Evernham purchases East Lincoln Speedway in N.C.

MOORESVILLE, N.C. -- Ray Evernham has bought a small North Carolina dirt track to preserve what he said is a disappearing venue for nourishing up-and-coming drivers.

Evernham announced Tuesday that he acquired the East Lincoln Speedway in Stanley from Ralph and Joanne Nantz, who opened the 3/8-mile dirt track in 1990. The sale price was not disclosed.

"When I sold the majority interest in Evernham Motorsports to George Gillett in 2007, one of my goals was to find ways to give back to the sport and help up-and-coming drivers find a safe, low-cost way to race," Evernham said.

"Unfortunately, rising property values and land development have taken away many of the great dirt tracks around the country. With the acquisition of the East Lincoln Speedway, I can make sure that racers in the Charlotte area will have access to a safe, low-cost, family friendly racing facility for many years to come."

Evernham, 51, won three NASCAR titles as a crew chief with Jeff Gordon. While he sold most of his interest in the Gillett-Evernham Motorsports racing team last year and said he plans to retire from the sport's top level, Evernham remains an analyst for ESPN.

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