Evernham's essentials:
A title, the right partners
DAVID POOLE
dpoole@charlotteobserver.com

Chuck Burton / The Associated Press
Team owner Ray Evernham answers questions during the NASCAR Nextel Media Tour in Concord, N.C.Partnerships in owning teams could emerge as a major trend in NASCAR, and Ray Evernham said Thursday that may be what it will take to help people like him survive at the sport’s top level.

“I will be interested in doing whatever I have to do to get that (Nextel) Cup,” Evernham said on the final day of the NASCAR Nextel Media Tour hosted by Lowe’s Motor Speedway. “I want to be here five years from now and I will be interested in whatever plan looks the best that I can have people back at my shop because we’ve just won the Nextel Cup and we’ve got four competitive cars and we’re solidly in the top five in the sport instead of hanging on for dear life.”

Jack Roush is finalizing a deal with that will have the Fenway Sports Group, led by Boston Red Sox owner John Henry, invest a sum reported at around $60 million for an ownership stake in Roush Racing. That deal is expected to be announced on Feb. 14 during Daytona’s Speedweeks.

Richard Childress already has investor partners in his racing operation, as well.

“When I worked for Rick (Hendrick) he didn’t control the 24 car,” said Evernham, who was Jeff Gordon’s crew chief at Hendrick Motorsports before starting his team. “He gave me the resources and let me go do his deal.

“I have to find a partner like that to whom I can say, ‘You handle this and I’ll handle this – here’s the line, I am making these decision and you’re making those. You make the money and I’ll spend it and I will give you the trophies.’”

Evernham owns three Nextel Cup teams and one of them, for driver Kasey Kahne, led the series with six victories last year. Evernham said Thursday his goals for 2007 are to have Scott Riggs and Elliott Sadler join Kahne as race winners and have at least two of his cars make the 12-car Chase for the Nextel Cup.

Evernham said he believes that progress toward becoming a championship car owner is more than just a goal, it’s essential for his survival in the sport.

“What separates us from the very top teams in the sport right now is that we have not been able to win a plate race and not been able to win a championship,” Evernham said. “And we have to do that in the next two or three years if I am going to survive in the sport.

"If I am going to be here 10 years form now, in the next two or three years we have got to get that championship and win some plate races.”

Ray's determined that is very good

Good article and I am glad to see that Ray is willing to do what it takes to get the job done and to stay competitive as well. I want EMS to stick around and get their first NEXTEL Cup Trophy.

Great article! Thanks for posting!

I love Ray's determination.