Ray Evernham joins Hendrick Companies as consultant

Jeff Gordon fans would love to see him reunited with Ray Evernham

Rick Hendrick isn't the reigning five-time champion owner because he skimps on talent. And now, he's bringing aboard a huge name … but not to do the job many would like to see done right.

As initially rumored at Homestead, Hendrick will be bringing on legendary ex-owner/ex-crew chief Ray Evernham to serve as a consultant for Hendrick Companies. Now, while fans of Jeff Gordon may have visions of the glory days returning — Gordon and Evernham won three titles in four years under Hendrick from 1995 to 1998 — slow down. Stop, in fact. Take a deep breath, and then read the following sentence:

Ray Evernham will not be involved with the racing side of the business. Again, he will NOT be involved with the racing side. Sorry, Rainbow fans.

Per a news release, Evernham's company Ray Evernham Enterprises "will consult on special projects related to Hendrick’s core businesses. In that role, REE’s initial focus will be development of the Hendrick Performance retail brand of high-performance parts, vehicles, products and related services." Yahoo! Sports