Closing of the Season Brings the End of an Era

November 15, 2000 (Concord, NC) –– In the state where it all began, the #9 Melling Racing Ford will make it's final run this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Twenty years ago, a Michigan businessman named Harry Melling and a young Georgia driver named Bill Elliott took a couple of Ford race cars and went NASCAR racing. The powerful trio made NASCAR history by winning the 1985 and '87 Daytona 500's, the 1988 Winston Cup Championship, and the Inaugural Winston Million.

Elliott left the team following the 1991 season, and Harry Melling passed away in May of 1999. So the last partner in the trinity, Ford, takes a bow this weekend.

To pay tribute to Ford for their support over the years, the #9 Kodiak Ford will carry special decals that state the Melling team's appreciation.

"Simply put, Thank You," said team owner Mark Melling, who took over after his father's passing. "We have been very fortunate to be able to work with a great company like Ford for so many years. They played a major role in our success over the past 20 years, so we felt it was appropriate to honor them as this chapter in our team's history comes to a close."

Mark and driver Stacy Compton will team up with Dodge in 2001 to field the #92 Kodiak Dodge Intrepid R/T, and a new chapter will open for the Melling team.