Ellis built his reputation on the short-track circuit that formed the backbone of American stock car racing in the 1970s. His rough-and-tumble driving style earned him his colorful nickname, though it also reflected the no-quarter-given racing culture of the era's late model sportsman ranks. In 1981, he claimed the last national late model sportsman championship, the final season before that format transitioned from points-chasing across various short tracks into the current touring structure now known as the Whelen All-American Series.
When the old late model sportsman national circuit reorganized into the NASCAR Busch Series in 1982, Ellis made the transition and quickly established himself as one of the series' top competitors. His success in the first two seasons of the Busch Series — twelve poles and eight wins — earned him attention from Winston Cup teams.
Ellis drove for most of three seasons in the Winston Cup's Chevrolet camp. His best Cup Series finish was an eighth-place run at Dover in 1986. He was also regarded as a reliable substitute driver in the Cup Series, filling in for Neil Bonnett in 1989 and replacing a suspended Geoff Bodine at Junior Johnson Motorsports two years later. He competed in the 1991 The Winston at Charlotte Motor Speedway in that role.
After his release from Freedlander Racing in 1986, Ellis returned to the Busch Series with J&J Racing. Between 1988 and 1990 he added nine more poles and seven more victories to his tally. The 1988 championship represented the pinnacle of his career: Ellis captured the Busch Series title driving an unsponsored Buick, a remarkable achievement that underlined both his talent and the difficulties underfunded teams routinely faced in that era.
His final Busch Series start came in 1995. Career Busch Series totals stand at 28 poles — second all-time behind Mark Martin at the time of his retirement — and 22 wins, placing him tied for thirteenth all-time alongside Sam Ard.
Ellis also served as a stunt driver for the 1990 film Days of Thunder alongside Bobby Hamilton, driving race cars numbered 51 and 18 in selected sequences.
Ellis occupies a distinctive place in NASCAR's developmental series history. His 1981 late model sportsman title represents the end of an era in grassroots American racing, closing out the points-chasing format that had defined short-track NASCAR competition for decades. His 1988 Busch Series championship in an unsponsored car became a symbol of what a skilled driver could accomplish against better-funded operations. His pole-position tally in the Busch Series, second only to Mark Martin, reflects consistent raw speed that belied the modest resources he often worked with.
In 2010, Ellis and his wife Brenda were each sentenced to eighteen months in prison after pleading guilty to federal tax-evasion charges. The couple had underreported income from their car-wash business by more than $300,000 between 2003 and 2007.