In the pits- MB2

Elliott to drive MB2’s No. 36 entry for Daytona 500

Bill Elliott will pilot the No. 36 MB2 Motorsports entry for the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 19.

Elliott will also drive the MB2-built No. 36 Chevrolet in the Bud-weiser Shootout at Daytona, an invitational race for the 2005 pole winners and former Shootout champions. Elliott earned his automatic berth as a result of winning the Shootout in 1987.

Frank Stoddard will serve as Elliott’s crew chief for both races.

“MB2 has a top-notch superspeedway program and I am looking forward to being part of it,” said Elliott, who will team with MB2’s full-time drivers Sterling Marlin and Joe Nemechek at Daytona. “Both Sterling and Joe are good on the big tracks and having them as teammates gives us added potential.”

Elliott, the 1988 NASCAR Cup champion, has run a limited schedule the past two years. His last Daytona 500 appearance was in 2003.

“Daytona is a special place, and the 500 is a special race,” noted Elliott. “I haven’t reached the point where I am content to watch this race on television. I would rather be part of the action—it’s the big show.”

A 16-time winner of NASCAR’s most popular driver award, Elliott has competed in 25 Daytona 500 races. Along with his two wins from the pole in 1985 and 1987, his Daytona 500 record in-cludes nine top fives, 14 top 10s and four poles. He shares the record for most Daytona 500 poles with Buddy Ba-ker and Cale Yarborough.

“We’re thrilled that Bill will be joining us. He brings a wealth of superspeedway experience to our MB2 Daytona 500 lineup,” said Jay Frye, MB2’s CEO and general manager. “The combination of Bill, Joe (Nemechek) and Sterling (Marlin) on the same team at a restrictor-plate venue brings plenty of excitement and confidence to our entire organization.”

MB2 Motorsports had a strong showing in last year’s season opener with fourth and 13th-place finishes.

Frye also said that a sponsor for the No. 36 Chevy during Daytona Speedweeks will be announced at a later date.

Photo caption: Driver Bill Elliott