[Smoke842]

Just read on another site that Jeremy Mayfield is frustrated (duh) about their team running so poorly but he hasn't been able to talk to Ray Evernham because he isn't around that much (at the track). Today, for instance Ray's at Kentucky Speedway because Erin Crocker is there.

Also, Ray wasn't at Infineon or Daytona last week either. Maybe Jeremy should pick up the phone and call him.

[WVGrandma4Kasey]

[quote=Smoke842]Just read on another site that Jeremy Mayfield is frustrated (duh) about their team running so poorly but he hasn't been able to talk to Ray Evernham because he isn't around that much (at the track). Today, for instance Ray's at Kentucky Speedway because Erin Crocker is there.

Also, Ray wasn't at Infineon or Daytona last week either. Maybe Jeremy should pick up the phone and call him.[/quote

Jeremy is on Track Side Now. He said that he is not upset with Ray. That Ray has given them what ever they need, They just have to get it together. And that they are working on communications etc.

[WVGrandma4Kasey]

I just read the story Smoke was referring to, sounds a lot different then what he said on Track Side. NASCAR.COM - Mayfield frustrated by Evernham's absence - Jul 7, 2006

I've been hearing some rumors on other sites, untill I would have more reliable sources I won't repeat them. They are out there if anyone wants to look.

[Smoke842]

He doesn't want to talk bad about his boss! But I would agree w/him, his boss isn't doin anything. It's all about Erin Gma don't shoot me but Ray seems to be spending too much time w/her and she doesn't have the results.

[BringBackWilkesboro]

It would help if he was at the track a little more often. Maybe he and Erin... no, never mind, that cant be.

[TN_Gal]

Originally Posted by Smoke842

He doesn't want to talk bad about his boss! But I would agree w/him, his boss isn't doin anything. It's all about Erin Gma don't shoot me but Ray seems to be spending too much time w/her and she doesn't have the results.

C'mon Smoke..Jeremy's been around the track a few times....he's a pro and should be able to hold his own and do what he supposed to without Ray holding his hand....and if you believe there is no communication going on via phone or thru crew chief and Ray that is far fetched. This is a business and the boss doesn't let the STAFF run things on their own.

Ray is investing his time in his future and is right to support his newbies...

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by TN_Gal

C'mon Smoke..Jeremy's been around the track a few times....he's a pro and should be able to hold his own and do what he supposed to without Ray holding his hand....and if you believe there is no communication going on via phone or thru crew chief and Ray that is far fetched. This is a business and the boss doesn't let the STAFF run things on their own.

Ray is investing his time in his future and is right to support his newbies...

I agree with your assessment TN_Gal. As per usual the media gets a story and runs rampant with it before they have any idea as to the facts. Owners don't just disappear off the face of the earth and while Erin may be getting his attention right now, Jeremy should be able to attend to his affairs through the crew chief. That would be the next person to deal with on the seniority list. Ray may be looking to get Erin into the cup series and to do that requires sponsorship and to gain that Ray must be involved. No doubt there will be a lot of press coverage for a full time female cup driver and Ray is just insuring his future while helping sponsors and Erin at the same time. Let's wait to hear all the FACTS first

[Smoke842]

LSC, TN, the media didn't "get hold" of this story! Jeremy told it! Offered it! Ray investing time in Erin...what has she done so far??? Wreck, wreck, wreck. Big fat zero. A reliable little voice (who I won't mention) told me there's more to the relationship. Bringback, you might have the right idea.

Ray...get back to your Cup drivers. They need you.

[LADY3]

Originally Posted by Smoke842

Just read on another site that Jeremy Mayfield is frustrated (duh) about their team running so poorly but he hasn't been able to talk to Ray Evernham because he isn't around that much (at the track). Today, for instance Ray's at Kentucky Speedway because Erin Crocker is there.

Also, Ray wasn't at Infineon or Daytona last week either. Maybe Jeremy should pick up the phone and call him.

Hey Tonys Daytona Diva did you know that Jeremey Mayfield is form Kentucky?

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by Smoke842

LSC, TN, the media didn't "get hold" of this story! Jeremy told it! Offered it! Ray investing time in Erin...what has she done so far??? Wreck, wreck, wreck. Big fat zero. A reliable little voice (who I won't mention) told me there's more to the relationship. Bringback, you might have the right idea.

Ray...get back to your Cup drivers. They need you.

I hate to hear those kind of stories. The guy is a top notch owner and when you start messin' with employees it has adverse effects on the business in general. Mayfield is an OK driver, not one of my most favorites but with the right stuff he has done a better than average job. I hope it is untrue about ray. I hate it when men think with their second brain.

[WVGrandma4Kasey]

Evernham taken aback by distraction whispers

Mayfield's return to team will be discussed later, owner says

By David Newton, NASCAR.COM
July 9, 2006
03:27 PM EDT (19:27 GMT)
JOILET, Ill. -- Ray Evernham admits the separation from his wife became a distraction during the second half of the 2005 Nextel Cup season.
But the owner of Evernham Motorsports says the growth of his company, not his personal life, is the reason he's spending less time at Nextel Cup events than at any time during his career.
"My personal life is my personal life, so I won't talk about that," Evernham said before Sunday's Cup race at Chicagoland Speedway. "But I can tell you that nothing distracts me from my purpose. This is what I do 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
"There are people that do it that are married; there are people that do it that have relationships. ... I've taken on so much more that I'm almost taken aback by the fact that people think I'm distracted."
Evernham's commitment came under fire on Friday when driver Jeremy Mayfield, who made the Chase for the Nextel Cup the past two years, questioned why his owner hadn't spent more time trying to help his team struggling 32nd in points.
Evernham missed the last two Cup races at Daytona and Sonoma to attend the Truck Series races with developmental driver Erin Crocker.
Evernham and Mayfield spoke by phone after Mayfield's statements became public, and addressed the media on Sunday in hopes of defusing controversy.
But the two stopped short of saying Mayfield, who has been rumored as a candidate to move to Toyota despite having a year and two option years left on his contract, would be with the team beyond this season.
"We're going to talk about that," Evernham said. "We're concentrating on this year, on getting this thing fixed. We don't have to talk about that option until August or September.
"Right now we want to fix this. I can't be 100 percent certain I'm going to be sitting here. Bottom line, we're not talking about not being there."
Mayfield said frustration over the season led to many of his comments.
"[Ray] and I are great friends and will be great friends no matter what happens in the future," he said. "We're both frustrated. Like I said the other day, it could be worse. I remember when everybody was talking about how [Ray] was being too involved in everything, micro-managing."
Evernham reminded that in the past year and a half Evernham Motorsports has grown from two Cup teams to three Cup teams, a Busch team and a Truck team. He said there are plans to add a fourth Cup team over the next couple of years and that will take him more away from the day-to-day operations.
"Rick Hendrick has won five or six championships," Evernham said of his former boss at Hendrick Motorsports. "Is he here at every race? Is Jack [Roush] at his shop every day? They're not. They put good people in place like I have.
"If these guys cannot win a championship and win races under the systems I put in place, then I haven't done a good job."
Evernham said the company has grown too large for him to be as hands-on as he was when he started it six years ago because of commitments to sponsors and other partnerships.
"If I haven't given them enough to work with and they can't do it, if I have to be here the whole time the company is not going to grow, and we're all going to lose opportunities," he said.
"Truth is you will see me less and less, but that does not mean I have taken my focus away from performance. It's directly the opposite. I don't know how to grow the company and challenge the Roushes and Hendricks and be here every weekend."
Evernham defended his time with Crocker and the Truck program, stating that he'd missed only two Cup races. He said plans to be at Daytona were ruined because the Truck race ran late and the Daytona airport was closed early because Vice President Dick Cheney was at the event.
"I think I'm doing pretty good balance wise," he said.
While Mayfield has struggled, Kasey Kahne has a series-high four wins and is fourth in points. Scott Riggs, who missed the opener at Daytona, has fought back to 23rd in points.
"Bottom line, no matter what you do, you don't seem to make anyone happy," Evernham said. "You're either micro-managing or not managing enough. Truth is, Evernham Motorsports is having the best year it's ever had."
Evernham, who won three Cup titles as Jeff Gordon's crew chief at Hendrick Motorsports, admitted it's not as much fun being at the track and not being as physically involved as before.
"I love to work on the car," he said. "I love to make the calls on the chassis. That's what I do. When you have to stand back, it's not a lot of fun to hang around, especially on a Friday and Saturday.
"My role has changed. I'm not Ray Evernham the crew chief, mechanic."
Evernham said the fun now is in developing people and systems to run the business.
"I still love to be at the racetrack, but Friday and Saturday, when you're used to throwing springs and shocks around and making calls and all of sudden you're standing there not doing much, Sundays aren't a lot of fun," he said.
But his absence, Evernham said, doesn't mean he's lost focus.
"I don't know how many other businessmen would be accused of being distracted if their company had grown twice its size in a year and a half and is having the best year they ever had," he said. "I'm kind of blown away by that."

[WVGrandma4Kasey]

For Ray: Time to stop and smell the roses.

[LSC9901]

Now with me I like to look at things from a positive point of view and I want to believe everything Ray said in his interview is 100% true. If all of it is true then Mayfield was doing nothing but venting over his poor performance. That doesn't say that his poor performance is totally his fault. It is quite possible it is a team related issue. Seems like Jeremy may have vented to the press out of frustration over the lack of contact with Ray. Here's hoping the problem gets resolved.

[WVGrandma4Kasey]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Now with me I like to look at things from a positive point of view and I want to believe everything Ray said in his interview is 100% true. If all of it is true then Mayfield was doing nothing but venting over his poor performance. That doesn't say that his poor performance is totally his fault. It is quite possible it is a team related issue. Seems like Jeremy may have vented to the press out of frustration over the lack of contact with Ray. Here's hoping the problem gets resolved.

I hope you are right LSC, this whole thing has my stomach in knots. I would hate to see what has been a good team go down the drain. Not only Kasey and Scott. I know Jeremy has never been a spetacular driver, but he was decent. I think he may go to open wheel, if he's given a chance.
Right now the internet is so full of Evernham and so much buss. Sometimes it hard to believe an intelligent man can put himself in such a position.

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by WVGrandma4Kasey

Sometimes it hard to believe an intelligent man can put himself in such a position.

I again go back to what I said about believeing in what is told to us. If he is telling the truth then there is nothing going on other than trying to promote his own business. It seems to have taken a toll on his marriage and now is causing rife within his teams. A smart person will decide what is important but when you run a business that should return a profit to the sponsors, win races, keep the public happy, keep good drivers on the pay roll, etc., etc ........ Obviously it is more than he can handle effectively and now parts of his life and business are not doing as well as he would like. (sometimes called failure). Something has to give and this time it was Jeremy's temper and mouth. Was he wrong, was he right ??? Who knows ??? Hopefully things can get better and everyone can get back in the business of success on all levels.