Motorsports

Gillett: Purchase nearly done

Montreal Canadiens owner George Gillett told the Times on Thursday there is a "95-percent chance" his purchase into Evernham Motorsports will be final by today or Monday at the latest.

By BRANT JAMES
Published August 3, 2007

Montreal Canadiens owner George Gillett told the Times on Thursday there is a "95-percent chance" his purchase into Evernham Motorsports will be final by today or Monday at the latest.

Gillett, 67, who has had stakes or complete control of the Harlem Globetrotters, Miami Dolphins and currently the Liverpool Football Club, would not divulge his percentage of ownership, but Ray Evernham has stated in the past it would be a majority. Gillett, whose net worth was estimated at $250-million in 2006. Gillett also owns a series of organic and natural foods companies, ski resorts and car dealerships. The Wisconsin native said he had been interested in acquiring part of a NASCAR team for three years but was seeking the right partner and "we weren't interested in just coming in and bringing money." He found his partner and a jovial friendship with Evernham, 49, who won three championships and 47 races as Jeff Gordon's crew chief, but had struggled recently to field a competitive team as costs skyrocketed.

"We've got some fairly novel ideas that Ray's been developing and we've been developing together," Gillett said. "It's fair to say Ray's primary emphasis and time commitment will be on the racing side."

Evernham has referred to Gillett as a friend and "the cavalry" as he tries to compete with mega teams such as Hendrick Motorsports. Still, he said, this deal was not about bailing out a failing business.

"My partnership with Gillett is not about needing money," Evernham said. "It's about growing this company."

Evernham fields three Cup teams and one in the Busch Series. Kasey Kahne won six of the eighth-year organization's 13 Cup races when he finished eighth in points in 2006. The team hasn't won since and Kahne (28th in points), Elliott Sadler (22nd) and Scott Riggs (23rd) are well out of Chase for the Championship contention.

[Last modified August 2, 2007, 23:52:12]