When I became a big race fan in 1985, the big car number on the Winston Cup tour was 9, driven by Bill Elliott, Awesome Bill from Dawsonville.
Elliott's Fords won 11 races and the Winston Million that season, but Elliott didn't win the Cup championship; that honor went to Darrell Waltrip, who won about three races that season. The problem for the 9 was that DW was more consistent than Elliott.
Elliott made 446 starts in the No. 9 Fords and posted 38 victories. Kasey Kahne came along years later and won 11 races in 247 starts.
Three other drivers (Marcos Ambrose, 2 wins; Herb Thomas, 1 win, and Donald Thomas, 1 win) captured victories in No. 9 cars.
Chase Elliott, Bill Elliott's son, has been driving the 9 car in 2020.
Related posts
On the Mark (with Mark Martin)
The 1 was not a lonely number in Cup racing
The 2 has been a winning car Number in NASCAR
Earnhardt made the 3 an intimidating number
The 4 was a good number in the Daytona 500
Terry Labonte was the winningest driver in the 5 car
MARK MARTIN was a BIG-TIME driver in the 6 CARS
Alan Kulwicki was a CHAMPION in the No. 7 Fords
DALE EARNHARDT JR. was one of the big winners in the 8 car
The 4 was a good number in the Daytona 500
Terry Labonte was the winningest driver in the 5 car
MARK MARTIN was a BIG-TIME driver in the 6 CARS
Alan Kulwicki was a CHAMPION in the No. 7 Fords
DALE EARNHARDT JR. was one of the big winners in the 8 car
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