Tommy Ellis

Tommy Ellis (born August 8, 1947) is an American former stock car racing driver who competed in the 1970s and 1980s. Often referred to as "Terrible" Tommy Ellis for his rough tactics, he won the last national late model sportsman championship in 1981, the final year before the format changed from "points chasing" late model sportsman racing at various short tracks across the country (now known as the Whelen All-American Series) to the current touring format, currently known as the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, the next year. He won the then-called Busch Series championship in 1988.

Racing career Ellis's success (twelve poles and eight wins) in the first two seasons of the Busch Series earned him a shot at a Winston Cup ride. Driving for most of three seasons in the Chevrolet camp, his best finish was an eighth at Dover in 1986. He was also considered an excellent sub-driver in the Cup Series, filling in for Neil Bonnett in 1989 and replacing a suspended Geoff Bodine at Junior Johnson Motorsports two years later.

After his release from Freedlander Racing in 1986, Ellis returned to the Busch Series with J&J Racing. Between 1988 and 1990 Ellis won nine poles and seven races. He was the Busch Series champion in 1988 in an unsponsored Buick. In 1991, he competed in the Winston at Charlotte Motor Speedway, replacing Bodine.

Ellis' Busch Series career totals are 28 poles (second all-time behind Mark Martin) and 22 wins (tied for thirteenth all-time with Sam Ard).

Ellis' last Busch Series start was in 1995.

Ellis was a stunt driver for the film Days of Thunder along with Bobby Hamilton and drove race cars numbered 51 and 18 in selected races.

Legal troubles In 2010, Ellis and his wife Brenda were sentenced to eighteen months in prison after pleading guilty to federal tax-evasion charges. They had underreported the income generated by their car-wash business by over $300,000 between 2003 and 2007.

Motorsports career results NASCAR (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Winston Cup Series NASCAR Winston Cup Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Pts Ref 1976 Champion Racing 10 Ford RSD DAY CAR RCH BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL ONT 92nd 100 1981 Ellis Racing 55 Chevy RSD DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT TWS RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD 62nd 392 1982 Gordon Racing 24 Buick DAY 75th 260 Ellis Racing 12 Chevy RCH BRI ATL CAR DAR NWS MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT POC RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV NWS CLT MAR CAR ATL RSD 1983 Terry Motorsports 32 Buick DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR NWS MAR TAL NSV DOV BRI CLT RSD POC MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD NA - 1984 Morgan–McClure Motorsports 4 Chevy DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD POC MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR ATL RSD 31st 1738 1985 Freedlander Motorsports 18 Chevy DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL DOV CLT RSD POC MCH DAY POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD 34th 1100 1986 DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL DOV CLT RSD POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL RSD 23rd 2393 1987 DAY CAR RCH ATL DAR NWS BRI MAR TAL CLT DOV POC RSD MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR RSD ATL 58th 286 1988 Donlavey Racing 90 Ford DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV RSD POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR 91st 37 Winkle Motorsports 97 Buick CLT NWS CAR PHO ATL 1989 Wood Brothers Racing 1 Ford DAY CAR ATL RCH DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV SON POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV 66th 115 21 MAR CLT NWS CAR Hendrick Motorsports 18 Chevy PHO ATL 1990 Speed Racing 83 Olds DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV SON POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO ATL 106th - 1991 Junior Johnson & Associates 97 Ford DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV SON POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO ATL 70th 100

Daytona 500 Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish 1982 Gordon Racing Buick DNQ 1986 Freelander Motorsports Chevy 21 19 1987 DNQ

Busch Series NASCAR Busch Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 Pts Ref 1982 Ellis Racing 12 Pontiac DAY RCH MAR DAR HCY SBO CRW RCH LGY DOV HCY CLT ASH HCY SBO CAR CRW SBO HCY LGY IRP HCY RCH MAR CLT HCY MAR 3rd 3873 36 BRI BRI 1983 12 DAY RCH CAR HCY MAR NWS SBO GPS LGY DOV BRI CLT SBO HCY ROU SBO ROU CRW ROU6* SBO HCY LGY IRP GPS BRI HCY DAR RCH NWS SBO MAR ROU16* CLT HCY MAR 4th 4929 1984 Olds DAY 24th 1440 Pontiac RCH CAR HCY MAR DAR ROU NSV LGY MLW DOV CLT SBO HCY ROU SBO ROU HCY IRP LGY SBO RCH NWS CLT HCY CAR MAR 36 BRI DAR 1985 12 Olds DAY CAR DAR DOV CLT CLT HCY CAR 16th 2065 Pontiac HCY BRI MAR SBO LGY SBO HCY ROU IRP SBO LGY HCY MLW BRI DAR RCH NWS ROU MAR 1986 DAY CAR HCY MAR BRI DAR SBO LGY JFC DOV CLT SBO HCY ROU IRP SBO RAL OXF SBO HCY LGY ROU BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR ROU CLT CAR MAR 67th 155 1987 Falk Racing 04 Pontiac DAY HCY MAR DAR BRI LGY SBO CLT ROU JFC OXF RCH 30th 1362 J&J Racing 58 Buick DOV DAR DOV CLT CAR Chevy IRP Pontiac SBO HCY RAL LGY ROU BRI JFC MAR MAR 1988 99 Buick DAY HCY CAR MAR DAR BRI LNG NZH SBO NSV CLT DOV ROU LAN LVL MYB25* OXF SBO HCY LNG IRP ROU BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR15* CLT CAR MAR 1st 4281 1989 DAY CAR MAR HCY DAR BRI NZH SBO LAN NSV CLT DOV ROU LVL VOL MYB SBO HCY DUB IRP ROU BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT CAR MAR 3rd 3945 1990 DAY RCH CAR MAR9* HCY DAR BRI LAN SBO NZH HCY CLT DOV ROU VOL MYB OXF NHA SBO DUB IRP ROU BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NHA CAR MAR 6th 3829 1991 Speedway Motorsports 56 Buick DAY RCH CAR MAR VOL HCY DAR BRI LAN SBO NZH CLT DOV ROU HCY MYB GLN OXF 33rd 1253 Ellis Racing 12 Buick NHA43 SBO DUB IRP ROU BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT NHA CAR Chevy MAR 1992 14 DAY CAR RCH ATL MAR DAR BRI HCY LAN DUB NZH CLT NHA TAL IRP ROU MCH 43rd 841 Buick DOV ROU 23 Olds MYB GLN VOL 12 Chevy NHA BRI DAR RCH MAR CAR Buick DOV CLT 77 Chevy HCY 1993 Key Motorsports 05 Chevy DAY CAR RCH DAR BRI HCY ROU MAR NZH CLT DOV MYB GLN MLW TAL IRP MCH NHA BRI DAR RCH DOV ROU CLT MAR CAR HCY ATL 76th 155 1994 DAY CAR RCH ATL MAR DAR HCY BRI ROU NHA NZH CLT DOV MYB GLN MLW SBO TAL HCY IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT MAR CAR 46th 753 1995 Bobby Jones Racing 50 Ford DAY CAR RCH ATL NSV DAR BRI HCY NHA NZH CLT DOV MYB GLN MLW TAL SBO IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT CAR HOM 77th 173

ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.) ARCA Permatex SuperCar Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Pts Ref 1988 Hendrick Motorsports 18 Chevy DAY ATL TAL FRS PCS ROC POC WIN KIL ACS SLM POC TAL DEL FRS ISF DSF SLM ATL 102nd -