Erin Mary Crocker Evernham (born on March 23, 1981, in
Wilbraham, MassachusettsWilbraham is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. It is also a suburb of the City of Springfield, Massachusetts and part of the Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 13,473 at the 2000 census....
) is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
race car driver. She drove the #98 Gillett Evernham Motorsports owned
Dodge ChargerThe Dodge Charger is a rear-wheel drive full-size automobile built by Chrysler Group, LLC for its North American Dodge brand. The Charger name is a historic one, borne by several successful models in the past...
in the
ARCA RE/MAX SeriesThe series races on tracks as varied as small ovals and as large as Daytona International Speedway during the Daytona Speedweeks. It is one of the last major oval track circuits to still compete on dirt tracks...
. In the past she played soccer,
tennisTennis is a sport played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a strung racquet to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court....
, and varsity
lacrosseLacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin that is played using a small solid rubber ball and a long-handled racquet called a crosse or lacrosse stick. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose netting that is designed to hold the lacrosse ball...
on both her high school and college teams. Her entrance to the world of top tier motorsports has been stalled due in part to a personal relationship between Crocker and her former boss, team owner and current husband,
Ray EvernhamRay Evernham is currently a NASCAR team owner for Richard Petty Motorsports with drivers Kasey Kahne, AJ Allmendinger, Reed Sorenson and Elliott Sadler as well as development driver Kevin Swindell. In 1999, Evernham won the NASCAR Winston Cup Illustrated “Person of the Year”.-Racer:Evernham was a...
.
Crocker first starting racing
quarter midgetsQuarter Midget racing is a form of racing. The cars are approximately one quarter the size of full size midget race cars and gain speeds from 30 to about 70 mph.The drivers are typically restricted to age 5 to 16...
at the age of 7 in the Custom Quarter Midget Club, based in
Thompson, ConnecticutThompson is a rural town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 8,878 at the 2000 census. The 10 villages of Thompson include: East Thompson, Wilsonville, Fabyan, Quinebaug, Quaddick, Mechanicsville, Grosvenordale, North Grosvenordale, Thompson Hill, and West Thompson...
, and the Silver City Quarter Midget Club from
Meriden, ConnecticutMeriden is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 59,653.- History :...
and was named the Most Improved Novice during her first year of competition.
Erin Mary Crocker Evernham (born on March 23, 1981, in
Wilbraham, MassachusettsWilbraham is a town in Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. It is also a suburb of the City of Springfield, Massachusetts and part of the Springfield Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 13,473 at the 2000 census....
) is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
race car driver. She drove the #98 Gillett Evernham Motorsports owned
Dodge ChargerThe Dodge Charger is a rear-wheel drive full-size automobile built by Chrysler Group, LLC for its North American Dodge brand. The Charger name is a historic one, borne by several successful models in the past...
in the
ARCA RE/MAX SeriesThe series races on tracks as varied as small ovals and as large as Daytona International Speedway during the Daytona Speedweeks. It is one of the last major oval track circuits to still compete on dirt tracks...
. In the past she played soccer,
tennisTennis is a sport played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a strung racquet to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court....
, and varsity
lacrosseLacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin that is played using a small solid rubber ball and a long-handled racquet called a crosse or lacrosse stick. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose netting that is designed to hold the lacrosse ball...
on both her high school and college teams. Her entrance to the world of top tier motorsports has been stalled due in part to a personal relationship between Crocker and her former boss, team owner and current husband,
Ray EvernhamRay Evernham is currently a NASCAR team owner for Richard Petty Motorsports with drivers Kasey Kahne, AJ Allmendinger, Reed Sorenson and Elliott Sadler as well as development driver Kevin Swindell. In 1999, Evernham won the NASCAR Winston Cup Illustrated “Person of the Year”.-Racer:Evernham was a...
.
Early career
Crocker first starting racing
quarter midgetsQuarter Midget racing is a form of racing. The cars are approximately one quarter the size of full size midget race cars and gain speeds from 30 to about 70 mph.The drivers are typically restricted to age 5 to 16...
at the age of 7 in the Custom Quarter Midget Club, based in
Thompson, ConnecticutThompson is a rural town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 8,878 at the 2000 census. The 10 villages of Thompson include: East Thompson, Wilsonville, Fabyan, Quinebaug, Quaddick, Mechanicsville, Grosvenordale, North Grosvenordale, Thompson Hill, and West Thompson...
, and the Silver City Quarter Midget Club from
Meriden, ConnecticutMeriden is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 59,653.- History :...
and was named the Most Improved Novice during her first year of competition. She then moved on to win several awards and three Northeast Regional Quarter Midgets of America championships from 1993 to 1996 while in middle and high school. In 1997, Crocker began running Mini Sprints at Whip City Speedway in Westfield, MA. She became the youngest driver and the first female to win a race at the track. In 1998 she again competed in a 1200cc Mini sprint at Whip City and also with the Central New York Mini Sprint Association (CNYMS). In 1999, she moved to the Eastern Limited
SprintSprint cars are high-powered race cars designed primarily for the purpose of running on short oval or circular dirt or paved tracks. Sprint car racing is popular in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa....
Series, and was named Rookie of the Year.
Crocker started racing professionally in the
World of OutlawsThe World of Outlaws is an American motorsports sanctioning body. The body sanctions two major national touring series. It is best known for sanctioning a national tour of sprint cars. It later purchased a national tour of late model stockcars called the World of Outlaws Late Model Series...
while attending
Rensselaer Polytechnic InstituteRensselaer Polytechnic Institute, or RPI, is a private research university located in Troy, New York, United States.RPI was founded in 1824 by Stephen Van Rensselaer for the "application of science to the common purposes of life", and is the oldest technological university in the English-speaking...
in
Troy, New YorkTroy is a city in New York, U.S., and the county seat of Rensselaer County. As of the 2000 census, the population was 49,170. Troy's motto is Ilium fuit, Troja est, which means "Ilium was, Troy is."...
, where she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in industrial and management engineering in 2003. In 2002, Crocker signed with Woodring Racing to drive a 360 winged sprint car. She won five feature races as well as twelve heat events, earning her the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame Outstanding Newcomer Award. The following season, she switched to 410 Dirt Sprints, and became the first woman to qualify for the
Knoxville NationalsThe Knoxville Nationals is an annual sprint car event held at Knoxville Raceway in Knoxville, Iowa. The event is considered the premier event in sprint car racing, and is nicknamed "The Granddaddy of Them All."-History:...
. She won the 410 division's Rookie of the Year honors at season's end.
2004
In 2004, Crocker won an opportunity to drive for
Ford Motor CompanyThe Ford Motor Company is an American multinational corporation based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury brands, Ford also owns Volvo Cars of Sweden, and a small stake...
's
driver development programA Driver development program is a program used by racing teams to develop younger drivers. It is widely used in NASCAR and usually consists of a team signing a driver to a multi-year contract in which they run in minor-league racing divisions, and gradually work up to the higher ranks of NASCAR...
, and tested a Ford sprint for Bob East and Steve Lewis that season. She also became the first World of Outlaws driver to win a feature race that year in
Tulare, CaliforniaTulare is a city in Tulare County, California, United States. The population was 43,994 at the 2000 census. As of 2007 it is estimated that 55,935 live within the city limits. Just eight miles south of Visalia, it is considered part of the Census Bureau's designation of the Visalia Metropolitan...
.
2005
The following season, she left Ford to join
Evernham MotorsportsRichard Petty Motorsports is a racing team in NASCAR. It is owned by former Montreal Canadiens owner and Current Liverpool F.C. co-owner George Gillett and seven-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Richard Petty...
' driver development program. During the season, she raced in the
ARCA RE/MAX SeriesThe series races on tracks as varied as small ovals and as large as Daytona International Speedway during the Daytona Speedweeks. It is one of the last major oval track circuits to still compete on dirt tracks...
and collected 3 top 5's, including a second place finish, five top 10's, and two poles in six starts. She also made her
NASCARThe National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947-48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
debut that season at
Richmond International RacewayRichmond International Raceway is a 3/4-mile , D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series. "America's Premier Short Track" also was formerly host to the Indy Racing League IndyCar Series...
driving the #6
Country CrockShedd's Country Crock is a food brand owned by food giant Unilever. It originally sold spreads, such as margarine, but later extended to side dishes, particularly mashed potatoes and pasta.- External links :*...
Dodge for Evernham in the
Busch SeriesThe NASCAR Nationwide Series is a stock car racing series owned and operated by the National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing. It is promoted as NASCAR's "minor league" circuit , and is a proving ground for drivers who wish to step up to the organization's "big league" circuit, the Sprint Cup...
, starting 42nd and finishing 39th after a wreck. In her next start at
Dover International SpeedwayDover International Speedway is a NASCAR-sanctioned race track located in Dover, Delaware, owned by, and serving as the corporate headquarters of, Dover Motorsports, Inc. It is co-located with a harness racing track, Dover Downs, and shares the complex with Dover Downs Hotel & Casino...
, she qualified ninth, but wrecked eleven laps into the race after being tapped by
Justin LabonteJustin Labonte is a former NASCAR Busch Series driver. He is the son of NASCAR driver Terry Labonte, and the nephew of Bobby Labonte...
. Crocker sustained a cracked rib from the incident forcing her to sit out some races she was scheduled to compete in. She ran two more races that season, one for Evernham and the other for
FitzBradshaw RacingTrail Motorsports is a NASCAR team based in Mooresville, North Carolina, which is near Charlotte. The team is owned by Armando Fitz and Art Shelton, and was previously co-owned by Fitz's former wife Mimi...
, her best finish coming at
Memphis Motorsports ParkMemphis Motorsports Park is a race track located in just across the Loosahatchie River from Memphis, Tennessee, approximately ten miles south of Millington, Tennessee. It is owned by Gulf Coast Entertainment, L.L.C....
, where she finished 29th for FitzBradshaw in the #40 Cheerios/St. Jude's Children's Hospital Dodge Charger. She also ran a pair of Truck races for
Bobby Hamilton RacingBobby Hamilton Racing-Virginia was a former NASCAR racing team. It was owned by four-time NEXTEL Cup winner and 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Bobby Hamilton until his death on January 7, 2007. Bobby Hamilton, Jr. was given ownership after the death of his father, but the younger...
, at Phoenix and
Homestead-Miami SpeedwayHomestead-Miami Speedway is a race track in Homestead, Florida southwest of Miami. It plays host to Ford Championship Weekend, the final races of the season in the IRL IndyCar Series, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Nationwide Series, Camping World Truck Series and the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series...
, her best finish a 30th at Homestead-Miami Raceway.
2006
In 2006 Crocker drove the #98 full-time in the Truck Series. She finished 25th in the Craftsman Truck standings. After struggling during the
2006 seasonThe 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season began on February 17, 2006 at Daytona International Speedway with the GM Flex Fuel 250, and ended on November 17, 2006 with the Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Todd Bodine of Germain Racing was declared champion...
, Evernham decided to close the #98 team.
2007
In 2007, Crocker ran a select number of ARCA Series events. She won the pole for the season-opening ARCA race at
Daytona International SpeedwayDaytona International Speedway is a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida, United States. Since opening in 1959, it has been the home to the biggest and greatest race in all of NASCAR, "The Great American Race", the Daytona 500. Today the facility has a seating capacity of almost 168,000 spectators...
in 2007. She however struggled, finishing 20th in the race.
During her tenure as a truck-series driver, a dispute between then-Evernham Cup driver
Jeremy MayfieldJeremy Allen Mayfield is a currently suspended NASCAR driver. Mayfield drove the #41 All Sport Toyota Camry in the Sprint Cup Series for his own team, Mayfield Motorsports. He is married to his second wife, Shana, and they own three bulldogs and two pugs. Currently he and his team are unsponsored...
and Ray Evernham resulted in a series of lawsuits between Mayfield and Evernham. In Mayfield’s legal filings, he asserted that the #19 team’s lack of on-track success was due in large part to Evernham’s attention being focused on his personal relationship with an unnamed female driver. At the time, Crocker was the only female driver employed by Evernham Motorports. Evernham confirmed in an interview with ESPN that the relationship exists and has hurt Crocker's career.
2008
Following the fall 2007 ARCA race at
Talladega SuperspeedwayTalladega Superspeedway is a motorsports complex located in Eastaboga, Alabama, United States. It was constructed in the 1960s in place of the abandoned Anniston Army Airfield by International Speedway Corporation, a business controlled by NASCAR's founding France family along with Daytona...
, it was confirmed that she had left Evernham Motorsports. She ran a limited 2 race schedule in the truck series for
Morgan-Dollar MotorsportsRandy Moss Motorsports is a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team. It is owned by David Dollar and New England Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss. Former driver Rob Morgan co-owned the team until 2004...
, before she was replaced by Red Bull drivers
A. J. AllmendingerAnthony James Allmendinger , nicknamed The Dinger, is an American racecar driver. He is best known for his accomplishments in the Champ Car World Series, Allmendinger currently drives the #44 Hunt Brothers Pizza/Best Buy/Stanley Works Dodge Charger for Richard Petty Motorsports in the Sprint Cup...
&
Scott SpeedScott Andrew Speed is an American race car driver. Formerly a driver for the Scuderia Toro Rosso F1 team, he made his Formula One race debut at the 2006 Bahrain Grand Prix, becoming the first American to race in F1 since Michael Andretti in 1993...
. For the ARCA/REMAX race on September 6, 2008, she joined the broadcast booth for SPEED Channel.
Personal Life
Crocker and former boss/team owner
Ray EvernhamRay Evernham is currently a NASCAR team owner for Richard Petty Motorsports with drivers Kasey Kahne, AJ Allmendinger, Reed Sorenson and Elliott Sadler as well as development driver Kevin Swindell. In 1999, Evernham won the NASCAR Winston Cup Illustrated “Person of the Year”.-Racer:Evernham was a...
were wed on August 26, 2009 in Las Vegas.
External links