Changing Of The Guard At Hendrick Motor Sports?

By Mark Young

The Sporting News' Bob Pockrass wrote an article today about Ray Evernham and his return to the racing business at Hendrick Motorsports.  He talked about what role Ray will play with the team, as well as what roll he will not play with the team.  What was interesting to me was not about what he had to say but instead about what he didn't say that has me wondering...........Check out Bob's article before going on.Ray Evernham wants to help crew chiefs, not be them.

Like Pockrass' article states, Ray Evernham is arguably one of the greatest crew chiefs in the history of NASCAR (ask Chad Knaus what he thinks of that).  Ray, along with Jeff Gordon, are cornerstones in the foundation of what HMS is today.  Without their success Jimmie Johnson wouldn't exist.  Ray also left HMS and Gordon at their peak to begin the Dodge racing program and build it from the ground up.  To say that Ray knows how succeed as an owner is an understatement.

So, with Ray stating that he doesn't want a title and that he just simply wants to learn as much as he can and help HMS however he can is intriguing to me.  Exactly what is the purpose of bringing Ray Evernham back into the racing side of things at Hendrick?  Surely it isn't to give Chad Knaus and the other crew chiefs there pointers (like the article says).  Here is what I think is going to happen.

Rick Hendrick is paving the road to retirement and Ray Evernham is going to be the heir apparent.  Rick is 64 years old, young when compared to 76 year old Roger Penske, but he has lived two lifetimes of trials and tribulations that are too long to list in this blog.  He looks tired, he sounds tired, and he basically said so at the HMS media tour stop a couple of weeks ago.  I believe that Ray Evenham is going to step in as Chief Operating Officer or some similar title at Hendrick Motorsports.  If you were Rick Hendrick what better choice is there?  You bring back the prodigal son, the one who helped get you to the top of the mountain, the one who left to run his own team (successfully I might add).  It just makes sense and explains why Ray doesn't have, and doesn't want to have, a title right now.  Someone is already in the office he is destined for.

What say you my friends?