Bill Elliott

The first driver to win the Winston Million bonus by winning three of four crown jewel races in 1985 and holder of NASCAR's fastest qualifying speed record.

William Clyde Elliott Sr., born October 8, 1955, in Dawsonville, Georgia, is an American former professional stock car racing driver known by nicknames like "Awesome Bill from Dawsonville," "Million Dollar Bill," and "Wild Bill." His career highlights include winning the 1988 Winston Cup Championship and securing 44 wins in that series. Elliott made history in 1985 as the first driver to win the Winston Million bonus, a $1 million prize that earned him his famous moniker. He holds the NASCAR record for fastest qualifying speed at both Talladega (212.809 mph) and Daytona (210.364 mph), records set in 1987 that remain unmatched due to restrictor plate usage since then.

Quick Facts

Birth name: William Clyde Elliott Sr.
Born: 8 October 1955
Birthplace: Dawsonville, Georgia, U.S.
Height: 6 ft 1 in / 1.85 m
Total cup races: 828
Years in cup: 37
First cup race: 1976 Carolina 500 (Rockingham)
Last cup race: 2012 Coke Zero 400 (Daytona)

Lore & Background

Elliott's 1985 season stands as a defining moment in NASCAR history when he captured the inaugural Winston Million bonus. The promotion offered $1 million for winning three of four crown jewel races: the Daytona 500, Winston 500, World 600, and Southern 500. Elliott started strong with a dominating win at Daytona, leading 104 of 200 laps from the 7th starting position. His second leg came at Talladega's Winston 500, where he executed one of the greatest comebacks in racing history.

After pitting due to a tire issue and falling one lap down, he benefited from a caution to get back on the lead lap and fought back to reclaim the lead and win his fourth race of the season. He then won the Southern 500 to claim three of the four crown jewel races, securing the $1 million bonus and cementing his legacy as "Million Dollar Bill." He later completed a career total of two Daytona 500 wins: 1985 and 1987. His record seven wins at Michigan International Speedway overall, with four consecutive victories spanning June 1985, August 1985, June 1986, and August 1986, remains the most wins at any single track in his career.

Reader's Guide

Bill Elliott's career is defined by his speed and consistency across various track types. He holds the track record for fastest qualifying speeds at Talladega (212.809 mph) and Daytona (210.364 mph), both set in 1987. These marks are considered unbreakable due to the introduction of restrictor plates in 1988. Elliott won NASCAR's Most Popular Driver Award a record 16 times, spanning from 1984 to 1988 and again from 1991 to 2000, before withdrawing his name from the ballot after his final win in 2002.

His accolades include three Southern 500 victories (1985, 1988, 1994), one Winston 500 (1985), and the 2002 Brickyard 400. Recognized as one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers in 1998, he was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2015. His son Chase Elliott followed in his footsteps, becoming the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series champion, making them the third father-son pair in history to achieve this feat alongside Lee and Richard Petty, and Ned and Dale Jarrett.