As everybody tries to be the first to name who the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup champ will be, we remember another season when it seemed there was an obvious early title winner this week over at Georgia Racing History.com .

The year was 1985, and Georgia racer Bill Elliott and his ragtag team out of Dawsonville, Georgia had raced seemingly out of nowhere to become the hottest driver on the Winston Cup circuit. Elliott's red Ford Thunderbird was unstoppable on the big tracks, dominating events at Daytona, Talladega, Atlanta and Darlington.

But as the season wound down, mechanical gremlins and bad luck took what appeared to be a sure thing and opened the door wide open to fate. You can read all about it this week over at Georgia Racing History.com .

And don't forget, time is the clock is ticking down to the 2010 Georgia Racing Hall of Fame induction banquet. Tickets are now available. This year, five new members will be added to the ranks of Georgia's greats, including Ted Edwards, Ernie Elliott, Jack Etheridge, Laverne Kendrick and Jerry Wimbish. The banquet will be held on the evening of Oct. 22, and will include some new features that we've never had at any previous event, including a special recognition of all our past inductees! For more information or to purchase tickets, just visit www.georgiaracinghof.com .

Happy Birthday wishes go out this week on Oct. 8 to Bill Elliott.

Thanks everybody, and have a great weekend!

Brandon Reed
Georgia Racing History.com