Elliott Is Named Driver of the Year; Brabham Also Honored at Banquet

Bill Elliott and Geoff Brabham shared the honors Saturday night at the American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Assn. banquet in the Spruce Goose Pavilion at Long Beach.

Elliott was named driver of the year by a panel of 10 racing writers over Brabham, Danny Sullivan and Rusty Wallace in the closest balloting ever. Elliott, Winston Cup stock car champion, received the most points in the 1-through-5 voting although Wallace, the Winston Cup runnerup, had the most first-place votes.

Brabham, International Motor Sports Assn. champion and winner of 8 straight races in mid-season, received the Jerry Titus Memorial Award for receiving the most votes in balloting among AARWBA members for the 12-driver All-America team.

Proceedings were halted for more than an hour when Long Beach police had the Spruce Goose evacuated after a phone call was received alleging a bomb had been planted in the gigantic hanger. More than 600 guests took refuge in the Queen Mary before returning to the awards dinner.

All-America selectees present were Elliott, Wallace, Brabham, Sullivan, Bob Glidden, Kenny Bernstein, Al Unser Jr., Rich Vogler, Tom Kendall and Robby Gordon. Missing were Steve Kinser, who is racing in Australia, and Scott Pruett, whose mother accepted his award.