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richieevans.com
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richie evans
richie evans' orange 61 camaro sits today in the international motorsports hall of fame at talladega. richie evans set in 1980 the qualifying record, amongst all divisions, of 196 m.p.h. richie evans won the 1979 daytona 200. finishing second was neil bonnett, followed by bobby allison, harry gant, and darrell waltrip. richie evans also won the 1980 daytona 200 again winning against the usual greats, this time including rusty wallace. now, let's look at richie evans' accomplishments:
richie evans. even after richie evans won 9 championships (8 in a row, a record never to be broken) even then, the fans still cheered and his fellow competitors still loved him. fans never tired of seeing richie evans win.
never has there been a racer that was equally loved by fans as much as fellow competitors. very often the last to leave the track after a race. always had time for the fans. when richie evans rolled into the pits, arriving from another track, the fans cheered. richie evans often said, "it's a long winter without any money."
richie evans did more with less. richie evans was common-folk. real. attributes that fans have an insatiable desire to see. richie evans started into racing late, a farm boy first, then a gas station, and massively, personally, tirelessly contributed, even designing and building the cars. richie evans was the driver's liaison, a spokesman to champion the cause of the racer. when bill france's phone would ring on monday morning, or sunday night, it was usually one of two people, dale earnhardt or... yes, richie evans.
richie evans arrives at the track with an open trailer. no flash. while one arrives in the pits to quickly hide their car with a white sheet, richie was open and available. i see richie with a group of drivers gathered around him, asking what right rear he's runnin'. wow, i see him adjusting the valves before the race. richie evans personally participated and helped others. fans never tired of seeing richie evans win. even after 9 championships.
the grid is set for the feature. morris metcalfe, scoring official, is shouting, "we still don't have a scorer for the 61..." i mean, there wasn't even someone to score his car.
race starts. i see him diamond-shape the track. i hear him shift at pocono. i never see him take someone out. at martinsville, that pass, for the win, both crossed the line, richie won. yes, that has been called, "the greatest racing finish ever," by clay earles.
the open face helmet. pure racer. after the race, in the pits forever. then, out with friends, his competitors, for the night, then on the pontoon boat. gene said, "he lived, ate, and breathed racing."
recently, mike stefanik sees my son evan's richie evans hat, and says, "richie really helped me alot to get started in racing." today, we go from race to race looking for the vertical a-pillar roll cage bars that signify an evans' chassis. we loved it when jeff gordon won championships and ran the "61" sticker on his car. jeff gordon boulevard in indiana... yes, it's exit 61. kyle busch's winningest chassis... #61. we loved it when the iroc cars had an "evans orange car." we loved it when tony stewart won the championship and said he drew the "evans orange" car for the win. there are even hundreds of "yellow freight" trucks that have been given thumbs up for their display of swamp holly orange, ever so close to evans orange, but mangino's had the ultimate evans orange formula, made by richie himself. yes, even the color.
before a race at daytona, paul newman is sitting next to richie evans on the pit wall talking. a seven year old boy spots his favorite driver. with a quickening pace, just as he gets to them, paul newman says, "i don't give autographs." the boy replies, "i wanted richie's." richie smiles and gives the boy his autograph.
richie evans' statistics are untouchable, but his contribution in advancing the sport is even more impressive. and, the most unique attribute of richie evans... his greatest fans were his competitors. richie evans helped so many others. richie evans' competitors loved him.
richie evans said, "working with the car and working on it in the garage every week is an advantage. while i'm working on the car, i'm thinking about every lap i rode in that thing. it's not like the mechanic who stood and watched it during the feature and then has to make some decisions."
every race they'd gather at his car. he'd help everyone. then, he'd go out and win. although at times he'd paint his shocks or mask the tires so we'd be a few weeks behind. he helped hutter big time at new smyrna.
richie evans loved the rome free academy (the public high school in rome) football games. he'd have arty newman contact coach bruce for tickets. 10 at least. their colors were orange and black. his home-town, and cross-street, rivals' colors were red and white. in more ways than one. when the religious team played the public team, richie pulled for the public bigtime. richie got his colors from the public side. the common folk. richie was not religious. neither was Jesus.
where do you get your colors? don't get them from religion. get them from Jesus Christ. richie evans had a conversation with tony siscone, a true gentleman. richie evans said, "tony, we are just passing through, going on, to something much better than this."
on october 24th 1985, richie evans went into eternity during a practice session at martinsville. tony was the first there. remember that conversation? doug retired on the spot. precious people. (and yes, richie won the championship that year too).
listen, richie evans was not religious. neither was Jesus Christ. it's a Relationship, not religion, that matters. all of us, one day, will have a meeting with God. how you respond to Jesus Christ will determine how that meeting will go. trust Him. forsake religion. forsake all. only trust Him. all that matters is that there was a place and time in your life that you placed your faith and trust in Jesus Christ alone for your salvation, believing He died for your sin, and His shed blood makes you clean. forgiven forever. listen. trust Christ.
richie evans. the rapid roman. good'n you?
John 3:16
to richie's family...precious people you are. arty... i love your passion for richie. i loved praying with you. i traced the 61 in my Bible.
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
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