FANTASY NASCAR Racin

RAY EVERNHAM - 8/26/1957 -
Evernham started as a modified racer in the North east. He crashed at Flemington in the middle of the 1993 season. He damaged his brain stem, which left depth perception impairment ending his driving career. Evernham started working for NASCAR driver Alan Kulwicki at the end of 1991. Evernham moved to Rick Hendrick Motorsports and was the crew chief for Jeff Gordon after he moved up into Sprint Cup from the final race of the 1992 season to 1999. Gordon and Evernham won 47 Cup races, 3 Cup championships (1995, 1997, and 1998) and were the dominant team in NASCAR Cup competition at the time. Evernham left Hendrick Motorsports and Gordon/Evernham Motorsports in 1999 to form his own team, Evernham Motorsports, which in 2000 announced Bill Elliott would drive for him. The team ran in 2000 out of Elliott's race shop. The team would also be the cornerstone for Dodge's return to Winston Cup racing in 2001. Before the 2001 Winston Cup season, a Dodge had not raced in the series since Phil Good at the Pocono Raceway in June 1985. Evernham led Dodge's return to NASCAR by fielding two full-time cars in the 2001 season. Bill Elliott was named to drive the No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge on March 10, 2000. The driver of the No. 19 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge was announced to be Casey Atwood. The two teams had the backing of nearly 3,000 Dodge Dealers and the Chrysler Group’s performance brand Dodge. The duo would have success in their initial season, as Elliott won at Homestead, breaking a 7 year win-less streak. 2003 would see Elliott in victory lane again in 2003 at Rockingham, and the following week he would be leading at Homestead when he had a flat

tire with 1/2 lap to go. Rockingham would be Elliott's final career win. On August 6, 2007, it was announced that George N. Gillett, Jr. had purchased a majority share in the team, and that the name had been changed to Gillett Evernham Motorsports. In 2002, Jeremy Mayfield was added to Evernham's program, taking over the #19 Dodge from Atwood. In 2002, Evernham found success with his new program by witnessing Mayfield win the Winston Open, as well as Bill Elliott winning back to back in the Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono and The Brickyard 400 at the

Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In 2003, Elliott ran strong with several 2nd place finishes and won the next to last race at North Carolina Motor Speedway at Rockingham and nearly won the season finale at Homestead, cutting a tire while leading on the last lap, surrendering the lead and win to Bobby Labonte in Elliott's last full time race. In 2004, Kasey Kahne took over the 9 car with Elliott running part time in a third car, number 91 and Mayfield in the 19. 2005 saw both Kahne and Mayfield claim one win, and in 2006 Kahne broke out and had a six win season with Evernham. Meanwhile after 21 races Mayfield was fired for "lack of performance" and for comments detrimental to the team.

In August 2006 Elliott Sadler was announced as the new driver of the 19 car. Court documents reveal that Mayfield blames Evernham's personal life, included a claim that a "close personal relationship" had developed between the then-married Evernham and development driver Erin Crocker, and "sub-par" equipment as the reasons he has not won a race in 2006. Evernham admitted that he had an ongoing relationship with Crocker. Furthermore, he said about Crocker, "The proper thing to do and something her and I would like to do is move her to another race team." Evernham and Crocker eventually were married at a private ceremony in Las Vegas on August 26, 2009. They had a baby girl named Cate Susan Evernham that was born on July 26, 2014. In August 2007, it was announced that George N. Gillett, Jr. had purchased a majority share in the

team, and that the name had been changed to Gillett Evernham Motorsports. The transaction was similar to the creation of Roush Fenway Racing. In 2009, GEM then completed a merger with Petty Enterprises and brought the team's famous #43 car into the fold. Owner George N. Gillett, Jr. told reporters that the team would change names to reflect the merger, with Richard Petty Motorsports or Gillett-Petty Motorsports being two of the potential names. The team finally decided on the former name on January 19, 2009. Late in the 2009 season, RPM announced that it was to merge with Yates Racing. In late 2010, Evernham sold his remaining share in the operation.