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The Dodge Report: A Regular Update from the Dodge Garage A few comments from Ray Evernham, team owner of Evernham Motorsports and lead developer of the Dodge Intrepid R/T NASCAR Winston Cup racecar: On the Testing Program "We just finished a two-day engine durability test with Casey Atwood at the Kentucky Speedway and I was pleased with the session. We logged about 500 miles on one Dodge Intrepid R/T engine during the test - bringing the total wear on this engine to more than 2,100 miles with no major problems. We really pushed the durability to see just how hard we can run this engine and for how long. We also ran two other engines for a few hundred miles to test some engine power combos. "The team is really focused on our first speedway test, coming up on October 16 at the Talladega Superspeedway We've been on the short tracks working on downforce and horsepower, and now it's time to get back in speedway mode. We've got to focus on drag and restrictor plates and look at what we need to do as a team to be competitive. We've had a scale model in the wind tunnel up at the DaimlerChrysler Technology Center to prepare for this, but the real test will be when we put the cars on the track. On Developing the Evernham Motorsports Team "Casey's training is coming along. After Martinsville, I heard some other drivers compliment his potential and his talent, and that means a lot. Casey did a great job at one of the toughest tracks on the circuit -- he ran competitively and he ran a smart, safe race. What impressed me the most about Casey at Martinsville was qualifying. We were 5th fastest in the practice before qualifying and then turned in the 22nd fastest time in qualifying. The other thing that impressed me about Casey was that he had some brakes left at the end of the race. There are a lot of veterans who can't do that at this track. "The whole team has gotten some great experience in our two races with Motorola. Building a race team is like a big chess board. You're always moving people around, trying to find the best combination. Right now, we have a bunch of spots on the board to fill. On the Dodge Intrepid R/T Engine Development "We presented our engine to NASCAR for approval last week and, at this time, we have not heard anything from them. I am anxious to hear what they think, because we've only got about 150 days between now and the 2001 Daytona 500. While we designed and built the engine, we do need some time to learn about it. On Jimmy Vasser's Test for Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates "I think Jimmy Vasser's test with Chip is a great idea. It just goes to show that if you want to make it in racing you have to come to NASCAR Winston Cup. In fact, I talked with Michael Shumacher a few weeks ago and tried to get him on board. He already looks good in red, and you could just replace that horse with a Dodge Ram and he would be ready to go. But, I'm still waiting for the phone to ring."
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