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 kewp 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 NASCAR engine builder will begin construction soon on a $2 million shop on 7 acres near Concord. Land at 7165 Mount Pleasant Road has been cleared for Ernie Elliott Inc. to build the 12,500-square-foot shop, and plans are complete for the building. “All the hard stuff is done,” says Tony Santanicola, spokesman for Ernie Elliott. Santanicola expects the building to be complete in April. The engine builder, which has nine employees, has worked from the former Cale Yarborough shop at 4200 Stowe Road in Concord. Now the shop needs more space, Santanicola says. Elliott builds engines for his brother’s company, Statesville-based Bill Elliott Racing, which fields the McDonald’s Corp.-sponsored Winston Cup car(Business Journal of Charlotte) and Bodine gets Yates Engines in 2001, see the past news on the #11 Team News and Links page(11-13-2000)
