Ray Evernham’s “Ghost” To Be At Motorsports 2018 Trade Show
Story By: ERNIE SAXTON / SAMMONS PRODUCTIONS – OAKS, PA – One car that is sure to gain a lot of attention out of the more than 300 set to be on display at the Pioneer Pole Buildings Motorsports 2018 Race Car & Trade Show Fueled by Sunoco and Distributed by Insinger Performance is the 1936 Chevrolet Sedan Modified Stock Car created by former NASCAR Cup Series crew chief Ray Evernham.
The pearl-white, blue and red creation started as a sheet of paper and ideas in Evernham’s head.
“We did it the old-school way with modern technology, but without computer-aided drafting and simulation,” said the 60-year-old Evernham who will be being inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, NC the same weekend of the Motorsports 2018 show.
The former New Jersey resident who was a racer at Flemington, NJ Speedway and Wall Stadium Speedway in Belmar, NJ is often given credit for much of Jeff Gordon’s success in NASCAR. He was Gordon’s crew chief when he won the NASCAR Cup titles in 1995, 1997 and 1998.
“The 1936 Chevy Sedan was my favorite car when I was a kid watching the races in New Jersey,” said Evernham. “I just wanted to see what I could do building a car without regard to any rules or specifics, something that was neat.”
As Ray sees it, “The Ghost”—which got that name due to the pearl while Axalta-provided paint scheme—is what a modern-day Modified Stock Car would look like it is combined his admiration for old-school automotive styling and aesthetics with his knowledge and access to modern-day technology and performance.
Primarily funded by Valvoline, the car was built on a small budget by Evernham, along with lead mechanic Eddie Bohn and lead fabricator and painter Dan Baker as his Big Iron Garage in Mooresville, NC. Plans call for Ray to compete in some Sportscar Vintage Racing Association events at Road Atlanta, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Pikes Peak and some other places just to see how his ideas turned out.
Anyone who sees the car on display at Motorsports 2018 and would like to have one for his or her own, that can be arranged as Evernham is interested in building some others.
“I think it is dang cool,” said Evernham. “It’s something I want to drive, and I hope that others feel the same way and want one, too after seeing it on display.”
“The Ghost” is one of more than 300 racing vehicles representing all forms of motorsports that will be on display during the three days of Motorsports 2018, January 19-21 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA.
Headining the show will be three time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart along with 20-time World of Outlaws title holder Steve Kinser, rising Sprint Car talent David GraveL, FOX TV personality Larry MacReynolds and a number of local and regional racing talents.
The show, the 33rd annual edition, offers just about everything imaginable in motorsports and includes free seminars, Oliver Construction Ms. Motorsports Pageant, autograph opportunities and a large number of speedways and sanctioning organizations showing what is new for 2018.