#9 Budweiser 500

#9 Budweiser 500

1985 Budwiser 500 – Dover Downs International Speedway – 5/19/1985

Elliott came into Dover International Speedway with a storybook season well under way. Dover was a track that was always good to Elliott with 4 total wins at the speedway. In the May of 1985 race Elliott qualified 4th with Terry Labonte on the pole. Geoffrey Bodine qualified 6th but lead most of the first half of the race changing the lead with Neil Bonnett several times while Elliott paced himself behind Bodine and Bonnett. Bodine in the Hendricks Chevrolet ran out of gas during a green flag pit stop on lap 161. Harry Hyde and the crew got him back on the track one lap behind the leader. Elliott took over the lead on lap 162 and led all but 3 of the remaining laps due to a pit stop for a total of 336 total laps led out of the 500 scheduled laps. Elliott and the Coors – Melling Ford Thunderbird were dominate in the remainder of the race passing everyone in the field including Harry Gant with 3 laps to go to the finish the race lapping the entire field that day. Another impressive performance from “Awesome Bill from Dawsonville”, and the rest of the team from Dawsonville, GA. This was Elliott’s 5th win of the season the week after winning at Talledega the week before setting a new track record winning the pole at a blazing speed of 209.398. Race fans were astounded by this feat, but there was more speed left in the Coors – Melling Ford Thunderbird in the races ahead.

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  • Tags: Wins- Bill Elliott
  • ِDate: May 19, 1985
  • ِEvent: Budweiser 500
  • Track: Dover International Speedway
  • Team: Melling Racing
  • Crew Chief:

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