Posted by BillSchoonover on Wednesday, February 03 @ 14:43:57 EST

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Through all the changes, Elliott still a racer at heart-------------------------------------------------------------- "The Rock" was still hosting Cup races, the Chase was nonexistent and the Car of Tomorrow was merely a project in the making when Bill Elliott last rolled into Victory Lane. So much has changed since Elliott's most recent triumph -- at North Carolina's Rockingham Speedway on Nov. 9, 2003 -- that it could seem like an eternity ago. “ I think age is just a number. I don't feel no different than I did in my 30s. ” -- BILL ELLIOTTNow 54 years old and set to continue his part-time role with the Wood Brothers Racing outfit in 2010, the 1988 Cup Series champion is considered to be in the twilight of his career. Just don't tell Elliott that. In a perfect world, Elliott, a native of Dawsonville, Ga., believes he could still hang with the big boys. Could he win races and contend for a title in, say, the No. 48 car of four-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson? "Absolutely," Elliott said with only a little hesitation. "I think if you had the equipment I think you could put it together. It may take you a little bit of time. It may not be just being plugged into a car. It may be the point of getting the right crew chief or a few of the right people around you to understand where you're going." Elliott unabashedly said he's as physically and mentally capable of wheeling a 3,500-pound stock car as he was two-plus decades ago, when he earned the moniker, "Awesome Bill," and solidified a place as one of the best drivers in the sport's history. Elliott remained mostly competitive up through 2003, when he went to Victory Lane in the penultimate Cup race at Rockingham. That also was his final full season before going to a partial schedule in '04. Elliott, who continues to race because "I just love the sport," rides dirt bikes and goes to the gym in an effort to stay in top condition. "I think age is just a number," said Elliott, his hair bearing little evidence of gray. "I don't feel no different than I did in my 30s. For me now, I don't see it any differently. I mean, I go to the race track, it's the same mechanics as it's always been. "You just understand more at this age. You know of the things you fight, some of the things you've got to look forward to, some of the things you don't look forward to but it's still a part of the sport." While Elliott has been in "semiretirement" for more than half a decade, he isn't ready to completely walk away from the life that has afforded him 44 wins -- including two Daytona 500 trophies -- and more than $44 million in earnings. Asserting that he hasn't "thought retirement yet," Elliott wants to make the most of his time with the Wood Brothers despite being handicapped by a dearth of funding. Plans call for Elliott to attempt 12 points races for the second consecutive year. Elliott joined the Wood Brothers to drive the in the iconic No. 21 Ford in 2007 with a 20-race slate. "They're just such a good group of guys and so much fun to drive for," Elliott said. "When you walk in the shop or walk in the track and the race track, everybody's smiling and having a good time." Elliott pieced together a solid 2009, considering his team's limited budget and frequent issues on pit road. He posted five finishes inside the top 20 and qualified in the top 10 five times Those aren't the kind of numbers enjoyed last season by Mark Martin, who at age 50 came out of semiretirement to win five races and finish runner-up in the standings for Hendrick Motorsports. But Elliott also doesn't mind pushing the limits. Perhaps that's why he just grins when discussing his dirt-biking escapades. "I fall off of them every now and then, break some ribs every now and then," he said, laughing. Elliott is no less eager to strap in his Cup ride on Sundays. "He's still a racer," team co-owner Len Wood said, noting how Elliott often scorned his crew last season after slow pit stops. "He likes doing this. And he's not ready to quit yet." The Wood Brothers hope to return to full-time competition as early as 2011, sponsorship permitting. Elliott could be along for the ride. "I think it would help me and I think it would them, but to do it for the next five years, I don't think that's in the cards," he said. "But to do it for a year or two might work." Elliott still imagines how it would feel to win again, too. "I'd probably do cartwheels like the commercial with Mark Martin trying to do what Carl Edwards does," he said, referring to Edwards' trademark victory back flip. "That'd be something to see, I'm sure."