[caption id="attachment_2253" align="alignleft" width="150"] Cody Dinsmore[/caption]

When we last talked, Winston Cup Champion and NASCAR's Most Popular Driver was planning to leave his family-based and Melling owned race team. The move would be the biggest in his career yet. With Coors Brewing Company leaving the #9, and being in a slump during the past couple of seasons, Bill thought change was needed going into the 1992 season.

Several driver/sponsor combinations were being switched up for the 92' season. One big announcement in particular was "The King", Richard Petty was to compete in his last season as an owner. Geoff Bodine, who for two seasons drove Junior Johnson's famous #11 was leaving to compete on WWII Veteran, Bud Moore's legendary #15. Therefore, a seat in Johnson's Budweiser Thunderbird was now vacant with Bill Elliott being a top driver, looking for a top ride. So, a deal was struck on January 2nd, 1992 for a three-season contract for Bill to drive the #11 Ford. I'm sure that the Coors executives weren't too happy about the Most Popular Driver switching to their competitor.