Hungry Drivers Racing Team and Evernham Motorsports to Hold Press Conference in Darlington
The Hungry Drivers™ Racing team and Evernham Motorsports will hold a press conference on Friday, November 12, 2004 at 8:30am in the infield media center at Darlington Raceway. Several announcements will be made in regards to the 2005 No. 6 Hungry Drivers™ Racing program including naming the primary driver and crew chief of the No. 6 Hungry Drivers Dodge for the 2005 season.

Another announcement... any speculations as to who they are naming as crew cheif and driver??

I think they are doing a combo of drivers. Isn't kasey running New Hampshire and Jeremy going to run Charlotte. I think I remember reading that! Hopefully Bill will get a few races. I would like David Green in the car but I think he is under contract.
Wayne!

I think the car that Kasey and Jeremy will be running is a 2nd Evernham Busch car, cause the Hungry Drivers thing is supposed to be a full-time deal..........

there are 4 drivers that got the chance to drive the car for a couple races and which ever of them did the best and I'm assuming meets the other criteria is to be named driver of the car for 25 races next year, with somone else being given the chance for the rest of the races.........now don't know if thats how its all going to work, but thats how it was supposed to work

The 4 drivers were......Scott Lynch, Paul Wolfe, Tracy Hines and Mark McFarland.

From all the stats I looked at McFarland and Hines has the best record in the car......but McFarland was just announced as driving a Hooters Pro Cup entry for Dale Jr next year, so if they are going based on the stuff they originally said then Tracy Hines should be the driver........which I think would be awesome. Tracy is a great driver and he and Kasey are friends from the USAC days

BGN Note: It appears to be coming down to two drivers, Paul Wolfe and Tracy Hines, who participated in this year's program under Tommy Baldwin Racing. (11-10-04)

Interesting about Wolfe......cause he pretty much sucked everytime he got in the car it seemed to me, I mean I think he can drive.......but Tracy was much better

I hope Tracy gets it! I like him a lot! On Inside Nextel Cup this week, they said Tracy got hurt in that Truck accident in Phoenix and had to have ankle surgery...Hope he's ok, I haven't read it or heard it anywhere else.

I hadn't heard that about Tracy either, I hope he's okay.

I'm really hoping he gets the ride

UPDATE: Paul Wolfe has been chosen as the primary driver of the #6


Blah, this decision I do not agree with! I mean I hope Paul does well but I'll be surprised if he does to be honest

Damn....I really don't care for Wolfe. I hope Tracy gets a good offer. He did decent in Tommy's Busch car....but the Truck he drives now sucks.

Heres a tip to anyone here who sends stuff out to drivers to get autographed, Tracy's turn-around time is like 1 week....I always send the stamped envelopes to get an autographed postcard back and usually drivers take anywhere from 2-6 months to send back...but I got Tracy's truck one back in 4 days, and when he was running USAC the past few years, he'd send it back in less than a week too. I'm obsessed with collecting those postcards!

Evernham tabs Wolfe to pilot Busch ride in '05

Ray Ray Ray... Jeremy's needs a new barber... ha ha... Maybe the kid should visit Great Clips w/ Kasey... maybe the some mojo will rub off on him...

Granted I love Jeremy so eh... any who... I haven't been paying much attention to the drivers they've been testing... Kasey's been kind of distracting my attention during the races (ha ha wow I'm having a day) so eh... but I mean hopefully he's a good fit and I think w/ Jeremy and Kasey around... maybe they can rub off on him...

Parsons to Continues as Spokesman for Hungry Drivers Program

Darlington, SC (November 12, 2004) – Unilever Foods brands’ Ragu® pasta sauce, Shedd’s Spread Country Crock® spread, Hellmann’s® mayonnaise, Lawry’s® spice blends and seasonings and Lipton® tea are proud to announce that NBC and TNT broadcast analyst and former NASCAR Champion, Benny Parsons, will continue to bring good racing and good food to fans across the country as spokesperson of the multi-brand NASCAR Busch Series Hungry Drivers™ program.

As spokesperson, Parsons will appear in radio commercials during race broadcasts on MRN and PRN, advertising campaigns on the NEXTEL Vision Screens, and PA announcements at each track. The campaign will be aimed at informing consumers of new and different ways to include Ragu® pasta sauce, Hellmann’s® mayonnaise and Shedd’s Spread Country Crock® spread into their favorite family recipes.

Parsons is a household name in the world of racing. The racing legend retired from NASCAR competition after the 1988 season with many great accomplishments throughout his career, including the NASCAR Championship. Throughout his 25-year career, Parsons recorded 21 wins, most notably the 1975 Daytona 500 and the1980 Coca-Cola 600.

In 1989, Benny Parsons began a second career as a race color analyst for ESPN and radio-show host for the Performance Racing Network. In 2001, Benny became the lead color analyst for NBC and TNT covering all of their NASCAR Nextel Cup and NASCAR Busch Series broadcasts.

“Benny is a racing legend and clearly a favorite among race fans. His ability to reach out to fans and potential consumers makes him the perfect person to represent our brands and the Hungry Drivers™ Racing program as spokesperson,” said Lisa Klauser, Vice President Integrated Marketing Capabilities, Unilever Foods. “We are excited to continue our relationship with Benny Parsons and we know that all of our consumers join us in that excitement. Fans can expect to once again see Benny involved in Hungry Drivers™ Racing advertising campaigns, trackside programs, brand sweepstakes and various other consumer related activities.”

According to Benny Parsons, “If there’s two things I know, it’s good racing and good food. The Parsons household has been using Ragu®, Country Crock®, Hellmann’s®, Lawry’s® and Lipton® for years. I look forward to continuing representing Unilever Foods and all of these brands and to exposing them to racing families across the U.S.”

Evernham Names Sawyer as Team Director of 2005 Hungry Drivers Program

Elton Sawyer To Lead Evernham Motorsports First Full Time NASCAR Busch Series Program

Darlington, SC (November 12, 2004) – Evernham Motorsports announced today in a press conference at Darlington Raceway that Elton Sawyer will lead their first full time NASCAR Busch Series effort as Team Director of the No. 6 Hungry Drivers™ Racing Dodge team with primary driver Paul Wolfe behind the wheel, effective immediately.

Sawyer, a Chesapeake, VA native, started racing late models at the age of 16 and would go on to compete successfully in the NASCAR Busch Series for over twenty years. To date, he is ranked second in all time starts among past and present NASCAR Busch Series drivers with 392 starts. Over the years, Sawyer proved that he was not your average weekend race car driver. He could often be seen staying late to work on his own cars well after his team members had gone home for the night.

After putting his driving shoes aside, Sawyer decided to put his racing experience and knowledge to use by educating and mentoring younger drivers coming into the sport. In 2002, Sawyer worked with a team on the Busch Series circuit, coaching up-and-coming drivers on a variety of aspects of the racing business, including both on track and off issues.

While at Daytona in JuIy of 2003, Sawyer struck up a conversation with Evernham whom he had first met in 1992 when both worked for Bill Davis Racing, Evernham as crew chief and Sawyer as a chassis specialist. Evernham was giving serious consideration to starting a driver development program of his own and was interested in what Sawyer had been doing as far as coaching younger drivers. Two months later, Sawyer was hired by Evernham as Director of Dodge Research and Development a position that would help prepare him for the role he would take on a year later – team director of Evernham Motorsports Hungry Drivers™ Racing program.

Lisa Klauser, Vice President Integrated Marketing Capabilities, Unilever Foods, thinks that Sawyer is a perfect match for the Hungry Drivers™ program.

“We have high expectations for the 2005 season and Elton will play a pivotal role in our success. We are happy to have him on board and are very impressed with his credentials. We feel that Elton’s experience behind the wheel and his experience in working with younger drivers is a perfect fit for the Hungry Drivers™ team concept.”

Sawyer is looking forward to his new role as Team Director of Evernham Motorsports’ first full time NASCAR Busch Series effort and to being a part of the unique Hungry Drivers™ program.

“I am very excited about the opportunity to lead Evernham Motorsports first full time Busch Series effort,” said Sawyer. “I have the utmost respect for Ray Evernham and what he has achieved over the years in this sport. I look forward to being a mentor to Paul Wolfe and to helping Evernham Motorsports and Unilever Foods brands Ragu®, Hellmann’s®, Country Crock®, Lawry’s® and Lipton® achieve that same kind of success with their NASCAR Busch Series program. The Hungry Drivers™ program is right up my alley as far as mentoring and coaching younger drivers. I feel that my 20 years of experience as a driver will be helpful in developing these young talents into their full potential.”

For Ray Evernham, the decision to allow Sawyer to lead the No. 6 Hungry Drivers™ Racing program was an easy one.

“Elton was the obvious choice when I was determining who was best suited to lead this team and endeavor for Evernham Motorsports,” said Evernham. “His knowledge about race cars is both extensive and impressive. He has the knowledge and skill to bring along new talent and I am confident in his ability to work with and develop our drivers to help them achieve success on the race track.”

Evernham Motorsports also announced today that Paul Wolfe would be the primary driver of the No. 6 Hungry Drivers™ Dodge for the 2005 season.

Hungry Drivers and Evernham Name Wolfe as Primary Driver of No. 6 Dodge

Darlington, SC (November 12, 2004) – Unilever Foods Division and Evernham Motorsports announced today that Paul Wolfe has been named as the primary “hungry” driver of the No. 6 Hungry Drivers™ Dodge for the 2005 NASCAR Busch Series season.

Plans call for Wolfe to drive the No. 6 Dodge in a majority of the Busch companion events, allowing him to run for the Rookie of the Year title. The Hungry Drivers™ program will continue its theme of discovering up-and-coming talent by choosing additional “hungry” drivers to showcase their skills in a number of the NASCAR Busch Series stand-alone events. Elton Sawyer will lead the team as Team Director.

Wolfe’s performance in the No. 6 Hungry Drivers™ Dodge in 2004 was impressive for a rookie driver with only two previous NASCAR Busch Series starts. In three starts he posted two top-20 finishes including 18th place at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and 12th place at New Hampshire International Raceway.

Lisa Klauser, Vice President Integrated Marketing Capabilities, Unilever Foods Division, said that it was his performance both on and off the track that convinced sponsoring brands Ragu® pasta sauce, Hellmann’s® mayonnaise and Shedd’s Spread Country Crock® spread that Wolfe was the man for the job.

“This young man has represented us so well this year both on and off the track,” said Klauser. “He is everything we are looking for in a spokesperson for our brands –talented, family-oriented, ambitious and determined to succeed. We know that he will put 110% into continuing to make this program successful.”

With the new addition of the Busch team for Evernham Motorsports, Ray Evernham says the Hungry Drivers™ program will provide young drivers the opportunity to showcase their talents, such as Paul Wolfe has in 2004.

“In the Hungry Drivers™ program, Paul has demonstrated to our partner, Unilever Foods, that he belongs in a race car,” said Evernham. “Evernham Motorsports is looking forward to working with him and developing his talents as the primary driver of the No. 6 Hungry Drivers Dodge.”

For Wolfe, being named as the primary driver for Evernham Motorsports’ first full-time NASCAR Busch Series effort is truly a dream come true.

“Ray Evernham is a leader in the industry, one that has seen tremendous success as a crew chief and now as a team owner,” said Wolfe. “Personally, he is someone I have looked up to since I was a young boy. There is such a tremendous pool of talent at his organization with drivers Kasey Kahne, Jeremy Mayfield and Bill Elliott and I intend to take full advantage of that – learning as much as possible so that I can continue to grow my abilities as a driver.”

Wolfe also looks forward to his continuing involvement in the Hungry Drivers™ program.

“I am so proud to have the opportunity to represent great brands like Ragu®, Hellmann’s®, Country Crock®, Lawry’s® and Lipton®. The Hungry Drivers™ program is truly one-of-a-kind because it gives hopeful drivers like myself the opportunity of a lifetime. I look forward to learning a lot from Elton and to bringing the Hungry Drivers™ program and Evernham Motorsports their first of many NASCAR Busch Series victories in 2005!

Paul Wolfe’s racing career began with a single go-kart race when he was ten years old. While Wolfe did not win that first race, he wasn’t discouraged. He gained something even more valuable that day – the knowledge that his future was in racing.

In 1996, Wolfe left his hometown of Milford, NY for North Carolina in hopes of furthering his racing career. He landed a job as a fabricator for Joe Gibbs Racing where he worked for four years. In what spare time he had, Wolfe raced in area late model races.

In 2000, Wolfe made his debut in the Busch North Series where he competed regularly for the next three years. With his strong performances every week, Wolfe earned a reputation as a promising up-and-coming talent and caught a lot of people’s attention, including Nextel Cup crew chief and NASCAR Busch Series car owner, Tommy Baldwin. Baldwin became a mentor to Wolfe and in 2003 offered him the opportunity to compete in his first NASCAR Busch Series event at the Dover International Speedway in September. In his first series start, Wolfe recorded a 16th place finish and followed it up with a 19th place finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway in November.

Impressed by Wolfe’s performance, Baldwin signed Wolfe to be one of four drivers to compete in his Hungry Drivers™ program, which allowed four up and coming drivers to compete in three races each during the 2004 NASCAR Busch Series season.

About The Hungry Drivers™ Program:
The Hungry Drivers™ program, sponsored by Unilever Foods, has partnered with Evernham Motorsports to give up and coming “hungry drivers" the opportunity of a lifetime by giving them the chance to get behind the wheel of the NASCAR Busch Series No. 6 Dodge to prove their talent to the racing world.

After an impressive performance in the Hungry Drivers™ inaugural year, Paul Wolfe has been named as the primary driver for the 2005 season and will compete in up to 25 races on the NASCAR Busch Series circuit throughout the season. Continuing its theme of discovering new talent, additional “hungry drivers” will be named throughout the year to showcase their skills in selected NASCAR Busch Series events.

For the second year, Unilever Foods brands’ Ragu® pasta sauce, Shedd’s Spread Country Crock® spread and chilled side dishes, and Hellmann’s® mayonnaise are the primary team sponsors with Lawry’s® spice blends and marinades and Lipton tea® joining the Hungry Drivers™ team as associate sponsors. Ragu® pasta sauce, Shedd’s Spread Country Crock® spread and chilled side dishes, Hellmann’s® mayonnaise and Lawry’s® spice blends and marinades have category exclusive marketing rights as “proud sponsors of NASCAR” and are official products of six marquee race tracks across the country.

Ray must see something in paul or else he wouldn't pick him.
Wayne!