NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- If they refer to you as a legend and put you on the same stage as Darrell Waltrip and Ernie Irvan, you must be old, right?

Don't say that to Ray Evernham, but nearly three decades in the sport as a championship-winning crew chief, a team owner and now a television personality awards you the title of at least seasoned veteran.

“

There's still plenty left for me to do. I'm just not 100 percent sure what that is. I know I'm not done with NASCAR.

”

RAY EVERNHAM

But the climate of today's NASCAR, embroiled in big business and complicated mergers, has left something to be desired for Evernham, who this weekend at the Sprint Sound & Speed event confirmed his retirement from the team he started in 1999, the same team that became the cornerstone for Dodge's return to Cup racing in 2001 and produced one of the sports biggest stars, Kasey Kahne.

"I am really retired from day-to-day operations at Gillett Evernham," Evernham said.

Last season he sold majority ownership of his team to George Gillett Jr., owner of the Montreal Canadiens in a merger that renamed the team Gillett Evernham Motorsports.

Soon thereafter, Evernham's role with the organization scaled back significantly.

He wasn't at the race track as often and became less a part of major decision-making, namely GEM's merger announcement last week with Petty Enterprises which absorbed the famous No. 43 car to be driven by Reed Sorenson.

"I have no involvement in the management of that," Evernham said. "I have an agreement with them to continue to consult if they need me. I'm happy for George and for Richard [Petty] if they feel like a merger will make both teams successful."

Gillett will be the major stockholder of the newly formed team yet to be named and Evernham will retain a minor ownership role.

More than that, Evernham begins a new chapter of his life and career that involves a different kind of race shop in Mooresville, N.C., spending more time with his teenage son, and a greater attention to short-track racing.

"Well, you know, Darrell made a good comment up there [on stage]. Guys like us, we enjoy stuff, but just not for very long," Evernham said. "I'm looking forward to getting life in order. I've built a shop in Mooresville that's kind of a little museum for all the memorabilia and things I've collected over the years. We are restoring antique cars. I've got some antique race cars." (Continued)