Last week, the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame in Dawsonville, announced the “Sweet 15” semi-finalist list for the 2009 Hall of Fame class.
Stock car racing is especially special to Dawsonville because its roots accelerated the sport of NASCAR and put one local family on the celebrity map.
Dawsonville’s Ernie Elliott, a 2009 hall of fame “Sweet 15” semi-finalist, is one of the most revered and respected engine builders in racing history. Elliott’s engines powered his brother Bill Elliott to dominating success on the super speedways of NASCAR beginning in the mid 1980’s.
“With all the people that have been inducted into the Hall of Fame, it would be a great honor to join such an elite group of people,” Ernie Elliott said.
As an engine builder, Ernie Elliott has won 40 races, recored 148 top five finishes, 291 top 10s, 51 poles and one championship.
His engines have also recorded two Nationwide series wins, two Camping World Truck series wins, and 40 ARCA/ReMax series wins.
“Our family has been fortunate to have had the opportunity to represent Dawson County, Dawsonville and the state of Georgia in car racing over the years,” Ernie said.
“Being nominated for this honor is a special thing among all the years that this family has participated in the sport, and that the roots of the sport lie right here in Dawsonville.”
Ernie Elliott was also named Engine Builder of the Year in 1985, and Engine Builder of the Decade for the 1980s.
The “Elite Eight” class of 2009 inductees will be voted upon on June 13 at the Hall of Fame in downtown Dawsonville.
Other nominees include: Bob Burcham of Rossville, Tommie Irvin of Baldwin, Gordon Jones of Dalton, Ethel Flock Mobley of Atlanta, Ken Ragan of Unadilla, Ronnie Sanders of Fayetteville, Leon Sells of Villa Rica, Buck Simmons of Baldwin, Charlie Scott of Atlanta, Herb “Tootle” Estes of Knoxville, Tenn., Katron Sosebee of Lilburn, Charles Tidwell of Macon and Bob Vandergriff of Marietta.
For information on the Hall of Fame and its past inductees, visit www.georgiaracinghof.com.