Evernham Motorsports owner Ray Evernham debunked rumors Tuesday of #19-Jeremy Mayfield’s demise and also spoke of the futures of #9-Bill Elliott and Casey Atwood. Mayfield has been the subject of the media rumor mill based on his lackluster results this season. Despite a 2002 season in which Mayfield finished 26th in the standings with two top-fives, four top-10’s and seven DNFs, Evernham said he was unquestionably standing behind his driver. “Jeremy Mayfield is in the 19 — there’s no question about his future,” Evernham said. “We’re working as hard as we can work to get that 19 car back to the front (and) they’re probably closer than you think. It’s not an easy sport (but) as long as we keep communicating and holding hands and digging hard, that’s all that we can do.” Elliott, 47 will be driving Evernham’s #9 Dodge well into the future. “Bill is under contract through 2005, and he knows that No. 9 car is his as long as he wants to drive it,” Evernham said. “He has said he’ll give us plenty of notice if he decides he wants to do anything else.” Atwood, 22, was displaced when Mayfield was hired to drive the #19 car beginning last year. In 2002, Atwood drove the No. 7 Dodge for Evernham/Ultra Motorsports, but he was released near the end of the season. He remains under contract to Evernham, though he’s been given his release to seek other opportunities [such as the #82 U.S Navy Chevy in the Busch Series ]. Evernham will field a #91 Dodge at Pocono next month for Atwood, and has said he would like to do more races with that car. “We’re still working with Casey Atwood,” Evernham said. “There’s a chance he might be back in one of the red cars some time in the future.”(see full story and quotes at NASCAR.com )(5-20-2003)
