SCHRADER LIKES RACING AT ATLANTA –

THE TRACK IS WIDE AND GIVES THE DRIVER OPTIONS

 

Ken Schrader’s fans have been sending questions to him at his web site.  This week the driver of the #21 Wood Brothers Racing NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Ford Fusion replies to some of them.

 

Atlanta – how does it compare to the other tracks like it - Texas and Charlotte for example?  “The racing surface is wider.  I think the track is wider and the groove is wider.  It gives you more options, so it is better.”

 

What is your favorite race track?  “I don’t have a favorite track.  You have to go to all of them, so you might as well like them all.  If you don’t like them you tend to not run as good at that track.  I do like any place that is multi-grooved where we can really race.  Any place you can run two or three wide is fun to race on.  But, I’m looking forward to going to all of them.”

 

How do you feel about racing with the Wood Brothers?  “Going to work for an established team with a lot of history and a lot of factory support increases the energy level.  I told someone the phone call that brought me to this ride was a good phone call to get at 50 years-old.  And they said, that is a good phone call to get any time.  I love doing this and as long as someone is going to pay me, I’m going to stay in it.  I’m not working.  My hobby is racing.  That’s what I do.  We ran over at the dirt track in Las Vegas and finished second.  We ran in Texas a couple weeks ago and finished second.  That’s fun for me.  Last year we ran 112 races.  I don’t know if we’ll beat it this year, but we’ll try.”

 

What kind of racing do you like best?  “You know, I really like my dirt car, but I’m telling you, what is the most fun is getting in the NEXTEL Cup Fusion.  When you have a good day in that thing, and knowing the level of competition it is pretty rewarding.  You are doing the same thing in all of them – you’ve got a steering wheel and two pedals and you are going around in circles as fast as you can, but the Cup Series is the best.”

 

Will the team be running the same chassis they ran last year at all the races?  “We built some new cars, and then we re-bodied some cars for the Ford Fusion.  I do know if they had an awesome chassis they liked from last year I know David (Hyder) and Fatback (Michael McSwain) would have made the decision to re-body it.”

 

Which car do you prefer – the Dodge or the Ford Fusion?  “There is not as much difference between the bodies in NASCAR race car configuration because of some of the common templates.  But, I have to say that from everything I’ve seen of the ’06 Fusion, it would be my car of choice.”

 

Are the handling problems you experienced at Fontana and Vegas going to be an issue with the Fusion and the Wood Brothers?  “No.  We just need to sort this out.  It will be all right.”

 

Some of us think Fontana and Vegas are boring races on television.  Is it as boring to you?  “It is never boring in the race car.  I watched the highlights from Las Vegas when we did the “Inside NEXTEL Cup” show this week, and if two and three-wide racing, four-wide at times and a finish that happened in the last eighth of a mile – there just might be a chance that everybody is spoiled.  I don’t know what else we could give them.”

 

You were working on a Trickle Mustang – did you finish it?  “That is a Trickle and I together project, and it is going to be years in the making.  It has hit somewhat of a standstill right now.”

 

Have you ever raced at Lime Rock, Stafford Springs or the Waterford Speed Bowl?  “I’ve run Waterford in a little play race a couple years ago.  Four or five of us went up, did an autograph session and raced.  And, Lime Rock – the first year the Busch North cars went up there, we won the race.”