Top crew chief has busy weekly routine

By MIKE HARRIS

AP Motorsports Writer

The life of a NASCAR crew chief isn't very glamorous, even if your name is Ray Evernham and your driver is Jeff Gordon.

Together, they are pointed toward a third Winston Cup championship in four years. In the world of big-time stock car racing, that means long workdays and heavy responsibility if high expectations are to be met.

With practically no time off in a season that stretches from February to November, it also means camaraderie is an essential ingredient to success.

"We're pretty loose and enjoy each other's company," Evernham said. "Our team works very hard and we have fun together, at the shop and on the road."

And managing the team is a 41-year-old former driver who disdains the "genius" label so many have pasted on him.

"The best thing I can do is get the right people in the right job, then stand back and let them go," Evernham said. "There's virtually no room for error."

If one is made, it'll probably show up during the race. So, Evernham's quality control- good enough to produce 39 victories in five seasons- begins each Monday at the office.

"I try to have as regular a routine as possible," he said.

That means an egg bagel and coffee en route from his home in Cornelius, N.C., to the shop in nearby Concord. The typical workday lasts 12-13 hours.

The operative word on Monday is debriefing.

"I spend a bit of time unloading my briefcase from the weekend," Evernham said. "I'll take my notes and the notes from our chief mechanic, engine tuner, tire specialist and team engineer, and reduce them to a three- or four-page document that puts the weekend in a nutshell."

After a meeting to discuss each day's schedule, the team is split into three crews. One unloads the truck, another works on the car for the next race and a third builds cars for the future.

"Everyone at Hendrick Motorsports knows their job inside and out," Evernham said. "By working smarter, we can get more accomplished for better performance."

On Tuesday, the workday ends with another meeting that sometimes includes Gordon.

"We circle up the chairs and talk," Evernham explained. "Anybody can say anything, but I usually do most of the talking."

That meeting is followed by pit-stop practice, then it's back to work Wednesday. On Thursday there's another practice session for the Rainbow Warriors, the best pit crew in the sport.

Then the hauler hits the highway, carrying the car Gordon will drive in what frequently is a quest for another record.

"Every Friday night on the road, I try to take the team out to a good restaurant," Evernham said.

Although he has no bedcheck, Evernham would prefer to have the crewmen back at the hotel by 11 p.m. The only curfew is Saturday at 10 p.m.

Evernham never leaves the office far behind.

"Ann Eaton, our executive assistant, plays an important role in relaying information back and forth when the team's on the road," he said. "I can't be too far out of reach."

Before one of the team's rainbow-colored Dupont Chevrolets is rolled to pit road on race morning, it has been through a massive inspection.

"Each race car has 32 pieces of paper attached to it, with all kinds of checklists," Evernham said. "I may ask a guy about a certain item on the list, but I know it's ready.

"That gives me the time I need to talk to Jeff about strategy and car setup."

During the races, Evernham is the man most responsible for strategy on the track and in the pits. The results prove he is one of the best.

Despite being just 27, Gordon has won more races than all but 14 drivers in NASCAR's 50 years. Another win this year would make him the first in the modern era with 31 wins over three seasons and 38 over four.

After the race, it's back to the routine for the next week of a grueling schedule that includes 33 Winston Cup races and three non-points events.

Throw in media interviews, public speaking engagements and sponsorship and team appearances, and Evernham's week is full.

Still, he finds time for domesticity.

"We try to include our wives, whenever possible, in social activities," he said.

His wife, Mary, comes to seven or eight races. Their 7-year-old son, Ray J., is at five or six.

"With more than 250 days on the road each year, you have to make the important things count," Evernham said. "Prioritizing, teamwork and having a positive attitude are the keys to success."

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