| | This was not the way Ray Evernham envisioned leaving the team he helped build into a NASCAR dynasty.
Evernham, the crew chief and mentor during Jeff Gordon's surge to the summit of stock car racing, says he was planning to make the move after the season. But he realized the attention and rumors had become an irritant to the team.
"Sometimes, the media can be a great friend and sometimes they can do a lot of damage," Evernham told The Associated Press by telephone on Friday from outside Charlotte, N.C. "I wanted to try to get to the end of the year as a crew chief, but that would have hurt the team's performance for me to stay, and I didn't want that
to happen."
|  | | Brian Whitesell pushes the No. 24 car Friday after qualifying for the NAPA Autocare 500. |
Evernham requested and was given his release by Hendrick Motorsports on Wednesday from a contract that extended through 2006.
Under Evernham, Gordon went from Winston Cup Rookie of the Year in 1993 to 47 victories and three series championships by the end of the 1998 season.
In fact, it was last year's success -- with Gordon winning a record-tying 13 times and running away with the title -- that prompted a reassessment by Evernham.
"I just figured I could never do that again with the same intensity I had at the end of 1998," Evernham said. "I needed to find something else to do. In all fairness, the Hendricks treated me great, but it was time for a change.
"There comes a time where you look at something as a completed project. I had a five-year plan when I went to Hendrick Motorsports. We accomplished it in three years and then I spent four more years with the team."
Whether it was a change in Evernham and his relationship with his Rainbow Warriors crew or his driver, 1999 has not been a vintage Gordon year. Going into Sunday's race in Martinsville, Va., Gordon has five wins and is sixth in the standings, trailing leader
Dale Jarrett by 417 points.
Asked if he would have left before the end of the season if Gordon were still in the title chase, Evernham said: "This transition was going to happen no matter what. It's best for the team.
"This year, I've been unhappy with the ability to bring out the drive in myself again. That's something I haven't felt good about. I didn't feel like I had the ability to bring out as much in the team any more."
Evernham, who plans to form his own team, said he could not speak about reports that his new operation will be the factory team in a return by Chrysler to Winston Cup racing.
"I actually have some things put together that I'll be able to talk about in the next two to three weeks," he said. "All those things aren't finalized. All this happened so fast. I was in no way prepared for it. That made it awkward."
He said his relationship with Gordon had changed over the years, but the friendship remains intact, as does their partnership in a Busch Series team.
"Jeff called me Tuesday or Wednesday to see how I was doing," Evernham said. "I'm looking forward to going to Charlotte (next week) and running the Busch race and having some fun with Jeff."
Evernham, a 42-year-old native of New Jersey, dismissed as "totally untrue" reports of a strained relationship with team owner Rick Hendrick and his brother, team president John Hendrick.
"John Hendrick has been one of my biggest supporters through all this, and Jeff and Rick and I have agreed that our friendship is important to us and we're going to communicate and keep the friendship going," Evernham said the Busch team's offices.
Brian Whitesell, who has been working alongside Evernham as an engineer, is the new crew chief for Gordon. Evernham said he is confident the team and driver will continue to do well without him.
"Everybody knows that Jeff Gordon will be back in victory lane, but nobody knows if Ray Evernham will get there again," he said. "I have a big job ahead of me. But I needed that challenge. I really want to contribute more to something new that is starting behind the eight ball."
Evernham is not sure if he'll watch Sunday's race on television.
"I'm afraid the first time I see that 24 car running without me, it's going to be hard to take," Evernham said. "But I'm not saying I won't watch. I just don't know yet."
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ALSO SEE
Yocum: End of a dynasty?
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Ray Evernham stopped by the RPM 2Night set to talk with John Kernan about his Winston Cup future.
RealVideo: | 28.8
More with Evernham on RPM 2Night, including a look back at his greatest moments with the No. 24 team and Jeff Gordon.
RealVideo: | 28.8
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