NASCAR Cup

Dover II: Bill Elliott preview

BILL ELLIOTT - HURRICANE ISABEL "We may be swimming around the track there this weekend. I don't know. I've seen these storms change directions so quickly. It doesn't look like that's the case with this one. You just never know though. The main ...

Edited: Sep 17, 2003, 3:21 AM

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BILL ELLIOTT - HURRICANE ISABEL

"We may be swimming around the track there this weekend. I don't know. I've seen these storms change directions so quickly. It doesn't look like that's the case with this one. You just never know though. The main thing is to make sure people are safe. I'm sure we're just going to have to wait and see what she does. You've got to look out for all the people that are traveling and keep in mind those people who may be dealing with what that storm could bring. Racing takes a backseat when you are dealing with things like that."

RAY EVERNHAM - HURRICANE ISABEL

"Obviously the emergency the hurricane has created is the number one priority on everyone's list. The first thing is making sure that the people in the towns are safe. Then, if through all that we can go up to Dover and race and the hurricane doesn't cause damage or injury or anything worse then we'll go on up there and put a show on. Right now, the concern is about all the friends and families that are in the path of that hurricane."

RACE NOTES

Bill Elliott is scheduled to drive chassis No. 54 in Dover. The chassis was raced at Darlington (b) for the first time where Elliott finished fifth.

STATS & FACTS

CAREER AT DOVER

This will be Elliott's 41st career start at Dover Int'l Speedway. He has a total of four wins, three poles, 12 top-fives and 19 top-10 finishes at the track. Elliott has led 15 Dover races for a total of 2,050 laps led at the track. He has tallied only three DNF's at the racetrack.

DOVER BESTS

Elliott earned Dover victories in 1985(a), 1988 (a-b) and 1990 (b). His four wins at the track tie him for the most wins among active drivers (J. Gordon, R. Rudd). Elliott took the pole in the 1985 (b), 1987 (a) and 1990 (b) Dover events.

DOVER TRACK RECORD

Elliott set the Dover Int'l Speedway track record for fastest 500-mile race (125.945 mph, 3 hours, 19 minutes, 0 seconds) in 1990, winning the race from the pole position. Elliott is one of only eight drivers to win a race from the pole at Dover.

SWEEPING UP AT DOVER

Elliott is one of only eight drivers who have swept both Winston Cup races at Dover in the same year. He won from the third position in fall of 1998 and won from the 17th position in the spring race that year.

FRONT ROW ADVANTAGE

Elliott is one of only eight drivers who have won from the pole position at Dover (1990-b). Only 14 Dover races have been won from a starting position outside of the top-10.

WINSTON CUP POINTS RACE

Elliott's fourth-place run at New Hampshire last weekend moves him up to 15th place in the Winston Cup points standings. He is 10 points out of the next spot and 217 out of the top-10.

MOST RECENT RUN AT DOVER

In the spring race at Dover, Elliott worked all weekend to get comfortable with his protective foot gear after suffering a broken foot two weeks prior at the Winston All-Star event. Elliott battled tight conditions for most of the day, especially when caught in traffic. The Dodge Squad continued their fast work in the pits, often gaining spots on pit road. Team Director Mike Ford continued to look for ways to help the handling of Elliott's car using wedge, rubber and air pressure adjustments throughout the day to help Elliott get through the center of the corners better. Elliott managed to complete his second Winston Cup race with a broken foot without losing substantial ground in the points race.

LAST WEEKEND

Last weekend at NHIS, Elliott wasted little time in moving up from his 12th place starting position. He cracked the top-10 on lap 18 and remained there except for cycling through pit stops at various times throughout the day. Elliott assumed the lead after a two-tire stop on lap 128. Excellent work in the pits by the Dodge Squad and good pit strategy by Mike Ford kept Elliott up front throughout the day. Elliott needed only minor tweaks to his setup, taking only air pressure adjustments during some of his pit stops. With less than 30 laps to go, the field began to pit at various times. Several teams opted to try and stay out while others pitted for fuel and some for two tires. The Dodge Squad elected for right-side tires and fuel. Elliott was able to cycle through the field and battle into the fourth position with less than three laps to go. He held onto that position for his fifth top five and sixth top- of the season. It was Elliott's best finish at the 1.058-mile track. His previous best run was fifth in July 1999.

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