Aug 06
These are two consenting adults, and stories like this happen every day from Hollywood to Homestead, but here lies the problem: The 26-year-old Crocker was employed by Evernham, who turns 50 this month. In addition to being a hot item when out on the town, the pair was also boss-worker at the track.
And that’s just strange. I’ve covered a variety of sporting events, from preps to professional, and romance is about the last thing I expect when it comes to writing about sports. I hear drivers say how much they love Daytona or mention the romance of curvy venues like Darlington or Martinsville but — thankfully — it’s just a figurative expression. Bill Whitehead, TCPalm.com
Aug 04
When I read last year that Ray Evernham had signed her, and put her on a fast track to success, I was really excited. I watched all her early Busch races, cringing each week as she either was over matched, or roughed up by the Busch regulars. Shortly thereafter, she was demoted to the Truck series, and it was more of the same. She qualified pretty well, but it was obvious that she was out of her league, or maybe just pushed too far, too fast. She crashed often, and was rarely able to stay on the lead lap.
Aug 04, 2007
There he came down pit road, the nose crunched in, the effort toward a victory bid shunted away yet again. Kasey Kahne’s wreck at the Brickyard 400 illustrated the enormous struggle of the organization for which he races, Ray Evernham Motorsports. But Kahne’s wreck was just the beginning, as teammates Elliott Sadler and Scott Riggs soon joined him in the beaten-up racecar category in a wreck-strewn 400.
Aug 03, 2007
Still, as easy — and enjoyable — as it is to be cynical about relationships like Evernham’s and Crocker’s, this is not exactly J. Howard Marshall and Anna Nicole Smith.
Evernham, 49, is a trim, some-might-say dashing multi-millionaire who dominated NASCAR as Jeff Gordon’s crew chief from 1992 to 1999, winning 47 Cup races. And let’s face it, it’s not like buying a sports car was going to satisfy this guy’s mid-life crisis.
Crocker, 26, is hardly the air-headed ingenue. She has an engineering degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, was a four-sport high school athlete and, oh, by the way, she’s a professional race car driver. Kevin Hench, FOXSports.com
Aug 1, 2007
Now as far as the Evernham-Erin Crocker working relationship goes, it’s another example of how love is blind. Crocker probably needs to drive elsewhere. Otherwise, as mentioned, it’ll be perceived that she got her opportunity for one reason: her personal relationship with the owner. Brian De Los Santos and Charlie McCarthy, CBS.SportsLine.com
July 31, 2007
Ray Evernham said his personal relationship with Erin Crocker hurt her career, and the Nextel Cup team owner is trying to place the 26-year-old driver with another team.
Crocker drove in the Craftsman Truck Series for Evernham Motorsports last year and began dating Evernham early in the season.
July 30, 2007
Erin Crocker. I just need say her name and already you know where I am going. Ray Evernham. Yep, chances are you have an opinion about the whole mess. Me? I personally could care less about who is dating who, whose marriage is falling apart, who is having an affair or really anything that relates to someone’s personal life. Show me what you can do on the track…that’s what I care about.
July 28, 2007
We haven’t heard much about the relationship between race team owner Ray Evernham and driving prospect Erin Crocker in a while, but Evernham tells ESPN.com’s David Newton the relationship has hurt Crocker’s career.
“The proper thing to do and something her and I would like to do is move her to another race team,” Evernham tells Newton.
July 28, 2007
NASCAR owner Ray Evernham finally speaks publicly about what many NASCAR insiders, readers of internet message boards and blogs, and by now most NASCAR fans have known for quite some time: He has a personal relationship with his driver Erin Crocker.
July 28, 2007
“I don’t think it’s any secret that because of the personal relationship between Erin and I it hurt her career,” Evernham said. “The proper thing to do, and something her and I would like to do, is move her to another race team. I think the girl has a lot of talent.
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