DAWSONVILLE, Georgia — You’re always going to have nights like this where things don’t go your way,” Elliott said after the race. “I’m really proud of the team, they gave me a good race car, we just had the right front going down and then I brushed the wall on that re-start that put us back again. We were strong in practice and qualified up front; we will keep our notes and make another run at Dillon to see exactly how good we were.
“I just want to say thank you to Aaron’s, my mom and dad, all the guys on our team and all of our sponsors for giving me this opportunity. We’ll put this behind us and head to Lanier (National Speedway) next week and back to the GAS (Georgia Asphalt Series). I have run there a lot in the Legends, and we ran good there last time in the ASA Southeast race – hopefully we can keep that going.”
After running near the top of the speed charts throughout practice at Dillon, Elliott laid down the sixth quickest lap during Saturday afternoon’s qualifying session (15.865 seconds). Unlike other tracks that draw for an inversion, drivers who qualify in the top-eight re-draw for starting position at Dillon Motor Speedway. Bill Elliott, who served as Grand Marshal for the night’s events, was able to gain his protégé one position by drawing for Elliott to start fifth in the ASA/SAT Diesel Maxx Carolina 100.
Elliott rolled off the starting grid on the inside of the third row, lined up behind series heavyweights Max Gresham, Jeff Choquette and Jason Hogan – all former ASA/SAT winners – for the start of the 100-lap Late Model event.
After starting fifth, Elliott slipped to ninth at the green flag and maintained his position until lap 23 when the No. 2 slipped up and out of the racing groove, allowing Elliott to advance to eighth.
The race continued under a green flag and the field quickly spread out around the 4/10-mile oval.
By lap 43, Elliott’s teammate No. 19 Casey Roderick caught the back bumper of the Aaron’s Dream Machine and took a look to the inside. Elliott was able to hold him off for four laps, but Roderick made the pass on lap 47, bringing the No. 24 car with him and dropping Elliott to tenth.
Elliott’s spotter, father Bill Elliott, advised him to follow the 19 and 24 cars to the front and try a lower line through the corners, hoping to make up time.
One lap later, on lap 57, a spin in turn four drew the first caution of the 100-lap event. Elliott told crew chief Ricky Turner that he just couldn’t get the Aaron’s Dream Machine to turn in the corners. Turner made the call to pit the car for an adjustment to the sway bar.
Elliott pulled into the BER pit, and crew member Darren Turner, doing a routine tire pressure check, realized that the right front tire was also going down. That’s what you call a Lucky Dog, catching the tire going down on pit road. This alone would explain the handling issues that Elliott was dealing with.
Elliott re-joined the field in 13th with a used right front tire from practice earlier in the day to re-start the remaining 43 laps and begin his charge to the front.
As the old saying goes, cautions breed cautions. And it was no different Saturday night at Dillon. Three short laps later, the field was under caution again. Elliott, who had picked up a handful of positions during the melee, reported that the Aaron’s Dream Machine was handling better.
Elliott lined up on the outside for the second re-start. Coming to the green flag, the Aaron’s Dream Machine brushed the outside wall along the frontstretch. Elliott slipped back to 13th but maintained control of the car.
Once he got his rhythm back, Elliott started marching through the field. By lap 71, he moved into 11th and picked up another position to move back into the top-ten on lap 73.
Five laps later, Elliott caught the No. 33 and made the pass for ninth on lap 80.
Over the radio, the elder Elliott advised the young driver to try a lower line and with ten laps to go, told him, “Give it all you’ve got, son.”
Elliott did just that and was reeling in the eighth place car in the closing laps, but the race stayed green and the Dream Machine was too far back to make up the distance. After battling back from tire issues and a brush with the wall, Elliott posted his sixth consecutive top-ten with a ninth-place finish at Dillon.
Elliott and the No. 9 Aaron’s Lucky Dog Dream Machine return to Lanier National Speedway (Braselton, Ga.) this Saturday, May 2, for round three of the 2009 Georgia Asphalt Series. The 100-lap race will be broadcast live by the GAS Radio Network. Visit the GAS page at www.LanierSpeedway.com for more information on the broadcast schedule and to listen live.
For more information about Chase Elliott, including his Late Model schedule, and the Bill Elliott Racing team, please visit www.BillElliott.com and click on the BER Team tab.
Diesel Maxx Carolina 100
Dillon Motor Speedway
April 25, 2009
1. Max Gresham
2. Jason Hogan
3. Casey Roderick
4. Tyler Millwood
5. Austin Hill
6. Parker Hammons
7. Allen Gordon
8. Jess Mattox
9. Chase Elliott
10. Paul Kelly
11. Jerrod Foley
12. Lee Langford
13. Jeff Choquette
14. Terry Horak
15. Tyler Miles
16. CJ Faison
17. Colt James
18. Logan Boyett
19. AJ Curelli
Chase Elliott is supported by Aaron’s Sales & Lease Ownership; the Dawsonville Pool Room; AFCO Racing Products; Alpha Canvas & Awning; ARP Bodies; Barnes Distribution; Bell Helmets; Billet Performance Karting; Bosch; ButlerBuilt Professional Seat Systems; Circle Racing Wheels; The Decal Source; Gary Hess Designs; Howe Racing Enterprises; Lincoln Electric Company; Mechanix Wear; Mobil 1; Oakley Uniforms; Penske Racing Shocks; Performance Friction Brakes; Pit Pal Products; Quarter Master; Racing Electronics; Schroth Racing/HMS Motorsport; Seymour; Swift Springs; Winters Performance Products; WIX Filters; Xtreme Racing Products; and VP Racing Fuels.
About Aaron’s: Aaron's Sales & Lease Ownership stores offer customers access to high-quality furniture, appliances, electronics and computers for sale or as a lease-ownership arrangement. Customers have the option of buying their merchandise for an attractive cash price or opting to lease their merchandise for even greater flexibility. With a lease option, customers make modest monthly payments and have the immediate use of the items they need without waiting for credit checks or other delays. Plus, Aaron's will take care of delivery, setup, repairs, and more for the duration of a customer's lease.
The Aaron's concept has proven to be successful for half a century; in fact, the very first Aaron's location opened in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1955. Aaron's is a leader in the sale and lease ownership of residential furniture, consumer electronics and home appliances, with more than 1,500 Company-operated and franchised stores in 48 states and Canada. The Company also manufactures an exclusive line of furniture, bedding and accessories at 10 facilities in four states.
For more information, please visit shopaarons.com.
About Bill Elliott Racing: In 2008, NASCAR legend Bill Elliott launched a Driver Development program as an extension of Bill Elliott Racing. Based on the principles of teamwork, strong work ethic and positive attitudes, the program aims to guide young drivers through the highs and lows of life in auto racing and to make them leaders on and off the track.
Drivers will climb through the ranks of asphalt racing, starting in the Legends Racing Series and move up to Pro Late Model stock cars – including the Georgia Asphalt Series (GAS) and ASA Racing – and onto Super Late Models in series such as the Champion Racing Association (CRA) Super Series. From there they will progress to the ARCA RE/MAX and other series that are age and talent specific. To encourage strong communication and clear feedback, drivers will also intermittently run dirt Late Models that reinforce car control and a thorough understanding of the feel of the car.
Please visit www.BillElliott.com for more information on the Bill Elliott Racing team.
###
CHASE ELLIOTT
No. 9 Aaron’s Lucky Dog Dream Machine
Pro Late Model
Bill Elliott Racing
2009 RACE-BY-RACE RESULTS
Date Venue Series Qual Start Finish
3/28 South Georgia Motorsports Park ASA/LMSS 7 7 6
4/4 Watermelon Capital Speedway GAS 4 4 7
4/11 Lanier National Speedway ASA/SAT 16 16 6
4/17 Anderson Motor Speedway GAS 4 2 3
4/18 Montgomery Motor Speedway SPLMS 4 4 2
4/25 Dillon Motor Speedway ASA/SAT 6 5 9
5/2 Lanier National Speedway GAS, SUPER 6
5/9 Watermelon Capital Speedway ASA/LMSS
5/17 Hickory Motor Speedway ASA/SAT
5/23 Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway ASA/SAT
5/30 Lanier National Speedway GAS, SUPER 6
6/6 Watermelon Capital Speedway ASA/SAT
6/20 Montgomery Motor Speedway ASA/SAT
7/3 Lanier National Speedway GAS, SUPER 6
7/11 Orange County Speedway ASA/SAT
7/18 Watermelon Capital Speedway GAS
7/25 Lanier National Speedway GAS, SUPER 6
8/8 Anderson Motor Speedway ASA/SAT
8/15 Lanier National Speedway GAS, SUPER 6
8/22 South Georgia Motorsports Park GAS
8/29 Watermelon Capital Speedway ASA/LMSS
9/5 Lanier National Speedway GAS, SUPER 6
9/19 Watermelon Capital Speedway GAS
10/31-11/1 * Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway GAS
11/13-15 ** Gresham Motorsports Park
12/2-6 *** Five Flags Speedway
ASA/LMSS = ASA Late Model Series South * 27th Annual All-American 400 weekend
GAS = Georgia Asphalt Series ** 26th Annual World Crown 300 weekend
ASA/SAT = ASA Southeast Asphalt Tour *** 42nd Annual Snowball Derby weekend
SPLMS = Southern Pro Late Model Series
SUPER 6 = Lanier National Speedway Super Six Series SCHEDULE IS TENTATIVE AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE.
