Indiana native Chris Evans has found success in ventures including coal mining, natural gas and real estate. And with his ever-curious business mind at full speed, Evans has shifted gears into another pursuit. Evans has become a team owner on the NASCAR Busch Series, with hopes of someday owning a full-fledged Nextel Cup team. But like any other business, Evans’ Christine Marie Motorsports is taking it one lap at a time. Evans has teamed with driver Chris Cook, a racing instructor from Phoenix, and Nextel Cup series driver Joe Nemechek to form a team that will compete at least four times this season on the NASCAR circuit at each of its stops at road courses. The team made its debut on March 6, when Cook, 33, placed 26th at the Busch race in Mexico City. The next scheduled race is with the Nextel series June 26 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.. Cook will then compete in a Busch-Nextel doubleheader on Aug. 13-14, at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International. The pair struck a deal with Nemechek last December to form the team, which is named Christine Marie Motorsports, after Evans’ youngest daughter. He names all of his businesses after his three daughters. Nemechek has supplied the team with four cars and the use of his top-of-the-line equipment at his garage in Mooresville, N.C. Cook, who continues to instruct drivers at his own school, ShiftintoGear, Inc., said the relationship between he and Evans is what fuels the team. Evans has bankrolled most of the team’s expenses for the four races and wouldn’t say how much that costs, other than, “it’s near the seven-figure mark.” But he’s hoping to pick up additional sponsors and be able to race at a few oval tracks with the Busch series this season. On the ‘Net: www.christinemariemotorsports.com.(Indiana Gazette)(3-31-2005)
