"We finished in the top 10 last year and that was just the beginning -- I feel like that's the great thing," says Jeremy Mayfield. Credit: Autostock

Preview: Mayfield

Flying below radar with ducks in a row, No. 19 team ready to race

Jeremy Mayfield's Evernham Motorsports Dodge team was called the underdog in the inaugural Chase for the Nextel Cup -- and was tagged an underachiever on the superspeedways last season.

If either of those statements were true, Mayfield's No. 19 Dodge Charger might be a car to watch in 2005, because owner Ray Evernham has kept all the best elements of Mayfield's team, while adding another critical piece.

Mayfield comes to Speedweeks 2005 at Daytona with crew chief Slugger Labbe, who previously was a key member of the restrictor plate dynamo at Dale Earnhardt Incorporated.

	Jeremy Mayfield
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Mayfield joked at a recent Dodge Motorsports dinner that as a small-town guy from Kentucky he'd be able to communicate better with Labbe, who has a New England short-track racing background.

"In our type of racing you can't just have it all about numbers -- it's just not going to work," Mayfield said. "We know the balance numbers but getting those balance numbers and applying them to the racetracks is a different story.

"Once you get that done, you've got to have someone who's good with the guys as a coach -- and engineering isn't a part of that deal. You need a good leader, someone who keeps the guys pumped up.

"I think that's a big part of our sport. You've got to have the right mixture of people to make it work."

But engineer Kenny Francis, who also earned his share of praise as Mayfield's crew chief last year, remains with the program in a managerial and engineering role that may emphasize his strong points.

"We finished in the top 10 last year and that was just the beginning -- I feel like that's the great thing," Mayfield said of Evernham's behind the scenes work. "You see all the things he's done since he started the team and the things we've done the last six months and the things he's doing for the future."

But Evernham said he feels like the future is now when he forecasts a possible breakout year for Mayfield and his young teammate, Kasey Kahne.

"We hope so (because) we're putting everything in place to do that," Evernham said of the chance of 2005 being his team's best in its fifth year of existence. "We were on the verge (of multiple wins) again in 2004. If we can just keep putting ourselves in position, it's got to come."

Mayfield won at Richmond in September to launch his team into the Chase for the Nextel Cup, and Kahne was second an agonizing five times without a win.

"If both of these cars won more than one race this year," Evernham said. "I don't think anyone would be surprised."

Depending on which statistical category you analyze, Mayfield's 2004 season was his best since 2000 -- the year before he left Penske Racing -- or 1998, which was his career breakout when he won his first Cup race and had 12 top-five and 16 top-10 finishes.

"When I first started with Ray (in 2002) he looked at the big picture all the time," Mayfield said. "He looked so far out that it took me awhile to figure that out (because) he looked so far down the road, and I wanted to run good now."

Mayfield said that if it took him the better part of three seasons to figure that out. In 2005, he's ready to put it into practice.

"I knew last year was a great year, but it was like a building year," Mayfield said. "This year will be different. I'm confident about all my guys and the new car and the way everything is going at Evernham Motorsports."

Mayfield would like to expand on his career totals of four Cup victories and nine pole positions, and said his team owner was critical to his outlook.

	Jeremy Mayfield raced his way into the Chase by winning at Richmond. Credit: Autostock
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"Ray is very good about putting the right people in the right places," Mayfield said. "The Ray I know, now is a huge leader and his control is putting the right people in the right places and letting them have control.

"I think he's done a great job of that. All we worry about is racing now, but so many things are going on that's going to help our race team as a whole for the future (that) you won't see it until a couple of years down the road."

Mayfield's primary goal is to make his second consecutive Chase. Mayfield said he'd learned his lessons last year, but wouldn't change much.

"Looking back, I'm going to tell you we've got to go all out at the beginning of the season," Mayfield said, "because I don't want to go through what I went through last year."

Mayfield didn't know his team was in the Chase until he got out of his car in Victory Lane. He said the adjustments would be minute ones.

"I guess the best way to sum that up is you're not going to go out there and race any harder (because) your guys can't work any harder," Mayfield said. "All you can do when you're having a bad day is try to capitalize on everybody else's mistakes (and) if you're going to finish 20th, try to finish 18th.

"We found out last year that two spots is a lot of cars (over the course of a season). I think that's what you'll see more than anything. Guys will repair when they wreck and when they're having a bad day (you'll) gamble on strategy."

In addition to his Nextel Cup program, Mayfield will also compete in roughly half the Busch Series schedule in a No. 64 Miller High Life Lite Dodge for Rusty Wallace.

"My jaws are hurting from talking and smiling -- I've been smiling like crazy," Mayfield said. "I'm so excited about this year (because) I've never been in this type of situation where I've got everybody around me and everybody pulling for me.

"Ray and I are doing great. I'm flying below the radar. I'm kinda scared (because) I've never been in a situation where everything is right and we're just beginning.

"Last year was a good year, but now we've got all our ducks in a row and we're ready to race."

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