Evernham bunch starting to prove critics wrong
By Mike Harris, The Associated Press April 1, 2004
12:54 PM EST (1754 GMT)

Ray Evernham is feeling vindicated these days.

After four tough years, the former crew chief appears to have finally turned his Evernham Motorsports team into a championship contender. His two drivers are already off to a good start this season, with three second-place finishes among them and strong showings in the points standings.

"I left probably the best job in motorsports and I took a lot of criticism for it then," Evernham said about his decision in 1999 to become a team owner.

"All along, we've been saying that we're building a good organization, we're building good systems and we're trying to do the right things," he added. "I feel good that some of the things we've put into place are working and I feel like there is some chemistry in place."

One of the best moves he made so far was luring Kasey Kahne away from Ford Motor Co. last season. In his first six Cup starts this year, the rookie sensation had back-to-back runner-up finishes, won two poles and was 11th in the points standings heading into Sunday's Samsung/RadioShack 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

Veteran teammate Jeremy Mayfield, who has three finishes of 11th or better, including second in Atlanta, was eighth in the points.

Kahne would likely still be in the top 10 if he hadn't tangled with Jamie McMurray while battling for second place last Sunday at Bristol. The crash left Kahne in 40th place.

"I knew he was going to be good," Evernham said about his rookie, "but I am surprised, really pleasantly surprised, that he's as mature as he is behind the wheel."

It's not the first time Evernham has found success with a young driver. He and Jeff Gordon worked together for eight seasons, combining for 47 victories and three of Gordon's four Cup titles before Evernham sought out a new challenge.

In late 1999, he shocked a lot of people in NASCAR when he walked away from the elite Hendrick Motorsports team to take on the daunting tasks of building his own organization as well as overseeing the return of Dodge to the sport after an absence of nearly 23 years.

Evernham started his first full season as a car owner in 2001 with former series champion Bill Elliott and rookie Casey Atwood as his drivers. Mayfield came aboard in 2002, replacing Atwood.

Elliott, who cut back to a limited schedule in 2004, has given Evernham all four of his team's victories and his only top 10 in the points, finishing ninth last year.

"He's built something here and he's done it with a lot of patience and good ideas," Elliott said about his team's owner. "He gave me a chance when a lot of people probably didn't think I could do the job any more and I'm proud to be part of this team."

And Evernham is more than happy to have the veteran driver around.

"A large part of what you see is carried over from last year, and the reason it's stronger this year is because we've got more people on board that agree with that process," Evernham said. "We've got Bill Elliott kind of overseeing and helping a lot of things with the drivers and crews that I couldn't do before, and it's finally starting to come together for us."

It's inevitable that people start comparing the 23-year-old Kahne, who replaced Elliott in the team's No. 9 Intrepid, with the young Gordon. But Evernham won't get into that debate.

Atwood, then 20, was touted to be the next Gordon when Evernham signed him in 2000 and ran him in three races to give him and his new team some race experience. But that didn't pan out and Atwood is now back racing in the Busch Series.

"I think that goes back to chemistry and commitment," Evernham said. "We never could get the chemistry right with Casey Atwood. I can't comment on why Casey Atwood didn't make it. All I can tell you is why Kasey Kahne is making it.

"All I can say is that Kasey Kahne is in the gym every morning, studies tapes, he's at the shop once a week. He's committed to becoming part of this team."

Evernham is proud of what Kahne and his new team have accomplished, including overcoming a flat tire, a lost lap and being spun out by Tony Stewart to finish on the lead lap in 13th two weeks ago in Darlington.

He knows the job is far from complete, though.

"We're running good but we still get beat every week, so we've got to turn that around," he said.

NASCAR.com

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