@cody-dinsmore13 years ago
Wow! that is one rare photo. I knew he drove the #10 a few times in 76 and 77, but haven't seen many pictures of it. I forgot who it was owned by and I just read it too! But it wasn't the Elliott's who owned the car.-Cody
@cody-dinsmore13 years ago
I remembered! I believe that Bill Champion was the owner.
@pete-banchoff13 years ago
You're right Cody, this car was owned by Bill Champion and Elliott ran a handful of races that year in the 10 car. I believe it was Bill Elliott's first race at Michigan and he qualified 21st and finished 28th because of a blown engine. Great picture as always John!!I think bill Elliott drove the 9 car for maybe 5 races in 1976 for George Elliott racing.
@cody-dinsmore13 years ago
Yes, he did drive a powder blue Torino in 1976. The story on that car is when George gave Bill, Ernie, and David Sosebee a check for the car to buy from Bobby Allison. When they got the car, it was a 1972 Torino formerly driven by Richie Panch in the 1974 Talladega 500. Panch had mechanical problems around half-way through the race. Anyway...so when the boys got back to Dawsonville with a 1972 Torino, Ernieimmediately built an engine for it. Since their father, George, owned a Ford Dealership, they had new fenders and panels, and a grill to make it a 76' model. The color choice was a powder/baby bluewith Black numbers (when the car was restored in 2000 in honor of Bill's 25th anniversary in Nascar, the numbers were repainted red) They tried to qualify the car in Atlanta, but didn't make the field. So their nextattempt was in Rockingham. Bill qualified deep in the field, 34th. Around lap 30, he blew an oil pump belt (Before Melling Oil Pumps! haha) and so Bill retired from the race finishing 33rd and collecting a check for $640. I do believe that he drove the #9 Torino for around 5-10 races. I know for a fact he drove the fall race at Atlanta and the Firecracker race at Daytona.The next year in 1977, they bought a 1977 Mercury from Roger Penske and it was painted red/white with #9. They usually tried to run their own cars...but sometimes they didn't have a car or the funds to build one. So from 1976-early 1981, he drove for other peopleoccasionallyincluding this #10 for Bill Champion. I have a Bill Elliott book that shows some of these "Field Filler" cars. For example....in 1980 at Charlotte, he drove either a #35 or #37 Buick, He drove a red and white Chevy one time in 79' and even a purple Dodge Aspen in 1980!Anyway...thanks for sharing the photo and allowing me to post my stories!-Cody
Wow! that is one rare photo. I knew he drove the #10 a few times in 76 and 77, but haven't seen many pictures of it. I forgot who it was owned by and I just read it too! But it wasn't the Elliott's who owned the car.-Cody
I remembered! I believe that Bill Champion was the owner.
You're right Cody, this car was owned by Bill Champion and Elliott ran a handful of races that year in the 10 car. I believe it was Bill Elliott's first race at Michigan and he qualified 21st and finished 28th because of a blown engine. Great picture as always John!!I think bill Elliott drove the 9 car for maybe 5 races in 1976 for George Elliott racing.
Yes, he did drive a powder blue Torino in 1976. The story on that car is when George gave Bill, Ernie, and David Sosebee a check for the car to buy from Bobby Allison. When they got the car, it was a 1972 Torino formerly driven by Richie Panch in the 1974 Talladega 500. Panch had mechanical problems around half-way through the race. Anyway...so when the boys got back to Dawsonville with a 1972 Torino, Ernieimmediately built an engine for it. Since their father, George, owned a Ford Dealership, they had new fenders and panels, and a grill to make it a 76' model. The color choice was a powder/baby bluewith Black numbers (when the car was restored in 2000 in honor of Bill's 25th anniversary in Nascar, the numbers were repainted red) They tried to qualify the car in Atlanta, but didn't make the field. So their nextattempt was in Rockingham. Bill qualified deep in the field, 34th. Around lap 30, he blew an oil pump belt (Before Melling Oil Pumps! haha) and so Bill retired from the race finishing 33rd and collecting a check for $640. I do believe that he drove the #9 Torino for around 5-10 races. I know for a fact he drove the fall race at Atlanta and the Firecracker race at Daytona.The next year in 1977, they bought a 1977 Mercury from Roger Penske and it was painted red/white with #9. They usually tried to run their own cars...but sometimes they didn't have a car or the funds to build one. So from 1976-early 1981, he drove for other peopleoccasionallyincluding this #10 for Bill Champion. I have a Bill Elliott book that shows some of these "Field Filler" cars. For example....in 1980 at Charlotte, he drove either a #35 or #37 Buick, He drove a red and white Chevy one time in 79' and even a purple Dodge Aspen in 1980!Anyway...thanks for sharing the photo and allowing me to post my stories!-Cody