Surprisingly, Mike, you missed noting Elder's most productive period, when he took over as Benny Parsons' crew chief in 1976. The L.G. DeWitt team had never won more than one race a year, but in 1976 they won at Dover and Nashville and fought for the points lead until fading in September; they still finished third. In 1977 Elder and Parsons raced to four wins - Nashville, Pocono, Dover, and Charlotte. At Nashville Parsons led 143 laps; he led 116 at Pocono in a huge race-long battle; he cleaned house at Dover with 267 laps led, and at Charlotte he ran out of gas and lost a lap, quickly got it back with a yellow, and ran away, leading 250 laps altogether.
Three more wins in 1978 followed before Parsons and Elder moved on.
Surprisingly, Mike, you
Surprisingly, Mike, you missed noting Elder's most productive period, when he took over as Benny Parsons' crew chief in 1976. The L.G. DeWitt team had never won more than one race a year, but in 1976 they won at Dover and Nashville and fought for the points lead until fading in September; they still finished third. In 1977 Elder and Parsons raced to four wins - Nashville, Pocono, Dover, and Charlotte. At Nashville Parsons led 143 laps; he led 116 at Pocono in a huge race-long battle; he cleaned house at Dover with 267 laps led, and at Charlotte he ran out of gas and lost a lap, quickly got it back with a yellow, and ran away, leading 250 laps altogether.
Three more wins in 1978 followed before Parsons and Elder moved on.
No question Jake Elder was one of a kind.