CHARLOTTE — With Jeff Gordon, Ray Evernham dominated the Winston Cup circuit. However after six seasons, racing's most-acclaimed crew chief needed a new challenge.

"I love this sport and I didn't feel like I was working hard enough at it anymore," Evernham said. "Now, I feel like this is a new lease on life.

As the lead team owner for Dodge's return to NASCAR, Evernham will eventually build dozens of cars. However, Evernham cannot escape the questions about his breakup with Gordon and Hendrick racing.

"There was a lot of emotion there. Jeff and I are very close," Evernham said. "There is a big difference between hurt feelings and hard feelings. Hurt feelings last just a little bit."

Everham has good feelings about Dodge, which has not seen much track time since Richard Petty's heyday in the 1970s.

"I'm a team owner now with a factory-backed effort," Evernham said. "That's something that has not been done in our sport for a long time so it really was a pretty humbling experience. It lets me know that I have to deliver now." -->