Bill Elliott

1988 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Champion

Born: October 8, 1955
Hometown: Dawsonville, GA
The File: The 1988 NASCAR Winston Cup champion is one of the most popular drivers in NASCAR history. Won his fifteenth Most Popular Driver award in 2000 through an annual vote of the fans. Finished second in the NASCAR Winston Cup standings three times (1985, 1987, 1992). Named American Driver of the Year in 1985 and 1988. Won four straight races in 1992 to tie modern era record. Won the Daytona 500 en route to the Winston Million in 1985.

The nicknames flew as fast as Bill Elliott did in 1985.

"Wild Bill." "Awesome Bill from Dawsonville." "Million-Dollar Bill."

And all fit.

Many experts believe that as much as the feats of Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, it was Elliott's amazing 1985 season that helped propel NASCAR Winston Cup Racing to new heights.

Elliott won 11 poles and 11 races. Each of the wins was on a superspeedway, starting with the Daytona 500. He also won the Southern 500 at Darlington and the Winston 500 at Talladega to give him three of NASCAR's four crown jewels and the Winston Million bonus the first time it was offered.

And it wasn't just that he won. It was how he won. He won from the pole and he won from a lap down. He won tight duels, although he usually just ran away. The only thing he didn't win was the NASCAR Winston Cup title. Elliott finished second to Darrell Waltrip.

Elliott would finish second again in 1987 before claiming the NASCAR Winston Cup title in 1988 - the first Ford driver to win since David Pearson in 1969.

Four years later, Elliott would finish second again, losing the title by ten points to Alan Kulwicki in the closest points battle ever.

In 1995, he became an owner-driver with brother Ernie, again building the engines just as he had during that heady 1985 season.