Homestead Miami Speedway is always known for excitement at the end of the year. There were two years in particular that really standout for the most passionate fans in NASCAR history.

Bill Elliott was NASCAR’s most popular driver for sixteen years. Elliott gained popularity in the 1980’s when from 1983-1989 Elliott won 32 races and his success breaded popularity. His personality warmed the hearts of fans around the sport with his southern accent and his Huck Finn look.

Elliott won the 1988 championship with a family team. In 1992 he moved to Junior Johnson’s team and raced with that team until 1994. Elliott won the 1994 Southern 500 and little did his fans know that would be the last time he would visit victory lane for quite a while.

In 1995, Elliott ran for his own team again and found success hard to come by. He would not win a race in the No. 94 McDonalds Ford, although Elliott still showed signs of success nearly winning the 1997 Daytona 500 and winning his Gatorade Twin 125 mile qualifying race in 2000.

Elliott fans were glad to hear in the middle of 2000 when Ray Evernham announced he wanted Bill to drive his No. 9 team for 2001. Elliott said “My jaw dropped,” when he was asked to drive his car.

 When 2001 started Elliott fans hadn’t been this excited to start a season in years. He made a statement early, sitting on the pole in the 2001 Daytona 500. However, 2001 was a struggle for Elliott and his team, coming into the 34^th race of the season, Elliott fans thought it would be another winless year.

To many people's surprise, Elliott sat on the pole in the Pennzoil Freedom 400 at Homestead. In the two previous seasons Elliott finished 24th and 26th many laps off the pace. Elliott would lead the first 52 laps of the 400 and as the race progressed his car fell off and it looked like it would be the 236^th race in a row Elliott would fail to get to victory lane. But, a late race caution caught Elliott back up to the field. Elliott’s teammate Casey Atwood was leading. With just five laps to go Elliott got Atwood loose and passed him coming into turn three. Elliott would lead the final five laps and win the Pennzoil Freedom 500.

An excited Bill Elliott commented on it in victory lane. “Come on guys pinch me,” Elliott uttered. “I got to Casey  (Atwood) and I didn’t think I would ever pass him and I just got him loose enough down there in 3 and 4 and was able to get by.”

It was a dream come true for Elliott fans who believed that a good ride was all Elliott needed. “What a day. I was so excited,” said Eric Wilson who is an avid Elliott fan.

Elliott ran for Evernham in 2002 and 2003. In 2002 Elliott would win two more races at Pocono and Indianapolis. Elliott then won at Rockingham in 2003 and was looking for back to back wins for the second year in a row at Homestead.

Homestead, was a different place then the place Elliott won at in 2001. They had added 14 degrees of banking and they repaved it. With those features, it seemed like nothing had changed. But Elliott’s future had changed.

There were rumors that the 2003 season would be Elliott’s last as a full time driver, much to the despair of his fans. Elliott, though was sure giving them a memorable finale to pay thanks to his fans at Homestead that afternoon.

Elliott dominated the final Winston Cup race, leading 189 of the 267 laps. With the chill of retirement in the air Elliott took the white flag and the 75,000 fans at Homestead were going wild.

Coming off of turn 2 Elliott’s car bobbled and an unforgettable moment for Elliott fans had occurred. The bobble turned into two and then he dove high as the right rear tire of Elliott’s number nine went flat. Bobby Labonte went to victory lane, “Man I was surprised. He came off of turn two and that thing wiggled and I couldn’t believe it I just couldn’t believe it.”

The always modest and positive Elliott finished 8^th. “Our Dodge ran so well today it’s unfortunate thing I mean, you know you win them sometimes like that, I don’t know if I’ve ever won one like that but I’ve sure lost a few like that.”

“Being an Elliott fan I remember jumping up and down screaming for Bill and when I saw him come off of two my heart sank. That’s just Bill’s luck. It broke my heart worse then Daytona in ’97,” Wilson continued.

Elliott has run at Homestead 3 more times since 2003 but nothing was more memorable then his best dream and worst nightmare at the track.