Evernham Motorsports - The Rise & Fall

Founded in late 2000 with their first full season, Evernham Motorsports was the production of NASCAR Fall of Fame Crew Chief, Ray Evernham. With direct, factory support from Dodge, the NASCAR world was in their hands. What happened over the course of their short time in the sport to lead to the team's demise?
#NASCAR #EvernhamMotorsports #RayEvernham
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0:00 Introduction.
1:04 The 2001 Season.
1:50 Ultra-Evernham Motorsports and Casey Atwood's Departure.
3:42 The 2002 Season.
4:24 The 2003 Season and Bill Elliott Steps Down.
5:06 The 2004 Season and Signing of Kasey Kahne
6:18 The 2005 Season.
7:05 2006 - Erin Crocker Relationship, Mayfield Firing Drama, and Sadler Joins.
11:04 Valvoline-Evernham Motorsports in 2006.
12:03 The Gillett-Evernham Motorsports Merger in 2007.
13:14 Robby Gordon Motorsports Controversy/Lawsuit in 2008.
13:49 Gillett's Attempted Firing of Elliott Sadler/Lawsuit in 2008.
14:55 Gillett-Evernham becomes Richard Petty Motorsports in 2009.
15:58 Closing.

[@81casperflip]

Imagine Chad Knaus starting his own team next year with Dodge factory support and having Kyle Busch and Josh Berry as his drivers. That's basically the current day equivalent to this

[@DennyDeliversYT]

while RPM has Petty blue, Evernham Motorsports had Evernham red… we need more throwbacks of them imo

[@michaelmarburger1003]

The story I had heard was Dodge wanted a team with Evernham as owner and Jeff Gordon as driver being they were the hottest commodities in the sport at the time. Rick Hendrick caught wind of it and signed Gordon to a lifetime contract immediately. All in all concerning Evernham Motorsports the one I truly felt bad for was Jeremy Mayfield. Him and Kasey Khane had to be the top talent to drive for the team and Mayfield really got a bum rap out of the deal because Ray couldn’t keep it in his pants.

[@elisagiwaz8332]

Nice comment dear ❤❤❤

[@davidpeters2625]

Yaaas! This was my childhood!!! I still have a Kasey Kahne no 9 hat. But as to their fall, partially at that point in time, a lot of people tend to forget, aside from the whole Erin Crocker drama, we were slowly headed toward the great recession of 2008, and when the stock market crashed, so did Evernham Gillette, DEI, Chip Ganassi, among other teams. But man, I tell you what, whenever you saw those iconic Evernham-styled No 9 and 19,there was just something magical those two cars had that we will never see again....

[@jamestaylor4480]

Well I still have Kasey Kahne's No.9 Dodge Charger from 2005

[@davidpeters2625]

@@jamestaylor4480 sweet, dude!!!!

[@jamestaylor4480]

I also have Kasey Kahne's No. 9 and Jeremy Mayfield's No. 19 Dodge Intrepids from 2004

[@davidpeters2625]

@@jamestaylor4480 nice!

[@baxatakbaxatak2014]

The Gilletts ruined this team.

[@aurorebeaureal]

2007 was a struggle for Ray Evernham.

[@nicestoriesnottherealstori3006]

You know that team had some of the best looking cars and numbers when they were around.

[@threepea1151]

Suggestions, not requests but some ideas! Rise and fall of some early Busch series teams from the 80s or 90s like BACE Motorsports who won 3 titles with Randy LaJoie or Pearson Racing who 2 titles with Larry Pearson?

[@TanDawg58]

Ray fell to the distraction of Erin's lady parts, when he should have been focused on the auto parts.

[@tufstuff2586]

LOL

[@bensimiele6011]

Man it’s crazy to think about, the 2006 campaign stats for Kasey would be championship worthy in todays playoffs. Then you look and he finished 8th in 2006 and it makes you think how much the sport has changed.

[@danielfoster3642]

I miss Evernham Motorsports. The paint schemes on both the 9 and 19 cars were fantastic.

[@willsandman3678]

I was a big Mayfield fan when he was racing. His struggles in 2006 were much more than just Ray being distracted with Erin and ignoring the #19. Evernham was disappointed with Kahne's sophomore season and felt a change was needed to help improve the #9 team. In the process, Mayfield got shafted. The #19 cars, equipment, and crew moved from Mayfield to Kahne. Riggs received the #9 team and crew. And Mayfield was stuck with the #91 R&D leftovers. Quite nice of Ray to do that to him considering he raced into the Chase the first two years of its existence. Maybe he thought Mayfield, being a veteran of the series, would be able to bring that team into contention. But the R&D team was complete junk. No driver could have brought that car to the front. I was angry, and I bet Mayfield probably felt the same. I feel that was the start of the downfall for the EMS. Not to knock Sadler, but I think Mayfield was the better driver over his career. Sadler didn't exactly light it up during his tenure after replacing him in the #19. The team would have been helped by the stability of a steady lineup. By the way, Jeremy and Ray did eventually bury the hatchet years later, but it's understandable with Jeremy's struggles that season he would air Ray's dirty laundry.

[@realbaron5714]

The 9 car has a lot history and good road course legacy. Drivers like Bill Elliot, Kasey Kahne, Marcos Ambrose and now Chase Elliot won races in these tracks, incredible.

[@a-ski20]

I know they never won but would love to see a vid of Jasper Motorsports! Blaney’s 77 as well as the Penske merger.. it’s just a nostalgic team imo

[@piperboy91]

Watching bill Elliott win again with evernham was awesome.

[@TheLaird406]

I still have a shit load of Kasey Kahne merch from his Evernham days. Really sad to see him retire, but watching his last win at the brickyard had me on my feet yelling at the TV.

[@baxatakbaxatak2014]

I can’t believe this was two decades ago. Seems like yesterday. That Valvoline Dodge was sexy as all get out. Scott Riggs should have had one win in his career.

[@xavierjuno4572]

Considering you covered RYR and Junior Johnson & Associates, I was thinking you could talk about the rise and fall of AK racing just to complete the 1992 trilogy

[@KR_Diecasts]

Oh this is a tough one, those red dodge dealers cars were gorgeous 😭.

[@jeffktown]

Fun fact: Rodney Childers was a former crew chief and team manager for Gillett Evernham Motorsports

[@davidpeters2625]

Oh, I have a suggestion: The rise and fall of Brewco Motorsports/Baker Curb Racing. I feel that team was so underrated, it should be criminal.....

[@user-ed1yx2fq7l]

Evernham best season was 2006. Kasey Kahne had 6 wins in the #9 Also Jeremy Mayfield made the first two playoffs in 2004 and 2005 in the #19 back when they only locked in the top 10

[@FiendishFantasy]

I was a big Kahne fan and still am. I haven’t found a new favorite driver. People say he didn’t have the talent to be a champion. I say that’s not true. He came up in a new team that was like a dysfunctional family and won (a lot!!!). Then he made Red Bull racing relevant in their final yr ( to be honest I think he coulda won a championship in that 4 car if they hadn’t shut down and he went to HMS). Then he goes to HMS and clearly was their second best driver in 2012. But he wasn’t Gordon, Johnson, or Dale Jr., he wasn’t that organization’s priority. He got shafted and treated like a test car most weeks. Kahne took 💩 and made the most of it more than just about any other driver.

[@Krushking99]

Yes 🗿👍

[@scotcoon1186]

Casey got screwed several times, should have had several wins his rookie season. Worst was probably the oil on the track at Darlington when they went back green.

[@DannyBTalks]

Yeah. Such a shame the way his career went down. Took a gamble on Evernham's team, and it basically ruined his Cup Series career, instead of advancing it.

[@81casperflip]

Been waiting for this one man. I have always wanted to see Chad Knaus start his own team and see how it went. But that's impossible now

[@brianverrett]

God I miss dodge in nascar those Mopar paint schemes were the best

[@Maverick33]

S1apsh0es could include the 2006 Evernham-Mayfield-Crocker fiasco in his Liars, Thieves & Lawyers series

[@Mister_Matt_X]

Heck even my mother had a Dodge Intrepid and I remember that car fondly growing up...

[@racecraze]

2004 Charlotte fall race was a gut punch for kahne fans

[@BigEOT3]

2:50 I loved those Muppets paint schemes that NASCAR ran around that time along with the Looney Tunes paint schemes they usually would run at Richmond on the Chevys.

[@jamestaylor4480]

The Muppets were featured on the Dodge Intrepid RTs , while the Looney Tunes were featured on the Chevy Monte Carlos.

[@JCtechwizard]

Would love to see your take on the rise and fall of AK Alan Kulwicki Racing

[@keithkotary1136]

First off, excellent content Danny. Since the sport has gone Corporate, it’s history is peppered with drivers, albeit a crew chief in this instance, that attempted to be owners. I believe they’re lack of longevity is attributed to the same principle. Just because you can drive or set up a race car doesn’t mean you can run a successful business. One can only wonder what could have been Had Gillette been there from jump street? I think it is safe to say that without the Business acumen of Gene Haus, Smoke most likely would not have enjoyed the success he has had as a car owner. Justin Marks is the current driver trying to break the mold pretty much on his own. From what I understand Justin is quite the shrewd business man, and let’s face it, an average driver at best. So that’s my 2 cents, fwiw. This is my first video of yours like this so I guess I need to go back and check out the previous ones.

[@DannyBTalks]

Thanks for the comment, Keith, and yes, plenty of previous ones to enjoy. My apologies though, as I know some of my previous ones aren’t as good as some of the others.

[@justinworkman9980]

Evernham blamed Jeremy Mayfield for telling his wife he cheated is what happened

[@Raptorking18]

Exactly. Evernham is a great race car owner in the beginning, and a great crew chief, but overall a POS person who fucked up Mayfield’s career

[@Paintppa1]

Evernham got his revenge and ruined a good man's life.

[@juanbautista1851]

Rise and fall Chance 2 motorsports Turner Scott cup and Xfinity teams Braun racing The fifth roush car Hendrick motorsports Xfinity team

[@bryonkidder6199]

I still feel bad for Casey Atwood because of the race in Homestead he should've won but couldn't handle the pressure...lol I'm still on Mayfield's side...lol

[@AlHopeGig]

I was a kid so I never understood the complexities surrounding the team’s downfall, but I absolutely loved Evernham Motorsports. Easily the coolest paint schemes from Dodge to Mountain Dew to Stanley Tools, and more. It kills me that the number style is dead and gone. Chase Elliot’s #9 would look so much better with the #9 that Chase Miller drove hahaha

[@Suburban-United]

Atwood got screwed imo. He was finally getting acclimated to the cup cars at the end of '01, and I think he could've had a good season in '02 if he either stayed in the 19, or looked toward a couple different offers he had at the end of the season. Agreeing to the junk ass #7 for Ultra was the screwjob that he admitted was a mistake in an interview years later.

[@alexanderdavis3291]

PLEASE all the Rise and Fall videos you can...they're among my favorite on all of KZbin

[@curtis4109]

I still have my Mac tools tool box "Dodge Returns edition" I bought in 2001. 6grand at the time I got it. A mural of Evernham with #19 intrepid

[@Thibby2Step]

Do more series like this. This is what got me into your channel.

[@speedwayanywhere6845]

Although there was a fall of Evernham Motorsports he is always on ther rise. I was surprised when they said he was leaving Gordon it didn't take long to make sense when his new endeavor was announced

[@acemoneymaker8242]

I asked for this a while ago. Thanks for making it happen

[@nfitz11]

It seems like wherever Ray Evernham goes, distinction and collapse follows.

[@CarsSimplified]

Interesting stuff! I missed a lot of that drama towards the end, so it was good to catch up on it here!

[@Bbabybear02]

Great video Danny B. I have a few suggestions. Travis Carter Enterprises, A. J. Foyt Enterprises/Arnold Motorsports, Brett Bodine Racing, Jasper Motorsports, PPI Motorsports, and Bud Moore Engineering/Fenley-Moore Racing. I know I'm overdoing the list but it is some ideas.

[@kylegustafson6088]

Heck ya! Thank you for another Rise and fall it has been too long! I love the drivers you forgot about too 🙂

[@blaisemckenzieofficial2767]

Great video. I had the opportunity to work on GEM (Gillette Evernham Motorsport) chassis 245 last week and have to say they had som top notch fabricators building their cars.

[@ThickFILA79]

this is one of my favorite youtube channels ... the way you put this stuff together is awesome & you don't try to exaggerate anything just the truth & an your opinion 🤟🏻🤙

[@johnvandeventer8668]

I remember that team

[@noaahhhoke4012]

Great video Danny, keep up the good work !

[@aurorebeaureal]

The no 10 car in Richard Petty Motorsports was rebranded into no 44 in 2009.

[@edwardyork4321]

Great Vid. The ONLY fault I would be able to have. Is when you were clicking off the Stats from the '02 Season. You left out was the way Awesome Bill SPANKED the Field at the end Season Homestead Race only to have a flat Tire going into Turn 3. 👍👍

[@lathanpankey2173]

Not gonna lie learning that Kasey was considered the lame duck of the rookie class and turned out to have by far the best career kinda made me smile

[@TSi99999]

Him and Greg Biffle we're brought in because someone was trying to get an oval built in Washington state l believe. Trying to get support from up there The #16 Roush ride was Tommy Kendall's and all of the sudden they brought in Biffle.

[@user-ed1yx2fq7l]

Makes no sense. Kahne finished 2nd so many times in his rookie season. He came so close. The other rookies were Brian Vickers for Hendrick, Johnny Sauter for RCR, Scott Riggs for MB2, Brendan Gaughan for Penske all had terrible rookie seasons and weren’t even remotely competitive

[@lathanpankey2173]

@@user-ed1yx2fq7l you gotta think about it like this BEFORE the 04 season on paper Vickers was the reigning Busch series champion, RCR & Penske were top rides at the time, and Scott Riggs had a lot hype around him. So that left Kahne at the time as an unproven driver with an unproven team. Still glad he proved everyone wrong😁

[@user-ed1yx2fq7l]

@@lathanpankey2173l mean Bill Elliott was winning races for Evernham so I wouldn’t say unproven. It’s crazy to me bc I remember Kahne being the hyped up rookie while Gaughan and Sauter were so awful they were let go by year end. And Vickers and Riggs combined had 1 top 5 all season😭

[@lathanpankey2173]

@@user-ed1yx2fq7l yea but that’s Bill Elliot one of the greatest drivers ever he ran solidly in that car 9 top 5s 12 top 10s and a 16th place average finish but that shows how good Bill was even late in his career oppose to Evernham over performing

[@justinM88]

Yes more rise and falls plz.

[@DreamstoRealityAutomotiveTV]

Great video, you missed the beginning where evernham had a sick son and at one point said he was stepping out at Hendrick because he wanted to spend more time with his family, enter dodge team? Funny how the hendrick leukemia thing disappeared from the history books as well. And what ever became of evernhams son who was so sick? Hmmm did he forget about that when little Erin walked in.

[@Paintppa1]

Wasn't Hendrick having IRS problems when his leukemia hit?

[@DreamstoRealityAutomotiveTV]

@@Paintppa1 yeah, some sort of legal issues. Never spoke of ever again.

[@jc1424]

Dodge came and went with Evernham Motorsports tbh

[@threepea1151]

Great vid once again Danny! Not to be picky, but evernham made starts in 2000 with Atwood with Motorola as sponsor and ford as a manufacturer, I believe they debuted at the fall Richmond race

[@DannyBTalks]

Yes. You’re correct. I should’ve mentioned that.

[@tigermanfann77]

Hey Danny I live a hour from you. Keep it up.

[@CJODell12]

3:48. Mayfield actually scored 2 top fives and 4 top tens in 2002.

[@Kane_Shield5]

FINALLY we got this one

[@patrickwoodruff9540]

As a couple of suggestions i would like to see one about DiGard Racing and BlueMax Racing in the cup series. In the Busch Series probably about PPC Racing and maybe FitzBradshaw Racing. Then in the trucks probably about Bobby Hamilton Racing and Ultra Motorsports.

[@aurorebeaureal]

I once had no idea why typing Evernham Motorsports redirected me to Richard Petty Motorsports on the Wikipedia.

[@Zickcermacity]

8:28 While listening about the affair I paused here - Look at the finely sculpted noses of those early 2000s Dodge platforms! WE need the Bullseye grill back on the Cup tracks!

[@kimcokevin]

Those early Dodges looked good.

[@dominicvarriale7456]

Turner motorsports in the xfinity and truck series would be a cool one

[@OTCHooly]

Miss that team

[@Indizzinator]

Good video

[@kevinkelley3906]

Back then being a Jeff Gordon fan I hated it when he didn't win but I never hated if another driver won. It's not like that now.

[@aurorebeaureal]

Evernham Motorsports had one the best paint schemes in existence especially the red car.

[@briangriffinfamilyguyfan81]

Suggestion: Rise and Fall of Donlavey Racing?

[@americanbadass88]

I drive by Junies shop every now and then its good its still being used as a car shop but what they did in that little shop in Richmond Va is remarkable

[@imrandarr1094]

The Mayfield drama in 2006 no doubt caused the team’s downfall.

[@davidindradat7327]

How long did the teams use the Dodge Avenger body? It seemed short lived...

[@judefernandez9234]

Fucking Michael Waltrip used that car but it was fucking unbranded lmaoo

[@jackhammerjt]

Loved this video!! NICE CARS VIDEO GAME MUSIC IN DAH BACKGROUND Rise And Fall Suggestions Petty Enterprises Chance 2 Motorsports Hendrick Motorsports(ARCA)

[@redneckgamers897]

Erin Crocker was the downfall of this organization in my opinion

[@TSi99999]

Yeah probably worth it lol

[@robertklein4565]

What if you do one of Joni Mitchell's team the 87 Burger King car from 96 wanted to do when the rise of the Fall that team

[@GardenStateDiecast]

12:52 peep at the Talladega Nights cars that are covered up

[@NASCARFAN93100]

Please do The Rise and Fall of Petty Enterprises

[@Zickcermacity]

1:22 - Is that a little Chase sharing some door sill time with his dad?

[@KylitoNewt]

I remember being excited about the team going to 4 cars back then, but in hindsight, if they had scaled down to 2 cars earlier and not switched to Ford, their story might have been better off.

[@franklinlane1357]

next year for april fools day you should do the rise and fall of Team Peyton

[@BradRains]

A future Rise & Fall episode: The France Family of NASCAR

[@brianhiedemansr2936]

Do Rise and Fall of Texas Motor speedway.

[@cliffsta87337]

I really hope dodge comes back to nascar.

[@josephburgess5754]

Mayfield also drove the 79 Buesh car

[@aurorebeaureal]

Evernham’s relationship with George N Gillett Jr turned sour, when he thought that Gillett did not invest any money into Gillett Evernham Motorsports.

[@sametozkan9175]

I wish Erin Crocker should have been raced in Cup Series.

[@jasonstacy5587]

Red Horse Racing would make a great episode imo.

[@DannyBTalks]

Did that one already.

[@jasonstacy5587]

@@DannyBTalks Whoops. Sorry, I'm going to find it now.

[@deletado12]

Great team, classic paint schemes with 9 and 19 dodge.

[@kurtisgalloway218]

Rise and Fall of Hendrick Motorsports in the Busch and Truck Series.

[@americancitizen7937]

Kasey Kahne is awesome!

[@MultiTurbospeed]

Ray should of started 1 team in 2001 and maybe started a 2nd team in 2003 and a 3rd team in 2005

[@bigmontesplace]

Not really a rise and fall, since they never rose, but what about a video on MSRP Motorsports (Prism)?

[@DannyBTalks]

I'm considering an alternate series titled "What Happened?" that teams like this might fit better in. Thanks!

[@americancitizen7937]

I think if Ray could have kept this team together, Kahne would have won 50 + races and a championship.

[@e93sports80]

👍👍

[@peepawghost]

Still can’t believe he pissed away such an opportunity. Ray is a genius but a terrible owner.

[@Nfulks96]

What about a downfall video on Jasper!

[@TheSpeedracer1982]

Bro, the team was heavily penalized at Daytona in 2007 over downforce trick. The team’s performance was never the same

[@jhaeck1]

he shoulda stayed at hendrick motorsports

[@speedwayanywhere6845]

And yes, no matter how great he has been, the affair is just fricken lame. I have no room for it

[@aaaaaaab11]

don't follow it much any more since Dodge left NASCAR and Toyota was added couldn't picture myself driving a Camry grandma car.

[@DannyBTalks]

Back then, I don’t blame you for saying that, but man…I love the new Camries.

[@vellbariaofficial]

I imagined Jeff Gordon Motorsports was existed, it would be a different story