Longtime Dodge [and longer time Ford] driver Elliott has Chevy ride for Daytona Bill Elliott will get another chance to add to his Daytona win total next month, and the longtime Ford and Dodge driver also will have a chance to size up a Chevy. Elliott, who has four wins at Daytona International Speedway, including two in the prestigious Daytona 500, said Tuesday that he’ll be driving the #36 Chevy for MB2 Motorsports in the sport’s showcase event. “I wanted to run the 500 again, one more time at least,” said Elliott, who has run a part-time schedule for the past two seasons after ending a full-time career that saw him win a Nextel Cup championship, 44 races and 55 poles. “I’ve always enjoyed running Daytona.” It’ll mark one of his rare starts in a General Motors car, although he did run Chevys and an Oldsmobile in the late 1970s. “The General Motors stuff has been awfully good on superspeedways,” he said. “We’ll see what they’re all about.” He still plans to run some races in a [#91] Dodge for his regular car owner, Ray Evernham, but those starts will come later in the season. Elliott said it’s best for Evernham to focus on getting his third full-time team — the #10 Valvoline Dodge driven by Scott Riggs — up to speed at the start of the season. “I want Ray to put all his effort into that right now,” he said. Elliott’s first ride in the #36 will come next week when Daytona holds the first round of preseason test sessions.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
NOTE: Boris Said usually drives the #36 car for MB2 Motorsports, making 9 starts in 12 2005 attempts. Supposedly Said will again run a limited schedule in 2006, not sure if this move changes that. Elliott also has a past champions provisional available to use unless Terry Labonte needs it [goes to the most recent past champ not making the top 42 spots] for the #96 Hall of Fame Racing team.(1-4-2006)
UPDATE: MB2 Motorsports announced that its #36 entry for the Daytona 500 (Feb. 19) will be driven by Bill Elliott, a two-time winner of NASCAR’s biggest race. Elliott will also drive the MB2-built #36 Chevrolet in the Feb. 11th Budweiser Shootout at Daytona, an invitational race for 2005 pole winners and former Shootout champions. Elliott earned his automatic berth as a result of winning the Shootout in 1987. Frank Stoddard will serve as Elliott’s crew chief for both races and also oversee Elliott’s Daytona test session next week (Jan. 9-11). “MB2 has a top-notch superspeedway program and I am looking forward to being part of it,” said Elliott, who will team with MB2’s full-time drivers #14-Sterling Marlin and #01-Joe Nemechek at Daytona. “Both Sterling and Joe are good on the big tracks and having them as teammates gives us added potential.” Elliott, the 1988 NASCAR Cup champion, has run a limited schedule the past two years. His last Daytona 500 appearance was in 2003. “We’re thrilled that Bill will be joining us, he brings a wealth of superspeedway experience to our MB2 Daytona 500 lineup,” said Jay Frye, MB2’s CEO and general manager. Frye also said that a sponsor for the #36 Chevy during Daytona Speedweeks will be announced at a later date.(MB2 Motorsports PR)
NOTE II: been told that MB2 Motorsports is currently working on a package to have Boris Said run a limited schedule in the #36 this season.(1-4-2006)
