Inside Ray Evernham’s personal garages is a “gearhead’s dream”. These garages contain an automotive look into the soul of one of the most successful NASCAR crew chiefs, team and car owners, and former racers.
Ray Evernham is one of the most well-known NASCAR Crew Chiefs, Team and car owner, and former racer. His AmeriCarna television series as well as his AmeriCarna Live events have brought insights into the world of auto racing that few have experienced. No Limits has been covering Ray Evernham’s events for several years and developed a strong relationship.
Late last year, before the AmeriCarna Live event, Ray invited us to a tour of his many personal garages. There are two sections to these garages— a public section that holds many of Ray’s memorabilia and cars he has collected and restored. This section is used to host dinners, banquets and functions associated with Ray’s many interests. The second, private part, is a real garage with many yet-to-be project cars and some of Ray’s personal cars – cars he has won – cars he has driven – cars he owns.
In the public section, Ray has recreated a 50’s diner, a drive in and a banquet center where the tables (made from tires) are surrounded by Indy type, sprint and dirt track cars Ray has restored. There are several display cases with Ray’s memorabilia and a recreated Texaco gas station. A second large hall – which actually is a garage with lifts, machine tools and lathes contains more cars – several modern NASCAR cars and — while we were there — a full display of moonshiners cars – from the 40’s through the 60’s.
Adjacent to these halls are several private garages. One is Ray’s very personal collection of modern rides – from muscle cars of the 60’s – with emphasis on the factory versions of the NASCAR “aero wars” cars—Ford Talladegas, Dodge Daytonas, Plymouth Superbirds, Mercury Cyclones along with an AAR Cuda. Ray’s incredible ForPLy 1964 Plymouth sits near to a stock ‘64 for comparison. These cars surround a wonderful collection of dirt track/sprint cars. One special car is a Pinto modified sprinter Car # 2P which was the last race car Ray personally drove.
With all this to take in, we were shown to another private section which consists of more garage space with racks holding NASCAR bodies as well as entire cars awaiting restoration or simply to be left in their original state. We walked in to see a COE transporter holding Gene Snow’s 70’s Funny Car – looking like it was preparing for a national meet. More of Ray’s NASCAR cars – including his restoration of Marty Robbins’ 777 car. Sprint cars from the 40’s thru today and all sorts of cars were everywhere – truly sensory overload for any gearhead.
Ray Evernham, is truly a “car guy” in the fullest sense of the words. His interests are reflective of his roots which were the dirt and sprint car tracks of New Jersey and later the south. As a phenomenally successful Crew chief and team owner, Ray has been able to develop and maintain his collection of cars and memorabilia that reflect his career as well of those of his own “heroes” – drivers and car builders alike. Ray’s garages are not open for public viewing.
No Limits staff is truly appreciative of the rare opportunity to visit these garages and see the awesome collection of Ray Evernham – for this we are sincerely grateful.
Thank you Ray