Indianapolis Pre & Post Race Thoughts

KEN SCHRADER:  “Cars are just dumb pieces of metal. 

They’ve all got to fit the same templates.”

 

Ken Schrader, driver of the #21 Little Debbie Ford Fusion, answers a number of questions from his fans about his new crew chief Michael “Fatback” McSwain as well as his test at Indy, the team’s engine program, show cars, and Talladega Nights.

 

How happy are you guys with the car you tested at Indy with?  “I was very happy with it, and it’s not going back.  Fatback wants to take a different one.  Cars are just dumb pieces of metal.  They’ve all got to fit the same templates.  They’ve all got to be the same height.  They’ve all got to be this and that.  And, unless you’ve got a for sure problem with one, you can make another one do the same thing.  We’re going to take our Pocono car to Indy.  Fatback thinks it will be better so we’ll take it.  We’ll put the stuff that we tested with the other car in it and go.”

 

How are things going so far with Fatback (Michael McSwain) as the crew chief?  Is the team more confident than ever that you'll have a good run at Indy and the rest of the year?  “We’ve run one race.  It went well.  There were some changes made.  (David) Hyder made most of the changes from when we had been there the first time.  There definitely not a concern in having Fatback for a crew chief.  His record speaks for itself.  We had an awesome test with Hyder at Indy.  It was a very good test.”

 

How much of an adjustment do you have to make when there is a major personnel change like crew chief? Do you have to spend more time talking getting to know what each of you is trying to say?  “No.  There is a little bit of lingo that is probably different than what you are used to but it’s not like a night and day difference.”

 

Since making a pit stop or not making a pit stop on a yellow depends on last second decisions, who really makes the call. I know with Hyder (scanner chatter) you sometimes decided by what happened on the track. Will Michael now have the final say?   “We’re one race in, but if the crew chief, whoever that might be, tells me to pit and unless there is a reason that I know I need not to, I’m going to do what he tells me.  He is sitting on the box watching the whole race play out.  I’m just driving the car and there is stuff I can’t see.”

 

Does WBR buy the engines run in the 21 car or lease them? How much freedom does a team's engine tuner have when working with a leased engine? Is it you break it, you buy it?  “Our engines are leased, and Yates/Roush supplies an engine tuner to look out after them.  They are leased for so much for the year and whatever happens to them, happens to them.  They are theirs.”

 

 

Wondering if Ken will have the truck at IRP this year?  “No.”

My son and I say the Air Force show car at New Hampshire is a race car.  Are these cars race ready if needed?  “The show cars are not race ready.  They are strictly show cars.  They are cycled down race cars.” 

 

We used to be regulars at St. Charles speedway in the early 80's & always rooted for our hometown boy, Ed Dixon. He's had quite the short track career since then & doesn't appear to be slowing down any. Do you have a favorite Ed Dixon story?  “Not that I can tell.”

Kenny, do you plan to see Talladega Nights?  “Oh, yeah.  I’ll go see it just like everybody else.”

 

 

Ken Schrader Career

Starts 688

Poles 23

Wins 4

Top 5's 64

Top 10's 183

 

Wood Brothers Career

Starts 1255

Poles 119

Wins 97

Top 5's 336

Top 10's 515

 

Schrader  at Indianapolis

Starts 11

Poles 0

Wins 0

Top 5's 6

Top 10's 1

 

Wood Brothers at Indianapolis

Starts 12

Poles 0

Wins 0

Top 5's 0

Top 10's 2

 

 

SCHRADER 14TH AT BRICKYARD; MOVES TO 31ST IN POINTS

It was a good day for Ken Schrader and his Little Debbie Ford Fusion crew at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday.  In fact, it was a good weekend.  Schrader topped the first practice session, ran 12th and 5th (twice) in the other three sessions, qualified 11th for the race and finished 14th.

 

After the race the Wood Brothers Racing driver said, “We weren’t ever real bad, but we’re just fighting front downforce.  We made a lot of adjustments and even though they helped us, they didn’t really do what we wanted.  I wanted more, but I’ve got to say we’re gaining on it.” 

 

Ken told the crew, “We’ve got to find a way to get the front end of these cars to stick, but it feels darn good (to run this good).”

 

A number of teams had tire problems during the course of the event, and NASCAR’S concern over tire problems that manifested themselves during weekend practice sessions became obvious when it ordered a mandatory caution on lap 15 specifically to check tire wear.

 

Schrader was asked about his experience with the tires during the race and responded, “I didn’t notice any big difference.”

 

The team’s set-up adjustments throughout the event were aimed at giving the driver more front grip, and it appeared the Little Debbie Ford was better on longer runs.  So there was a certain amount of frustration when the yellow flag flew less than 20 laps from the end of the race.  At that point Ken was running 15th and had been gaining spots. 

 

When the green flag flew for the final time, Schrader was listed 18th and gained four positions before the checkered flag fell.

 

Jimmie Johnson overcame an early trip to the pits with a blown tire and won the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. Matt Kenseth was second, finishing ahead of Kevin Harvick.

 

Schrader’s qualifying effort Saturday morning put him 11th on the starting grid for the 400.  After his run he told the media, “We wanted more, but also, being realistic, we need a good solid start in this thing. And that’s going to get us solid somewhere. When you get closer to the front, you want to be right there, and we were three-tenths off yesterday and I think that’s about what we are again. So, we’ll just keep digging, worry about racing now.” WHY JUST ONE LAP? “The tires are better the first lap. We’re running so much tape on ’em for less drag and more downforce that the engines can’t go two laps. We knew that’s what everybody was going to do today.” THIS IS THE POCONO CAR AND NOT THE CAR YOU TESTED HERE, CORRECT? “Yeah, but we think that aerodynamically it’s a little better car, got a little better balance to it. Fatback (McSwain, crew chief) wanted to bring it.” IT’S BEEN A GOOD WEEKEND SO FAR… “It’s been good and solid. It’s going to be a good starting spot.”

Johnson continues to lead the point standings over Kenseth and Jeff Burton.  Ken’s 14th place finish at the Brickyard gained him another spot in the points.  He goes into the next event 31st.   

 

The NEXTEL Cup Series will run its second and final road course event of the year this coming weekend at Watkins Glen, New York.  The AMD At The Glen will be televised live on NBC.  Race coverage will begin at 1:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 13, and the green flag is scheduled to wave at 1:35 p.m.  The Motor Racing Network will broadcast the 90-lap race live over its network of radio affiliates.

 

Indianapolis Results

1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Matt Kenseth
3. Kevin Harvick
4. Clint Bowyer
5. Mark Martin
6. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
7. Kyle Busch
8. Tony Stewart
9. Carl Edwards
10. Denny Hamlin

   14.  Ken Schrader

 

Points after Indianapolis

1. Jimmie Johnson                       3124
2. Matt Kenseth                         3017
3. Jeff Burton                  2749
4. Kevin Harvick                        2733
5. Kyle Busch                 2733
6. Mark Martin                           2712
7. Denny Hamlin                         2648
8. Jeff Gordon                            2627
9. Tony Stewart                          2619
10. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.    2612

   31.  Ken Schrader                       1750