#98 [was #91] Team News and Links Page
LINKS
OFFICIAL - team/driver
Evernham Motorsports
SPONSORS
Primary:
Associates:
MORE INFO on the JAYSKI site about the team/driver
Team Scheme Page
Driver Appearances
Team Address Page
Pit Crew Chart
UN-OFFICIAL - team/driver
(not posting new unofficial sites anymore: too many have no updates, are old, driver bashing)
#98 [was #91] Team Past News and Rumors
(NOTE: some older links may not work)
- Evernham not leaving NASCAR: Ray Evernham said that rumors of his retirement from NASCAR were greatly exaggerated. After selling part of his business to the Gillett group (GEM) Evernham, Jeff Gordon’s former crew chief who started his own team full-time with Dodge in 2001, admitted that racing is not fun any longer in an interview during the Sprint NASCAR Media Tour in Concord. “Honestly, no, I wasn’t having fun,” he said, adding “it wasn’t just because of the (team’s poor) performance. There was a lot going on, over the last few years, that took the fun out of it for me because I love racing. Some of the fun had gone away, but, there’s a lot of great people in the sport and I want to spend time with those people and maybe being away from the negative people will help a little bit.” Remaining in NASCAR’s top series was a battle he explained “it was a constant fight to keep people, to keep sponsors, to keep relationships in a in a highly competitive world not all things don’t always go well. Evernham said that since it took three people to take over his previous job, he was working too hard to accomplish his goals. For now he’ll remain an “owner” but have the freedom to chose what role he’ll continue with at Gillett Evernham Motorsports.(Franckly Speaking/Lewis Franck)(1-22-2008) Comment here
- GEM names Mark McArdle VP and Managing Director of Competition Gillett Evernham Motorsports announced the promotion of Mark McArdle to Vice President and
Managing Director of Competition. McArdle formerly served as the Vice President and Managing Director of Gillett Evernham Engines. "This is another example of the business and performance related improvements Ray Evernham and I are committed to making," said George Gillett Jr., team owner of Gillett Evernham Motorsports. "The goal is to position our resources and leadership where they will have the greatest impact, conduct assessments and then make any additional strategic investments necessary to compete for championships. That's what we expect as an organization and we are committed to delivering that level of performance to our partners." McArdle spent 10 years building engines in CART with organizations such as Penske Racing and Mercedes-Benz. After visiting victory lane in the Indianapolis 500 three times, McArdle made the move to NASCAR and has
been with Gillett Evernham Motorsports since 2003. In addition to his management responsibilities at Gillett Evernham Engines, he also provided oversight and direction to Advanced Engine Technology, the Gillett Evernham facility based in Northhamptonshire, England. "We are promoting Mark [McArdle] to this role based on his remarkable performance and innumerable contributions to Gillett Evernham Motorsports over the past five seasons, especially with our engine program," said Evernham, co-owner. "Mark has an exceptional understanding of the technical side of this business, but additionally he understands that the foundation of this business is people. He has an outstanding reputation with his effective management style and is a proven team leader that is committed to excellence and delivering results." McArdle's technology-based approach to competition together with the added business expertise and resources of Gillett should help Gillett Evernham Motorsports move closer to its goal of becoming a championship organization. "I am very grateful to both Ray Evernham and George Gillett for the trust they are placing in me. Our goal is to win races and championships and until we do that I won't rest and neither will our employees at this race shop," McArdle said. "This company has a history of winning races and I fully expect we will resume that tradition here shortly."(GEM PR)(1-16-2008)
- Keller tests for GEM: Jason Keller, who set a Nationwide Series record last season with his 422nd career start, is testing Gillette Evernham Motorsports' #98 Dodge Charger at Daytona, an effort tended by test team director Pete Rondeau. "We're going to run a schedule similar to what we did with the #98, our R&D team, last season," GEM's Keith Barnwell said after getting down from Daytona's spotters' stand. "At this point, we're not exactly sure what that schedule will be." Barnwell said the car wouldn't participate in the tests at Las Vegas and California due to the logistical difference of "taking a van to Daytona Beach and only being able to put a certain number of people on a plane to the West Coast." Keller, who has previous Cup starts on his resume in the former "standard car," as well as a test last season for GEM and one a couple of weeks ago at Greenville-Pickens Speedway in his native South Carolina, said the Car of Tomorrow's higher profile and center of gravity resulted in as-advertised handling characteristics, but said he appreciated the better forward visibility in the car.(NASCAR.com)(1-8-2008)
- Said to drive 4th GEM car at NHIS: Gillett Evernham Motorsports announced that Boris Said will be behind the wheel of a fourth Nextel Cup entry this weekend at New Hampshire International Speedway. Said will be running the #98 Valvoline/Stanley Tools Avenger in what would be his first Nextel Cup start on an intermediate track since 2005.
Gillett Evernham Motorsports has built a successful relationship with Said in the Busch Series over the past two seasons resulting in a pole, a second-place finish, two top fives and 31 laps led in nine starts. The #10 Avenger of Scott Riggs will be running its Stanley Tools primary paint scheme at New Hampshire as Gillett Evernham Motorsports’ three fulltime teams including, #19-Elliott Sadler and #9-Kasey Kahne, will remain unchanged. “Fielding the #98 Valvoline/Stanley Tools Dodge Avenger at New Hampshire this weekend is the start of some additional research and development Gillett Evernham Motorsports will be doing with the COT heading into the 2008 season,” said Ray Evernham. “This is also an excellent opportunity to get Boris (Said) some seat time at a Nextel Cup race considering all he has done for our Busch and road course programs over the last two seasons.”(GEM PR), Jason Keller is testing a #98 Dodge Advenger at Talladega for GEM as Said is tesing his own #60 Ford there.(9-10-2007)
- Evernham to a four car team...in the future: on Speed Channel's NASCAR Raceday, Nextel Cup team owner Ray Evernham said he hope to expand to a four-car team in the future. NASCAR.com has an interview with Evernham by Marty Smith, one quote reports "Do you have plans to add a fourth team? Evernham: Yeah, we're trying to do that. We can't do it next year. We're not going to make next year, but we've got some things that I'm in the middle of putting together right now. The plan really was to go to four teams and we just couldn't get everything together fast enough."(8-26-2006)
- Karter tests Elliott owned Dodge truck: Multi-time national kart champion Alan Rudolph raised a few eyebrows in the world of stock cars as he impressed with a strong two-day test in a Bill Elliott-owned Dodge Craftsman Truck. The test was held at Peach State Speedway outside Jefferson, Ga. Rudolph’s fastest lap of 19.1sec on the one-mile high-banked oval eclipsed a baseline time run by Elliott earlier during the test, and was several tenths quicker than either of the other drivers in attendance. Rudolph has been coaching Elliott’s son Chase in karting competition this year, in the Colorado state region. The stock car legend was able to see Rudolph in action during a recent race, and after Rudolph’s dominant win, Elliott offered him a test in a Dodge powered Craftsman Truck.
“He did real well in the test,” said Elliott. “I was totally surprised. He ran very consistent, even though I didn’t have much time to work with him. I think if we can give him an opportunity he’ll do real well. He’s well spoken and he understands promoting. I hope I can help him with some opportunities.”(Speed Channel)(6-28-2006)
- Elliott could be back full-time in 2007..if the money is right: Bill Elliott, long one of NASCAR’s most popular drivers, said Friday that he is “weighing his options” for 2006, which include a possible full-time return to the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. Elliott, who has spent the last three seasons running only part time, has been courted by at least one of the new Toyota teams for 2007. Asked if he would consider a full-time return to the Cup series, Elliott said, “If the money’s right I would.”(Speed Channel)(6-24-2006)
- Elliott to drive for Red Bull UPDATE: Red Bull Racing is planning to announce that former Nextel Cup champion [1988] Bill Elliott will drive for the team for three races this season as the team prepares a full-time entry into Cup racing with Toyota in 2007, a source close to the situation has confirmed. The car Elliott will drive will not be a Toyota, but the make of car has not been determined. He will attempt to qualify for the races at Charlotte and Atlanta in October and Texas in November. He also is running select races this year for MB2 Motorsports and Michael Waltrip Racing. The Red Bull team will use the races to help get its crew ready for the Daytona 500 in 2007. Drivers and crew chiefs for 2007 have not been announced.(SceneDaily.com), Elliott is also scheduled to run five races for Michael Waltrip Racing in the #00 Burger King Chevy at Chicago, New Hampshire [July], Indy, California Homestead.(6-5-2006)
UPDATE: Originally scheduled to debut in 2007, Team Red Bull today announces a short schedule of three NASCAR NEXTEL Cup races it plans to enter in the fall of 2006 with veteran driver Bill Elliott, a two-time Daytona 500 winner, behind the wheel. “The organization and its competitive spirit are what attracted me to Team Red Bull,” says Elliott, who won the NASCAR Winston Cup driver’s title in 1988. “My job is simple . put the car in the show, drive it toward the front, and provide valuable input so that Team Red Bull is fully prepared by the Daytona 500. It’s really a great role at this stage of my racing career.” Leading the preparation of the non-Toyota equipped car are two recent race staff additions, Competition Director Elton Sawyer, a stock car racing veteran, and Technical Director John Probst, one of the racing industry’s top vehicle dynamics engineers. Sawyer and Probst join Gaunt and another appointee, Guenther Steiner, who came over to Team Red Bull from the Red Bull Racing F1 operation in a technical advisor role, as the team’s racing leadership operating out of the race shop in Mooresville, NC. The 60,000 sq. ft. facility recently underwent a Red Bull make-over since the energy drink company acquired the property from Penske Racing South prior to the team’s January 24 announcement by Toyota. Gaunt says the driver agreement with Elliott spans over three NEXTEL Cup races this fall – Charlotte, NC (Oct. 14), Atlanta, GA (Oct. 29), and Ft. Worth, TX (Nov. 5). Starting with the 2007 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup season, Team Red Bull will field two, full-time Toyota Camry entries. Rumors notwithstanding, more “official” information on the new team—including 2007 drivers and crew chiefs—will be made available later this year.(Red Bull Racing PR/Newsletter)(6-5-2006)
- What is up with Bill Elliott? Bill Elliott, now running a partial Cup schedule [#00 Burger King Chevy], said Thursday that he's weighing several offers for next season. He has been mentioned as a possible part-time replacement for Dale Jarrett in Robert Yates' #88 Ford, with younger drivers running the balance of the schedule. Elliott also is among the candidates to drive a Toyota Camry in Cup next year. "There are several good options out there," Elliott said. "Within a month I should have an idea what I'm going to do." He said he'd like to work out a deal that would serve as a steppingstone for his son Chase, 10, should he desire to pursue a career in NASCAR. "That's one of the things I'll look at," he said, adding that the reason he chooses to run a maximum of 12-15 races a year is so he can spend more time with his family. For so many years it's been about what I was doing," he said. "I want life to be more about what we are doing."(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(5-19-2006)
- UPS Undecided on future, either RYR or MWR; Bill Elliott to Yates?: With sponsor UPS suddenly NASCAR's top free agent, at least two teams' immediate futures appear to hang in the balance. Robert Yates Racing, which loses Jarrett's services at season's end, can't pick a replacement until it learns if UPS will remain. And if UPS opts to follow Jarrett to Michael Waltrip Racing, that operation would field three Toyotas instead of two next season. The one certainty is that Jarrett's move, formally announced May 13, leaves owner Robert Yates facing a scenario he thought was two years off. Expecting Jarrett to finish his career with the team in 2008, RYR began grooming Stephen Leicht and Matt McCall as possible replacements this season.
While the sponsor, be it UPS, Busch Series sponsor CitiFinancial or another entity, will play a role in selecting Jarrett's replacement, Yates says a veteran could figure in the mix. The question is whether the veteran would drive the full year or split time with one or two younger drivers as Yates works toward a permanent replacement. Team Manager Eddie D'Hondt said Bill Elliott could be the veteran if that plan is followed. Waltrip said he has sponsorship secured for two cars and has talked with UPS. If the company comes aboard, he'd gladly field three teams next year. In a statement, Laura Kouns, motorsports marketing manager for UPS, said the company "is excited about its continuing role in NASCAR," but that its policy is not to comment about "our future plans or sponsorships."(SceneDaily,com)(5-17-2006)
- 10-12 Races for Elliott: Bill Elliott is driving the #36 Chevy for MB2 Motorsports in the Daytona 500 and hopes to run 10-12 races with both MB2 and Evernham Motorsports [#91/98] this season.(Richmond Times Dispatch)(2-14-2006)
- Evernham Announcement UPDATE 2: not sure what this is about...yet, but on Friday, Feb. 10th at Daytona, Evernham Motorsports [#9,#10,#19] will announce plans for the Ingersoll-Rand Dodge Charger and its 2006 Road Racing Program, driver to be announced.(2-9-2006)
UPDATE: rumors have the driver being either Ward Burton or Boris Said, could be a Busch Series deal.(2-9-2006)
UPDATE 2: Evernham Motorsports and Ingersoll Rand announced the expansion of their partnership to include sponsorship
of an Evernham Motorsports road course development program for the 2006 season. The new program extends the long-standing relationship that Ray Evernham, President and CEO of Evernham Motorsports, has enjoyed with Ingersoll Rand, and allows the organization to further develop its road course performance by tapping road racing veteran Boris Said to serve not only as a driver, but also
as a coach. “Our goal is to build a championship race team and to do that you have to run well on the road courses,” Evernham said. “You can’t take a mulligan at Infineon Raceway and Watkins Glen. “Boris presented us with an excellent opportunity to improve our road course program by having him work with our teams on the cars as well as with our drivers. He has years of road course racing experience and has
had success in NASCAR on the road courses.” Said will pilot the #9 Ingersoll Rand Dodge Charger in the Busch Series race at Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez on March 5. He also will act as a technical consultant on the development of road course cars and serve as a
driver coach to the Evernham Motorsports stable of drivers. Ingersoll Rand also will serve as the primary sponsor on a fourth entry in the
NASCAR Nextel Cup Series for Evernham Motorsports at Watkins Glen International on Aug. 13. The driver of the #98 Ingersoll Rand Dodge Charger will be announced at a later date. In addition to the designation as the Official Air Tools and Compressors of Evernham Motorsports, Ingersoll Rand also will be the title sponsor of the Pit Training Facility at Evernham Motorsports and will be an associate sponsor of the #9 Ultimate Chargers Dodge Charger in the Busch Series for the duration of the season. Ingersoll Rand’s other five strategic brands, Bobcat, ClubCar, Schlage, Hussmann and ThermoKing will also be showcased as part of the primary sponsorship. As part of its sponsorship program, Ingersoll Rand will be offering its customers special offers and products like the Street Legal Thundergun air
impact wrench that offers the durability and performance NASCAR pit crews rely on to turn 14-second, four-tire replacement pit stops. For more information about Ingersoll Rand, visit www.ingersollrand.com.(ClearBlue PR)(2-10-2006)
- Elliott wants to run 11-12 Cup races in 2006: Bill Elliott said Jan. 11 that he would like to run 10 to 12 races in 2006, but his only firm commitment is for the Daytona 500 in the #36 car for MB2 Motorsports. He would run the rest of the races for Evernham Motorsports [#91]. The 1988 Winston Cup champion retired from full-time racing after the 2003 season and has run a limited schedule the last two years for Ray Evernham. "My goal would be to run 10 or 12 races, that's what we've always said in the past," Elliott said. "We've kind of fallen short of that with the way things have fallen within Ray's camp. Right now, his main focus is to get his third-car deal with Scott Riggs and all those things in place. For me, this is an opportunity for me to come down and do this and let him to get his program in place and then work toward whatever we do as we continue on down the road."(NASCAR Scene Daily Newsletter)(1-11-2006)
- Cup team considering move to Indy? in Darrell Waltrip's latest column at FoxSports: "by the way I was in Indy this past week on some business. There's a rumor going around that some big NASCAR team was thinking about moving to Indianapolis, and I was talking to some folks who may have given me an inside track on who it might be. It's a guy that's got three cars and no crew chiefs, if that helps you any."(FoxSports), no crew chiefs? Evernham Motorsports uses Team Directors...not crew chiefs.(1-6-2006)
- Bill Elliott to run Daytona 500...in a Chevy UPDATE: Longtime Dodge [and longer time Ford] driver Elliott has Chevy ride for Daytona Bill Elliott will get another chance to add to his Daytona win total next month, and the longtime Ford and Dodge driver also will have a chance to size up a Chevy. Elliott, who has four wins at Daytona International Speedway, including two in the prestigious Daytona 500, said Tuesday that he'll be driving the #36 Chevy for MB2 Motorsports in the sport's showcase event. "I wanted to run the 500 again, one more time at least," said Elliott, who has run a part-time schedule for the past two seasons after ending a full-time career that saw him win a Nextel Cup championship, 44 races and 55 poles. "I've always enjoyed running Daytona." It'll mark one of his rare starts in a General Motors car, although he did run Chevys and an Oldsmobile in the late 1970s. "The General Motors stuff has been awfully good on superspeedways," he said. "We'll see what they're all about." He still plans to run some races in a [#91] Dodge for his regular car owner, Ray Evernham, but those starts will come later in the season. Elliott said it's best for Evernham to focus on getting his third full-time team --- the #10 Valvoline Dodge driven by Scott Riggs --- up to speed at the start of the season. "I want Ray to put all his effort into that right now," he said. Elliott's first ride in the #36 will come next week when Daytona holds the first round of preseason test sessions.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
NOTE: Boris Said usually drives the #36 car for MB2 Motorsports, making 9 starts in 12 2005 attempts. Supposedly Said will again run a limited schedule in 2006, not sure if this move changes that. Elliott also has a past champions provisional available to use unless Terry Labonte needs it [goes to the most recent past champ not making the top 42 spots] for the #96 Hall of Fame Racing team.(1-4-2006)
UPDATE: MB2 Motorsports announced that its #36 entry for the Daytona 500 (Feb. 19) will be driven by Bill Elliott, a two-time
winner of NASCAR's biggest race. Elliott will also drive the MB2-built #36 Chevrolet in the Feb. 11th Budweiser Shootout at Daytona, an invitational race for 2005 pole winners and former Shootout champions. Elliott earned his automatic berth as a result of winning the Shootout in 1987. Frank Stoddard will serve as Elliott's crew chief for both races and also oversee Elliott's Daytona test session next week (Jan. 9-11). "MB2 has a top-notch superspeedway program and I am looking forward to being part of it," said Elliott, who will team with MB2's full-time drivers #14-Sterling Marlin and #01-Joe Nemechek at Daytona. "Both Sterling and Joe are good on the big tracks and having them as teammates gives us added potential." Elliott, the 1988 NASCAR Cup champion, has run a limited schedule the past two years. His last Daytona 500 appearance was in 2003. "We're thrilled that Bill will be joining us, he brings a wealth of superspeedway experience to our MB2 Daytona 500 lineup," said Jay Frye, MB2's CEO and general manager. Frye also said that a sponsor for the #36 Chevy during Daytona Speedweeks will be announced at a later date.(MB2 Motorsports PR)
NOTE II: been told that MB2 Motorsports is currently working on a package to have Boris Said run a limited schedule in the #36 this season.(1-4-2006)
