SCHRADER FINISHES 10TH

IN NEXTEL OPEN IN CHARLOTTE

It was a smoky start and a 10th place finish for Ken Schrader and his #21 U.S. Air Force Ford Fusion in the Open event preceding the NEXTEL All Star Challenge at Lowe’s Motor Speedway Saturday night.

Schrader was taken by surprise at the start of the Open event when his car produced a large cloud of smoke at the beginning of the race.  “I didn’t know what it was, but it looked big from where I was at.”

Following a brief discussion with team members and co-owner and engine specialist Len Wood after the race, Schrader said, “We had something in the engine, but they know what it is.  It’s something about when it sits, but it wouldn’t run at the start.  It kept getting better, but at the start is where we lost most of our positions.  Still, I didn’t see where a lot of people passed out there anyway.” 

Schrader qualified sixth after posting only the 17th fastest speed during the single practice session on Friday.

Ken also shared his thoughts on the new paving and the Goodyear tires.  “The track just needs a lot of laps.  It’s gonna be OK and the tires are gonna be fine, but we’ve got to get it to where the second lane gets better.  It’s gonna be fine, but right now there’s too much difference between the bottom lane and the top lane.”

Even though the Open is a sprint event divided into two segments of first 20 laps and then 10, the team did get some insight for next week’s Coca-Cola 600 and Len Wood acknowledged he thought things were looking pretty good for NASCAR’s longest event of the season.

Scott Riggs won the shortest race of the year after leading all but one lap of the Open, and transferred into the Challenge along with Kyle Petty.  Petty received the largest fan vote after Coca-Cola and other Petty Racing sponsors Wells Fargo, Schwan’s and Tire Kingdom promised a minimum contribution of $250,000 to the Victory Junction Gang Camp if Kyle transferred from the Open into the Challenge. 

Two years ago Schrader received the fan vote for the transfer and finished 13th.  Petty was 20th in the Open, but went on to take 8th place money in the Challenge that was won by Jimmie Johnson.  Riggs ended up 10th.

Next week’s Coca-Cola 600 is scheduled to take the green flag at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 28 with live television coverage on FOX beginning at 5:00 p.m.  The race will also be broadcast live over the Performance Racing Network (PRN) of radio affiliates.