Watkins Glen, N.Y. – A day after rain washed out his chances of making today’s Nextel Cup race at Watkins Glen International, Boris Said and his legion of wig-wearing “Said heads” were wearing huge smiles.
Former Cup champion Bill Elliott opted Saturday to get out of the No. 21 Little Debbie Ford Fusion and let Said drive for the Wood Brothers’ entry in today’s Centurion Boats at The Glen.
“Totally shocked,” Said said of his good fortune. “I thought he was kidding around. Nobody had ever done anything like that in my life for me, that generous, where he just stepped aside. He knew how bad I wanted to drive.”
That was more than evident when NASCAR canceled qualifying Friday afternoon.
“NASCAR should have had us qualify tomorrow,” Said said moments after the decision was announced. “They say they want the small teams, but they don’t want the small teams. This pretty much puts us out of business.”
Said was back in business Saturday and more than thrilled to be driving for such a storied team in his fourth Cup start of the season.
“They were actually the first team that ever called me to come up and help one of their drivers,” he said. “I’ve known them ever since. To be driving for them is just shocking to me, and for Bill Elliott to step aside like that is just amazing.”
Elliott made the gesture while Said was walking to the Busch Series car he drove to a 12th-place finish in Saturday’s Zippo 200.
“I was walking by Bill, and he was like, ‘Hey, man. You want to drive my car?”‘ Said said. “I thought he was kidding around. It was like a Christmas present.”
“I thought a little bit about it last night,” Elliott said. “I didn’t know what Boris had going on, but when I came in this morning I just happened to run into him at the gate.”
When he found out Said had no plans for today, the 51-year-old Elliott, who is racing a limited schedule, made the move.
“I think I do OK road racing,” said Elliott, whose first Cup victory came in the 1983 Winston Western 500 on the road course at now-defunct Riverside. “(But) this team is so close to where they need to be, and Bill Elliott doesn’t need the points, so why should my selfishness take away from this race team? I feel he can do better than I.”
Said will start at the back of the 43-car field just behind Terry Labonte.
Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth will start on the front row today.
