2006 Racing Issue - UAW-Chrysler.com
2006 Racing Issue - UAW-Chrysler.com 2006 Racing Issue - UAW-Chrysler.com
The No. 9 Dodge Charger likes life in the fast lane. RACING TO WIN Challenges strengthen the Evernham team STORY BY JIM MORRISON PHOTOS BY DORSEY PATRICK A BLOWN TIRE. A CAUTION AT JUST THE WRONG TIME. Those were the kinds of bad breaks that bedeviled Jeremy Mayfield, Kasey Kahne and the Dodge Dealers/ UAW Dodge Charger Evernham Motorsports team during the 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup campaign. But looking ahead to the 2006 season, the resourceful racers learned from every challenge, making adjustments ranging from engineering tweaks to complete team revamps. Most important, they’ve shown they have what it takes to hang in and win. 18 www.uawdcx.com
Driven to Succeed What Mayfield and Kahne had in 2005 was enough to each win a race. It was the first time team owner Ray Evernham ushered both his cars, co-sponsored by the UAW-DaimlerChrysler National Training Center, to Victory Lane in the same season. Kahne took his first Nextel Cup Series victory in May at Richmond International Raceway, running a flawless race. He started from the pole and led 242 laps, including the final 106 of the 400-lap race. Meanwhile, Mayfield took his fifth career win by cagily pitting for fuel late in the GFS Marketplace 400 at Michigan International Speedway in August. But for Evernham, the first year running the Dodge Charger proved challenging, especially when it came to balancing the car on the long tracks and handling in traffic. That’s why he revamped the team leadership for 2006. Team Director Kenny Francis, who helped Mayfield get into the Chase twice, moved with Car Director Mike Shiplett to Kahne’s No. 9. Chris Andrews, who directed Bill Elliott’s part-time No. 91 Dodge Charger, moved in as team director for Mayfield, with Kirk Almquist as car director and Tim Malinovsky as engineer. The new structure is one Evernham expects will foster better collective thinking and intellectual innovation. And it proved promising during a trial run in the last race of 2005 at Homestead, Fla. “We had both cars running with a chance of finishing in the Top 10,” says Evernham. “One car did.” Kahne and Mayfield see the change as setting them up for championship runs in 2006. “With the end of last year like it was, I don’t know if I would have been as pumped up as I am now without Ray promoting more of the team aspect,” says Mayfield. “Now I feel Evernham Motorsports is stronger than it’s ever been, and all because of last season.” Adding to that strength is Scott Riggs, driving the No. 10 Valvoline/Stanley Tools Dodge Charger for at least 22 races in his third Nextel Cup season. Riggs began in motocross and didn’t move to four wheels until he entered the Mini Stock Division at age 17. Then he won 12 times in three seasons. In 2001, Riggs moved up to the Craftsman Truck Series, winning five times. In the Busch Series the next year, he won twice and had 13 Top-10 finishes on his way to Rookie of the Year honors. “My father always said that he felt like Not even a blown tire can discourage the Evernham team. the bigger the race track, the better I would do,” Riggs says. The Bahama, N.C., native had four Top-10 finishes in 2005, including a first pole at Martinsville and second place at Michigan International Speedway. “We look forward to getting him in the winner’s circle this season,” says Evernham. CONTINUED ON PAGE 20 WHAT MAYFIELD AND KAHNE HAD IN 2005 WAS ENOUGH TO EACH WIN A RACE, THE FIRST TIME TEAM OWNER RAY EVERNHAM HAD USHERED BOTH HIS CARS TO VICTORY LANE IN THE SAME SEASON. TOMORROW SPECIAL RACING 2006 19
- Page 1 and 2: 2006 SPECIAL RACING ISSUE LOOKING A
- Page 3 and 4: LOOKING AHEAD AT THE UAW-DAIMLERCHR
- Page 5 and 6: DODGE TAKES TWO Dodge roared into t
- Page 7 and 8: Fans attending the UAW-DC 400 at LV
- Page 9 and 10: WHAT CAN YOU HEMI? At the Chrysler
- Page 11 and 12: RACING FOR THE FUTURE Toledo’s Ju
- Page 13 and 14: &NOW Past and present: Richard Pett
- Page 15 and 16: “Now, the muscle Charger is comin
- Page 17: AN AMERICAN AUTOMOTIVE HERITAGE Exp
- Page 21 and 22: JEREMY MAYFIELD PHOTO TO COME Don
- Page 23 and 24: RISING RACING STARS GETTY IMAGES Ev
- Page 25 and 26: Evernham drivers get unconditional
- Page 27 and 28: PRIDE ON DISPLAY American automakin
The No. 9 Dodge Charger<br />
likes life in the fast lane.<br />
RACING TO<br />
WIN<br />
Challenges<br />
strengthen the<br />
Evernham team<br />
STORY BY JIM MORRISON<br />
PHOTOS BY DORSEY PATRICK<br />
A BLOWN TIRE. A CAUTION AT JUST THE WRONG TIME. Those were the kinds<br />
of bad breaks that bedeviled Jeremy Mayfield, Kasey Kahne and the Dodge Dealers/<br />
<strong>UAW</strong> Dodge Charger Evernham Motorsports team during the 2005 NASCAR Nextel<br />
Cup campaign. But looking ahead to the <strong>2006</strong> season, the resourceful racers learned<br />
from every challenge, making adjustments ranging from engineering tweaks to <strong>com</strong>plete<br />
team revamps. Most important, they’ve shown they have what it takes to hang<br />
in and win.<br />
18 www.uawdcx.<strong>com</strong>
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