Evernham back to Hendrick?

MRM

MRM

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There's a rumor going around that if Ray Evernham can get out of his no-compete contract with Gillette that he's seriously considering a return to Hendrick as a crew chief - for Dale Earnhardt Jr.

And also, Hendrick may have a face-to-face talk with Junior about no back talking to Evernham and working out to better dedicate himself to being a championship contender. Even if Evernham doesn't become Junior's crew chief, Junior will be asked to be more dedicated and work his butt off once this season is over.
 
I know it's the popular thing to hate on Junior, but I don't see commitment being an issue. None of us are around him when he's not racing, therefore we have no idea what he does in his personal life.

The team has definately turned a corner, but they've been having a lot of bad luck. Especially when it comes to car failures. That's nothing Junior can help with. That's all back at the shop.

As far as back-talk to the crew chief, your man Stewart is better known for that then Junior is. I'm not saying he doesn't do it. Just saying that he's far from the worst.
 
Earnhardt's lack of success with HMS is hardly the fault of the shop.

Unless someone there is out to get him and giving all the good stuff to 6 other teams.

And, no, we don't know his personal life but we do know that he shows up more in every other commercial during a race than he does the top 10.
 
#17D500winner said:
Earnhardt's lack of success with HMS is hardly the fault of the shop.

Unless someone there is out to get him and giving all the good stuff to 6 other teams.

And, no, we don't know his personal life but we do know that he shows up more in every other commercial during a race than he does the top 10.
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Ive always wanted a clear explanation to this question and never got it from anyone.

Explain to me why the 25 car, which is now the 88 car, hasnt done **** in its entire existence compared to the other 3 cars at Hendrick.

He's also had more than his share of bad luck this year, he's had great runs and then something breaks or gets involved in someone elses wreck.

I'm not sure Ray is the answer, how long has it been since he's called a race?
 
I don't usually chime in on these topics, but I don't think I've seen this mentioned before.
Anyone remember last year when Jr started out strong. Qualifying well, running up front or near it, leading the points, making the chase? Ultimately though, losing the handle on the track cost him a lot of good finishes.
Wasn't Darrian Grubb setting his cars up at the shop as car chief? Now He's over with Stewart and someone else has been setting the car up at the shop. He can't qualify to save his life and it takes half the race for Jr and Lance to get the car handling even just a bit better.

Not saying this is the sole cause of the 88 teams woes, but I think it's a big contributing factor.
 
Go Panthers said:
Ive always wanted a clear explanation to this question and never got it from anyone.

Explain to me why the 25 car, which is now the 88 car, hasnt done **** in its entire existence compared to the other 3 cars at Hendrick.

He's also had more than his share of bad luck this year, he's had great runs and then something breaks or gets involved in someone elses wreck.

I'm not sure Ray is the answer, how long has it been since he's called a race?
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Some will say it's jinxed. Yeah, sure it is :rolleyes: Isn't superstition the religion of fools?

I don't have a definitive answer for you but maybe for the #25, it's been the drivers.

Richmond did Ok with it
 
I think a lot of people ignore the fact that the 88 team has been performing well lately. Junyer's just had really bad luck. Getting swept up in other peoples' wrecks, transmission problems, etc.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
I think a lot of people ignore the fact that the 88 team has been performing well lately. Junyer's just had really bad luck. Getting swept up in other peoples' wrecks, transmission problems, etc.
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Yep.

I mean since getting the new CC most of the races he's been doing great until something happens to him to mess him up. Rather it be the car or getting in a wreck or getting wrecked. Jr yeah isn't the best driver out there but he's better then the numbers show.
 
MRM said:
There's a rumor going around that if Ray Evernham can get out of his no-compete contract with Gillette that he's seriously considering a return to Hendrick as a crew chief - for Dale Earnhardt Jr.

And also, Hendrick may have a face-to-face talk with Junior about no back talking to Evernham and working out to better dedicate himself to being a championship contender. Even if Evernham doesn't become Junior's crew chief, Junior will be asked to be more dedicated and work his butt off once this season is over.
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I was a big Rick Hendrick fan for many years. I must I lost alot of respect for him when he took Junior and let Kyle go. He simply saw the big marketing and sponsorship bucks in my opinion. Now, if he brings Ray back in and puts him with Junior it will just finish me off. I honestly think Ray was a great crew chief, I would say one of the best ever. To put him with Junior would just be plain pathetic. What would be the excuse for Junior's poor performance after that?
 
#17D500winner said:
Some will say it's jinxed. Yeah, sure it is :rolleyes: Isn't superstition the religion of fools?

I don't have a definitive answer for you but maybe for the #25, it's been the drivers.

Richmond did Ok with it
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If its been the drivers, then explain to me how jr won 2 busch championships and nearly 20 races in the Cup Series.
 
i don't think this will happen. both ray and jr have a lot more to lose than they would gain. maybe, and i mean just maybe, they would be good enough to make the chase consistently. the fans would want championships and i don't see it. wouldn't bother me if it happened though. :)
 
#17D500winner said:
Some will say it's jinxed. Yeah, sure it is :rolleyes: Isn't superstition the religion of fools?

I don't have a definitive answer for you but maybe for the #25, it's been the drivers.

Richmond did Ok with it
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It's jinxed, I have been saying that all alone. 25 has not had a good year since Timo left it. That car over the years have had decent drivers in it, but has had miserable success. I remember Ken Schader running in it with Budweiser on it at one of the first Night race 600's at Charlotte. It dominated the race leading a lot on several occasions, only for the engine to mystreriously expire. Jerry Nadeau I think was injured in it, as well as Ricky Craven.
 
This sounds interesting, i think Ray might be what Junior is lacking, plus Hendrick thinks a lot of Ray. Evernham is a smart guy, he knows sets ups and little "hidden" tricks. If this happens I think it will be a very talked about story in Cup next year.
 
i'm not the biggest jr fan, in fact i reall don't care much about any of them, however i think going to hendrick was the biggest mistake jr has ever made. 1. he is going to a team that has 2 active cup champs, 2. then theres Mark. should i continue ?

i think jr would have been much better off going with RCR and for the life of me i can't tell you why, just my gut feeling.
 
Where is the rumor coming from? I can't find info on this anywhere or maybe I just don't know where to look. Or..... is this thread simply an attempt to start a rumor? :confused:
 
Go Panthers said:
If its been the drivers, then explain to me how jr won 2 busch championships and nearly 20 races in the Cup Series.
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I suppose restrictor plates and fuel mileage has helped.

I guess if you're not willing to put the onus on the drivers to answer your question, the blame must rest soley on the boss. Rick Hendrick.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
Where is the rumor coming from? I can't find info on this anywhere or maybe I just don't know where to look. Or..... is this thread simply an attempt to start a rumor? :confused:
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I also can't find anything about this, so I'll start my own rumor:

BREAKING NEWS:
Junior Johnson comes out of retirement, and hires the other Junior to race for him. RCR allows Junior to race the famed black #3, and Smokey Yunick has been resurrected and named crew chief. All other NASCAR drivers bow before the awesomeness of this team, and retire because they know they'll never have a chance of winning again.

The funny thing is since no one can find anything about the Evernham rumor, my rumor has just as much validity.

:XXROFL:
 
foehammer111 said:
I also can't find anything about this, so I'll start my own rumor:

BREAKING NEWS:
Junior Johnson comes out of retirement, and hires the other Junior to race for him. RCR allows Junior to race the famed black #3, and Smokey Yunick has been resurrected and named crew chief. All other NASCAR drivers bow before the awesomeness of this team, and retire because they know they'll never have a chance of winning again.

The funny thing is since no one can find anything about the Evernham rumor, my rumor has just as much validity.

:XXROFL:
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Wait a second..... I read that Smokey rumor somewhere. I think you're on to something! :cool:
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
Where is the rumor coming from? I can't find info on this anywhere or maybe I just don't know where to look. Or..... is this thread simply an attempt to start a rumor? :confused:
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Where does any rumor come from? Either someone makes it up or it comes from the people working on something. But I can tell you this rumor was mentioned by one Jerry Punch on a Knoxville radio station yesterday.
 
man....... the Junior haters blame Junior..... the Junior fans blame luck and the crew...... I think to an extent all of them are right..... Junior has always had problems with his commiment. Just look at what his dad was always sayin anytime he talked about him..... I just don't think Junior is hungry enough to stay after it, like his dad was, if things aren't goin his way. Junior also, from most accounts gives terrible feedback, makin it hard for the crew chief to make the right changes..... On the flip side, he has had some bad luck this year as well, that have cost him good finishes. But there are times a driver makes his own luck...... missin pit stalls, and the likes puts you back in the field where anythin can and will happen.... bad calls by crew, and mistakes on pit road do the same thing.....
Junior just needs , as he said Sunday, "a dictator" for a crew chief....... he has to have someone who will bow up at him, challenge him, and make him and the car better.
Personally, I don't think Ray is what he needs either...... Granted Ray is a genius when it comes to the car, strategy, and set ups, but I dont know if Ray will stand up to him. Junior needs an old school CC...... someone who will push him, and not take any excuses. It's too comfortable for him now......
After hearin some of his comments made Sunday in the pre-race, it is apparent that Junior is believin it's not his fault at all either...... From the sound of it, he was talkin like he is about ready to leave HMS himself. I cant see that bein a good move at all....... somebody just needs to sit him down and have a good talkin to...... it aint all his fault, but he does hold some of the blame. BUT, he DOES hold the keys to gettin better....... and HE is the one who will have to get it done. No one else can do it for him.
Personally, I think if he could string together a few good runs and maybe a win, alot of this talk would go away, and he could get his confidnece back, until then...... well.... its just not gonna get any better.
 
MRM said:
Where does any rumor come from? Either someone makes it up or it comes from the people working on something. But I can tell you this rumor was mentioned by one Jerry Punch on a Knoxville radio station yesterday.
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Don't take it to personal. That's all I was asking for. Where did it come from? It was not mentioned as far as I read through this thread.

Ray is on Moody's show tonight @ 6:00pm on SIRIUS/XM 128. It will be interesting to see if this rumor is brought up on there.
 
As to Lil'Es 2 Busch championships might I remind you that excellence in the lower ranks of any sport do not necessarily transfer to the next level. Stewart didn't win in Busch until after he had his Cup championship. And look at Jimmie, he probably still can't drive a Busch car but is anyone going to deny his talent in Cup.

Busch championships mean absolutely nothing as to Cup championships. Now his wins in Cup, back when he was younger and his Dad was alive to over see what he was doing, are another thing. Why he hasn't been successful for the past several years, oh wait maybe I've already answered that question...
 
barelypure said:
Now his wins in Cup, back when he was younger and his Dad was alive to over see what he was doing, are another thing.
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I do want to address this, Jr ran for rookie of the year in 2000 and i believe won 2 points races and the all star race. The first race of the next season is when Sr. died, so the majority of his wins did come after his father died.
 
foehammer111 said:
I know it's the popular thing to hate on Junior, but I don't see commitment being an issue. None of us are around him when he's not racing, therefore we have no idea what he does in his personal life.

The team has definately turned a corner, but they've been having a lot of bad luck. Especially when it comes to car failures. That's nothing Junior can help with. That's all back at the shop.
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I agree, and I highly doubt anyone is really questioning his commitment. That has to be untrue. No one needs to tell him things aren't going good, he knows.
Evernham? That might be pretty cool! I would love to see him replace Letarte at times :D
 
Curves said:
I agree, and I highly doubt anyone is really questioning his commitment. That has to be untrue. No one needs to tell him things aren't going good, he knows.
Evernham? That might be pretty cool! I would love to see him replace Letarte at times :D
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Seeing Evernham return to the pitbox would be cool no matter what team he goes to. But he's been out of that role for so long, and so much has changed in the sport I don't think he'll be as effective as he once was.

I think the best thing is to not make any more crew chief changes. Although I like the idea of Tony Eury Sr (who got Dale 16 of his 18 wins) returning to the Cup series, I don't think it's needed.

For one thing, the team has already made a huge turn around. If it wasn't for car failures, and getting wrecked by someone else, Dale would probably have a few top 5 finishes and maybe even a win since McGrew took over.
 
Go Panthers said:
I do want to address this, Jr ran for rookie of the year in 2000 and i believe won 2 points races and the all star race. The first race of the next season is when Sr. died, so the majority of his wins did come after his father died.
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Go panthers, it is only the "Jr haters" that grasp at anything to show he can't drive. It is obvious that Jr hast talent, and a lot of it, based on his past pretty good seasons.
 
foehammer, I'm with you about Ray back on the box.
So many changes in the past few years --- it would take a while to get the mojo back -- if he ever could.
 
This idea that anyone who isn't a fan of Earnhardt's hates him is crazy but this thread is about Evernham so I'll let it go.
 
I don't know... What would she do, sit with them when they went over "setup" notes?
 
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