Winston Cup owner Evernham to run at Wall Speedway

Ray Evernham set to return to his racing roots.

STATESVILLE, N.C., (May 27, 2003 ) -- Evernham Motorsports announces that President and CEO Ray Evernham will participate in a special match race at Wall Township Speedway on Saturday, May 31, as part of the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series. Evernham is scheduled to drive a Dodge in a Modified class 12-lap shootout race against Martin Truex, Jr., who has raced in the Modified and Busch North Series.

"Dodge has been a great supporter of my efforts in Winston Cup racing," said Evernham. "When they asked me to help support the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series, I couldn't pass up the opportunity. I've always threatened the guys that I might get back behind the wheel some day and now I have the chance. Not only that, but I get to do it in front of my hometown crowd. It should be pretty exciting."

In addition to the shootout, a brief autograph session with Evernham will be held, and fans also may view the No. 19 Dodge show car.

Evernham, a Hazlet, N.J. native, started his racing career at the local track and went on to win what was then known as the Modern Stock championship in 1977. He earned numerous victories in a Modified car throughout the years. Evernham went on to earn fame as a Winston Cup champion crew chief before successfully leading Dodge's return to Winston Cup racing as a team owner of the No. 9 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge driven by Bill Elliott and the No. 19 Dodge Dealers/UAW Dodge driven by Jeremy Mayfield.

The NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series is NASCAR's national championship program for thousands of weekly short track competitors. Drivers race at their "home track" -- one of 80 short tracks divided among eight geographic regions. The tracks range in size from 1/4-mile to 5/8-mile, and include both asphalt and dirt tracks.

Dodge utilizes its involvement in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly series to provide its 3,000 dealers tremendous marketing and promotional opportunities at the local level. In particular, it allows those Dodge dealers who do not have a large tack near them to leverage motorsports to drive traffic and generate sales.

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