ELLIOTT SIGNED, SEALED AND HOPING TO DELIVER FOR THE WOOD BROTHERS/JTG TEAM

Former 1998 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Champion Bill Elliott is set to drive the No. 21 Air Force Ford Fusion for the Wood Brothers/JTG Race Team beginning this weekend at the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The move was necessary to ensure a past champions provisional starting spot, should the team fail to qualify on speed. The Wood Brothers/JTG team is currently just outside the top-35 in points and looking to regain some ground in the ultra-competitive Cup Series.

The move marks a return to the Ford Racing Camp for Elliott, who previously drove a Ford to 40 of his 44 career victories, including the dynamic 1985 season, in which he captured 11 victories alongside 11 Bud Pole positions en route to his most successful season ever on the track, outside his 1988 Championship. Elliott also became the first driver to win the Winston Million Bonus, by capturing victories at key tracks and earning the nickname, “Million Dollar Bill” along the way.

The Wood Brothers/JTG race team is bringing chassis number 75 for the Coca-Cola 600. The team has used this chassis for both the Las Vegas and Charlotte test sessions, but the 600 will mark the first event in which the team has used the car this year as a primary. Chassis 75 saw plenty of action on the 1.5-mile tracks in 2006.

The Air Force returns as the primary sponsor in their second of seven total events in 2007—and it should be a fitting sponsor for the Memorial Day Weekend event for the team, as citizens everywhere pause to reflect on the sacrifice made by American Military Forces throughout the years.

WHAT THE TEAM HAS TO SAY
Bill Elliott, driver of the No. 21 Air Force Ford:
“I’m looking forward to it. I’ve known Len, Eddie, Leonard and all those boys for years and years and years. Early on, even, in my career, Leonard and Ernie [Elliott] really worked well together. Leonard was always good about keeping things kind of under his hat, but he did give Ernie a lot of pointers early on. It really helped us, especially on the reliability side of the engines. I think that was really important early on. With what they’ve done in racing, and they’ve kind of gotten themselves a little bit out of the points situation the way it is today, and we’re just trying to help them get back, and we’re just over here running around at Rockingham a little bit today to see what we can learn, and go to Charlotte this weekend.

It’s an honor to be there, no doubt. My fondest memories, I was sitting in the infield in Atlanta, I think the spring of ’73, watching David Pearson in the 21 car win the race. To be able to be a part of this deal for ever how long it ends up being, a race or two or whatever, it’s a great honor from my standpoint. Most of the places I’ve been to this point, like Michael’s deal last year was a good deal, but yet it was more of try to get a program put together, and at least with Len and Eddie and the guys, it’s an established deal and hopefully we can come in and knock a few of the rough edges off – especially from my standpoint, since I haven’t been in a car since Daytona in the 150. So, that’s where I’ve got to kind of get back up to speed, and I mean it’s going to take a little bit of time to get that figured out. The main thing is, get them in the race and get it going and try to get some stuff turned around and help try to get them back in the top-35 in points.”

Michael McSwain, Crew Chief of the No. 21 Air Force Ford:
“It’s a different ball game this week and we intend to approach this race and the others with Bill with the utmost gravity. Bill was gracious enough to step in and lend us a hand when we really need it and we owe it to him to put the best car we can underneath him for this race and the others. Obviously, we’re here to pick up points and right the ship.”

FAST & FUN FACTS:
-Bill Elliott will drive the No. 21 Air Force Ford in the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday night.
-Elliott has 756 career starts with 44 wins (40 in a Ford), 175 top-five finishes and 320 top-10 finishes. He has also garnered 55 Bud Pole Awards along the way.
-Elliott’s record at Lowe’s Motor Speedway includes 55 starts, two wins, 11 top-fives and 22 top-10 finishes. He’s led 1,336 laps and has three Bud Pole Awards at the 1.5-mile track.

RACE INFORMATION:
What – Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Event
When – Sunday, May 27th, 2007; 5:30 p.m. EDT
Where – Lowe’s Motor Speedway; 400 laps; 600 miles
Network – FOX Television Network; PRN Radio Network