Driving of the No. 9 Melling Racing Ford, Bill Elliott recorded six victories and 22 top-10 finishes en route to the 1988 NASCAR Cup Series championship, beating Rusty Wallace by only 24 points.
Since making their NASCAR Cup Series debut in 1975, Bill Elliott, his father, George Elliott, and brothers, Dan and Ernie Elliott, had worked hard to build a family legacy in the sport. It all began in George Elliott’s junkyard where Bill excelled as the driver of the three boys when they built their own jalopies and raced around cars that were stacked and ready for crushing.
From the local short tracks to NASCAR’s premier series, Bill Elliott made his mark as one of Georgia’s best drivers. He won his first Cup Series race in 1983 and in 1985 claimed the prestigious Winston Million bonus posted by R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. for any driver who could win three of NASCAR’s big four superspeedway events.
Elliott finished a distant second to Dale Earnhardt in points in 1987 but came back to secure NASCAR’s Cup Series championship the following year. He won six races but consistency was the key, as Wallace, driving the Blue Max Racing Pontiac, provided a potent challenge.
Elliott struggled in the first half of the year but was determined to prove he and his team could seriously battle for a title. With their statistical numbers almost mirroring one another at season’s end, Elliott’s advantage when the checkered flag fell at Atlanta was 24 points. Wallace earned the pole, led the most laps and won the race but could not overcome Elliott’s advantage. Elliott started 29th, ran a conservative race and finished 11th to claim the title.
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Driving the No. 9 Melling Racing Ford, Bill Elliott recorded six NASCAR Cup Series victories and 22 top-10 finishes during the 1988 season. Elliott struggled in points to start the year but was third by the July race at Daytona International Speedway. He assumed the points lead following the August event at Bristol Motor Speedway and held it for the remainder of the year, withstanding a late-season challenge from Rusty Wallace.
Bobby Allison, driving the No. 12 Stavola Brothers Racing Buick, held off son Davey Allison, wheeling the No. 28 Robert Yates Racing Ford, to win his third Daytona 500. The season-opening race was a very popular win and marked the only time a father-and-son 1-2 finish has taken place in NASCAR’s most prestigious event. The younger Allison tried to pass his father in the final turn to no avail. It was Bobby Allison’s 84th and final victory.
Bill Elliott’s No. 9 Melling Racing Ford went to Victory Lane six times with 22 top-10 finishes in 29 starts.
Rusty Wallace’s No. 27 Blue Max Racing Pontiac won six times and notched 23 top-10 results in 29 races.
DATE LOCATION WINNER
Feb. 14 | Daytona International Speedway | Bobby Allison
Feb. 21 | Richmond Raceway | Neil Bonnett
March 6 | Rockingham Speedway | Neil Bonnett
March 20 | Atlanta Motor Speedway | Dale Earnhardt
March 27 | Darlington Raceway | Lake Speed
April 10 | Bristol Motor Speedway | Bill Elliott
April 17 | North Wilkesboro Speedway | Terry Labonte
April 24 | Martinsville Speedway | Dale Earnhardt
May 1 | Talladega Superspeedway | Phil Parsons
May 29 | Charlotte Motor Speedway | Darrell Waltrip
June 5 | Dover Motor Speedway | Bill Elliott
June 12 | Riverside International Raceway | Rusty Wallace
June 19 | Pocono Raceway | Geoff Bodine
June 26 | Michigan International Speedway | Rusty Wallace
July 2 | Daytona International Speedway | Bill Elliott
July 24 | Pocono Raceway | Bill Elliott
July 31 | Talladega Superspeedway | Ken Schrader
Aug. 14 | Watkins Glen International | Ricky Rudd
Aug. 21 | Michigan International Speedway | Davey Allison
Aug. 27 | Bristol Motor Speedway | Dale Earnhardt
Sept. 4 | Darlington Raceway | Bill Elliott
Sept.11 | Richmond Raceway | Davey Allison
Sept. 18 | Dover Motor Speedway | Bill Elliott
Sept. 25 | Martinsville Speedway | Darrell Waltrip
Oct. 9 | Charlotte Motor Speedway | Rusty Wallace
Oct. 16 | North Wilkesboro Speedway | Rusty Wallace
Oct. 23 | Rockingham Speedway | Rusty Wallace
Nov. 6 | Phoenix Raceway | Alan Kulwicki
Nov. 20 | Atlanta Motor Speedway | Rusty Wallace
