A DOGFIGHT FOR SCHRADER IN THE VALLEY OF THE SUN

After working feverishly all weekend on the No. 21 Motorcraft Ford, Ken Schrader drove a gutsy and determined race in the Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway. After qualifying 34th on Friday, the team had to switch engines on Saturday and started shotgun on the field as the cars took the green flag.

Schrader dealt with a tight handling race car for the first third of the event. Being a COT race, no teams had previously raced on a track this large with this race setup package. Crew chief Ernie Cope kept Schrader in the hunt and the team caught a lucky break, not once, but twice in the opening 100 laps. On lap 36 of the 312 lap race, Schrader narrowly avoided going a lap down as the second caution flag flew for debris. On the next caution flag, Schrader picked up his first “Lucky Dog” pass of the year and was scored the last car on the lead lap in 31st for the lap 103 restart.

Following a lap 148 caution, the crew gambled on a big change to the track bar to keep the race car from bouncing up off the track in the corners. The No. 21 Motorcraft car began to slowly come to life as the laps continued. Crew chief Ernie Cope wasn’t afraid to try for big changes all night long, considering it was a COT race at a track larger than they’d previously seen. Spring rubbers and shock adjustments followed on subsequent pit stops. By lap 235, Schrader reported for the first time all night that the car was turning better.

Fifty laps later, the team caught another huge break when a three-car accident lit up the track in turn four, just a lap shy of when Schrader planned to pit for their final stop of the night in the 312-lap race. Adding to the team’s good fortune was that the cars involved were all involved in the tight points race with the No. 21 Wood Brothers/JTG Team.

Schrader held serve during the final two runs of the night, moving up to the 28th slot at the checkered flag. It was another shining example of teamwork and the fighting spirit that the Wood Brothers/JTG Team brings to the track on a weekly basis.

WHAT THE TEAM HAS TO SAY
Ken Schrader, driver of the No. 21 Motorcraft Ford:
“I don’t normally say this after a race, but I was actually hoping for some more laps there at the end. The first half of this race was just a struggle trying to get the car to turn. This Motorcraft team kept on top of the changes in the pits all night and at the end there, she was driving pretty good.

It’s tough because we just don’t have the track time with this new COT car and it takes these race conditions for us to figure out a lot of this stuff. I think we learned more about these cars in the second half of this race than we have in the first two combined. We’re getting better and we’ll be ready for the others on down the line.”

Ernie Cope, Crew Chief of the No. 21 Motorcraft Ford:
“I don’t know that there was anything left in the toolbox after this race as far as changes go. We kind of threw caution to the wind and went with the big adjustments when we felt it was necessary. We were making some progress there in the second half of the race.

The guys on pit road did a nice job. They did more than just change tires tonight and I’m proud of how they responded.”

FAST & FUN FACTS:
-Ken Schrader drove the No. 21 Motorcraft Ford to a 28th place finish in the Subway Fresh Fit 500 this weekend at Phoenix International Raceway. It was Motorcraft’s second consecutive race as the primary sponsor of the No. 21 car.
-Ken Schrader was the “Lucky Dog” recipient on following a lap 97 caution for debris.
-Jeff Gordon won the Subway Fresh Fit 500, followed by Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth rounded out the top-five finishers.
-Jeff Gordon tied Dale Earnhardt, Sr. with 76 victories counting this Phoenix win.

RACE INFORMATION:
What – Aaron’s 499 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series race
When – Sunday, April 29th, 2007; 2:00 p.m. EDT
Where – Talladega Superspeedway; 188 laps, 500 miles
Network – FOX Television Network; MRN Radio Network