Evernham shifts to high gear
By Pete Schnatz
Inquirer Staff Writer
Boy, has Ray Evernham been busy.
In less than two months, his NASCAR Nextel Cup teams are due to arrive in Daytona Beach, Fla., for the start of Speedweeks. So the native of Red Bank, N.J., the driving force behind Evernham Motorsports, has been going full-throttle recently.
On Monday, Evernham announced moves that will affect two of his three Nextel Cup teams.
Veteran crew chief Richard "Slugger" Labbe will take over that position with the No. 19 Dodge, which Jeremy Mayfield drove to 10th place in the season standings. Labbe won a pair of Daytona 500s as crew chief for Michael Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt Inc. Kenny Francis, who was Mayfield's crew chief, will remain with the No. 19 as team director.
Chris Andrews has been hired to run the No. 91 Dodge, which will again run a limited schedule with Bill Elliott behind the wheel. Andrews previously worked with Richard Childress Racing as crew chief on the No. 31 Chevrolet piloted by Robby Gordon.
"The most exciting part for me is helping the organization grow a third team," Andrews said in a statement released by Evernham Motorsports. "Bill Elliott brings a unique perspective based upon his years of winning races and a championship, and with his experience and my technical background we should have a really strong combination."
Evernham, who appears to have caught lightning in a bottle with Kasey Kahne, the 2004 Nextel Cup rookie of the year, hopes to strike it rich again after signing a promising young female driver to a developmental contract.
Acting on recommendations from Kahne and John Bickford, a close friend and the stepfather of Jeff Gordon, Evernham announced on Dec. 8 a deal that will have Erin Crocker racing in three series in 2005.
"I'd like to be able to look back and say I was part of Erin becoming the first woman to win a major NASCAR event," he said. "We're going to bring her along slowly, and do the best that we can to mold her career."
In October, Crocker became the first woman to win a World of Outlaws feature event.
The 23-year-old from Wilbraham, Mass., graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 2003 with a degree in industrial and management engineering and has been racing since the age of 7.
Evernham Motorsports will provide cars for Crocker for three ARCA races and three Busch Series races, and Crocker will compete in the USAC Silver Crown Series in a car fielded by Kasey Kahne Motorsports.
Kahne, 24, who became a team owner this year, also will field a Silver Crown entry with 20-year-old Kraig Kinser. Kahne gave a glowing assessment of Crocker, saying, "I've seen her outrun the guys I used to compete against, so I know she's got talent and confidence."
Crocker grew up following the short-track exploits of Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart, with an eye toward participating in the Indianapolis 500. But now she believes her future path leads to NASCAR.
"Once I get the feel of these bigger, heavier cars, I'm confident it will go well," she said. "I'm sure I'm going to have a lot to learn, but I'm ready for the challenge."
Dialed in. The A&E channel will debut a new biography of Mario Andretti today. The program is scheduled at 10 a.m. and again at 4 p.m.
The production, which took nearly a year to complete, contains footage from four decades of racing and celebrates Andretti's career behind the wheel in Formula One, Champ Car, NASCAR and sports car competition.
Andretti is one of only four drivers to win a championship in both F1 and the Champ Car World Series.
Nice article....thanks for posting it! :na
I think ray is reading for the organization to go to the next level! Go ray Go!
Wayne!
ems Bam kickin it up a notch.