Bill Elliott to drive the No. 97 Toyota for NEMCO for the Daytona 500

NEMCO Motorsports announced today that Bill Elliott, past Sprint Cup Champion and Daytona 500 winner, will pilot the #97 Toyota for the Daytona 500 to be held at the Daytona International Speedway on Sunday February 26, 2012.

This synergy will bring Front Row Joe, Joe Nemechek and Million Dollar Bill, Bill Elliott together as a powerful pair to kickoff the 2012 NASCAR season at the 54th running of the Daytona 500.

“I am really excited to be racing with NEMCO Motorsports and Joe Nemechek, who has been a friend and respected competitor through the years,” said Bill Elliott, noted NASCAR driver. “This will be a great way to start off the 2012 NASCAR season in Daytona.”

Elliott’s dedication to the sport of racing for nearly three decades has endeared him to fans and earned him the additional nickname of Awesome Bill from Dawsonville (GA). Since 1976, Elliott has participated in close to 750 races, achieved 44 wins and collected 55 career poles. With all of his incredible success, he still remains humble and continues to bring positive contributions to the sport.

Hard work and a passion for the art of racing turned an eager young driver from a small Georgia town into a NASCAR Sprint Cup champion. But, it was the strength and support of his family that first launched Bill Elliott into racing. George Elliott, the family patriarch, started bringing his three boys, Ernie, Dan and Bill, to the racetrack. The whole family was passionate about racing and it wasn’t long before the Elliott boys were behind the wheel.

This family affair is very similar to the journey of the Nemechek family where Joe’s parents, Martha and Papa Joe supported Joe and his brother John in their wide interests and successful efforts at a variety of motorsports which ultimately led them both to NASCAR with a similar family business. Both Nemechek and Elliott have sons who are up and coming drivers: John Hunter Nemechek and Chase Elliott. These boys even faced off in this year’s SpeedFest at the Watermelon Capital Speedway in Cordele, GA.

“This is a great and fun moment in racing for us at NEMCO Motorsports,” said Joe Nemechek. “We believe the talent and skill of Bill will steer the 97 car to a great showing for us and I am excited to be racing right along with him, this time on the same team.”

NEMCO