In florida 1/2 hour from daytona speedway.
Correction- if i could spell id be dangerous.. Sorry mr elliott
Bill…Go Get em’ at Michigan. Thats your house.
YAY ! MIS bound next week…
Thanks Bill for all you have done for us fans in your career! I never had a relationship with with my dad until 1985! Since then we haven’t missed a race that Bill was in. I hope if he ever comes back to South Georgia or Valdosta that it’s posted. My dad is now 70 and still loves watchin Bill Elliott race!! Thanks!!!
I can’t wait until Michigan. I really pay no attention to the races much, but when Bill is going to race, IT’s ON! I saw some idea on a post somewhere that Bill getting the 9 back would be cool. That would be awesome, but if he had to do it for RPM, I’d say forget it. I’m really suffering from severe nausea ever since that Richard Petty thinks that Allmandingbat can lead the pack, and be the new face of Ford. I have a great respect for Richard Petty, but I think he’s not getting enough sleep. What is he thinking? Somebody help me out here and tell me that this news is a bad dream.
NASCAR has gone to the dogs, road course racing sucks, I’ve seen better racing on I-75 in Atlanta. Bill I don’t really understand why you would want to drive full time anymore?????? Although I’d love to see you do it. NASCAR makes no sense anymore. Taking an Atlanta date so they can race in Kentucky??????????????? Then all of those diversity commercials, what’s up with that????????? Heck if you can drive you can drive, face it most of the blacks in America could give a good hoot less about NASCAR.
I am black and I actually truly enjoy nascar and it happens to be that Bill Elliott has been my favorite driver since 1992 when my first exposure of Nascar occurred. Blacks would give a hoot about Nascar if there was more exposure to nascar. In a lot of minority communities people live in a vacuum and cling to what is most accessible to them. For blacks it happens to be basketball and football for hispanics a lot of times its soccer or baseball. If there were local dirt tracks in these neighborhoods or go kart tracks, I think you would see more of interest in the sport. I enjoy it. Love the competition the speed the close racing. Nascar hasn’t been the same for me since Bill Elliott went part-time. I still watch it but I would love to see Bill back full-time. I agree with you that the tinkering with the schedule was not a wise move but economics are driving the sport these days. Trying to stay loyal to its traditions and tap into other markets take a delicate balance and taking away from Atlanta Motor Speedway was not a wise choice in my opinion.
Well one thing is for sure, you aren’t going to see the 3 wide racing at KY that we are used to at Atlanta. AMS has hosted some of the closest and most memorable racing in NASCAR history. Remember when Harvick beat Gordon by a fraction of a second after taking over for Earnhardt Sr. There are a number of those last lap finishes at the stripe that make AMS one of the best tracks on the circuit. It wont take long for the idiots in the ties to see that.
I’m looking forward to Michigan this week. Bill has a great history there are it would be a good time to put a solid run together and petition Ford/Motorcraft for some more sponsorship while in there backyard. Good luck!
Road course racing is much better than it used to be. Bill fulltime would be Awesome! Even with WBR. Don’t get me started with Diversity program. People have to have money to race! Any color people! I am caucasion and do not have the money to race. My point is most people don’t have the money to race. Think about it. Friday or Saturday night at your local track is expensive. Then you have to show your talent consistently. Most white folks can’t make it! The same goes for any race (I mean color-Is that PC?)! I said “Don’t get me started!” Dawg on it! You got me started! Go Bill @ Michigan!!!
Awesomeb, I would have to say I agree with your post. I have felt the same way over the years. I though I would never get over Bill blowing that tire on the last lap at Homestead. Who ever dose the tweeting on race day for the woodbrothes needs to be tweeting what bill is saying about the car! Anyway, GO MAKE IT #8 AT MIS BILL!!!!
I joined the U.S. Navy in 1985 and was sent to Japan, never got to see/hear alot about what Bill was doing back in the states. However, once I came home in 1989……I truly can’t express what it meant bonding even more with my father (and mom) due to our devotion to Million Dollar Bill. I love all sports and aside from Dan Marino and Larry Bird, no other athelete will ever capture me like Bill. He’s a fan favorite for a reason, he’s as smooth and talented off the track as he is on the track and a true professional in everthing he does. The next greatest thing in my life would be for Bill to lead the final lap again……I still pull for the #9 and Kahne is a talent, but Bill….you are the ambassador for what is good about NASCAR. God Bless you, Cindy and the family and look forward to seeing Chase “in the Chase for the Cup.”
Does anyone know if the Bill and the Woods are taking their Indy car to Michigan?
Just read on WBR site, that the Michigan car is the same one they had at Indy. Also have to agree that WBR twitter stinks.