- Tommy Ellis
Infobox NASCAR driver
Name = Tommy Ellis
Birthdate = birth date and age|1947|8|8
Birthplace = Richmond, Virginia
Best_Cup_Pos = 23rd - 1986 (Winston Cup)
Cup_Top_Tens = 6
First_Cup_Race = 1976Delaware 500 (Dover)
Last_Cup_Race = 1991Budweiser 500 (Dover)
Awards =1988 Busch Series Champion1981 National Late Model Champion
Years_In_Cup = 12
Total_Cup_Races = 78Tommy Ellis was a
NASCAR short track ace of the 1970s and 1980s. Often referred to as "Terrible" Tommy Ellis for his rough tactics, he won the National Late Model Sportsman championship in 1981 and was one of six drivers enrolled in the Winner's Circle plan at the formation of theBusch Series in 1982.His success (12 poles and 8 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 8th at Dover in 1986. He was also considered an ace sub-driver in Cup, filling in for
Neil Bonnett in 1989 and replacing a suspendedGeoff Bodine atJunior 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 an additional 9 poles and 7 races. He was the Busch Series champion in 1988 in an unsponsored Buick.
His Busch Series career totals are 28 poles (2nd all-time behind Mark Martin) and 22 wins (tied for 5th all-time with
Sam Ard ).Ellis' last Busch Series start was in 1995.
Ellis was a stunt driver for the film Days of Thunder
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