Ernie that is. Engine builder Ernie Elliott, Bill’s brother, who builds Ford engines for the #’s 94, 11 and 9 teams, will supposedly build Dodge engines in 2001 for the Ganassi Cup team (#01(was 42) and #40) and possibly the #92(is now #9) Melling team. Supposedly Elliott is building a new shop in the Charlotte area but will keep the current Georgia shop. No word on if Elliott will still build Ford engines for the #11 Brett Bodine team. Bill Elliott will be driving for Ray Evernham in 2001 who has his own Dodge engine dept(7-14-2000) UPDATE: A shakeup in the engine department is expected within the team that Chip Ganassi recently purchased(SABCO #01 and #40), and if Ganassi does have Sterling Marlin in Dodges next season — a move that some in the garage are calling “a done deal” — Ernie Elliott could be the man building Marlin’s Dodge motors(PitNow) UPDATE 2: hearing that the engine department at Sabco/Ganassi was told by Ganassi last Wednesday that at the end of the year the engine program will desolve and that everyone in that department was offered a job within the organization. Look for announcements at Indy concerning 2001 about the team(7-24-2000)
