Unexpected meeting Sunday

[MeanGene]

So I headed over to Sears Point last Sunday, they had a TransAm race along with some Historic stuff, including the Historic Stock Car Racing Association. Some friends have a Joe Gibbs/ Bobby Labonte car, and I was buying a Vertex from one of them. They had a 12 lap Stock Car race in the morning, and another as the last race of the day. Some pretty good iron around, a Petty car, Dale Jr., Ricky Rudd, Bill Elliot t-Bird, and the "Cole Trickle" car from the movie. In the morning session, I hear the announcer, several times, say "Bill Elliot picks up another position". What? Who? The Elliot Bird is not passing anyone, near the rear. Saw a car with a different paint scheme, but #9- and it's moving. Passed 2 cars in the hairpin Turn 11 to take 2nd. I head over to my friend's pit and ask, what is that a different Bill Elliot, or ? No, it's The Man, he's right over there! He's killing all of us! I head over there, there's a cluster of 6 cars being fussed over, including the off-color #9, that turned out to be a Chase Elliot car from 2010. One of the old Birds is on display. A golf cart pulled up next to me, and it's Awesome Bill himself- hey, how you doing? Just one of the guys, checking details and getting his game face on. So the last race started, and this time he's on the pole. 1st lap he has a 6-second lead, 2nd lap about 15 seconds, 3rd lap, the announcer says "and Bill Elliot is... gone". Lapped his 1st two cars on Lap 8, a couple more the next lap, lapped half the field in 12 laps- think that 70-year old can't still drive? He put on an incredible show, fast and smooooth

[frnkeore]

Bill was almost unbeatable after Ernie and a head porter (I can't recall his name) got together and figured out the Cleveland head.

Made me proud that my name is also Elliott. No relation, of course but, my brother always referred to him as "Uncle Bill"

[chilly460]

My father and I would watch NASCAR in the 80s when it was still interesting, he loved Elliott.  I was 9 at the time but can remember that 1985 Talladega race and him coming from almost two laps down without cautions to help…I still remember wondering how one car could be so much faster than the others.  They definitely were ahead of the curve for that year.  I’ve since read up a bit on Widmer’s port design…pretty radical stuff

[475fetoploader]

That's a great story!  What a fun opportunity.