OVERHEATING PROBLEM KO’S SCHRADER’S VEGAS RUN

Three words from Ken Schrader, driver of the #21 Motorcraft Ford Fusion told the story of the whole day – “That was grim.”

 

It started when the green flag dropped to start the race, and ended with an overheating problem that put Schrader and his team in the garage after only 187 laps of the 267-lap event with a 41st place finish.

 

The car developed numerous handling problems as the afternoon progressed, and despite multiple attempts at finding a solution, it did not respond.  On lap 84 the leader passed the Motorcraft Fusion.  Although he never lost another lap while he was on the track, Ken continued to wrestle the ill-handling car until the final pit stop. 

 

When Ken reported to the crew that the water temperature had risen beyond acceptable levels he came in under a yellow flag so the crew could remove tape from the grille.  That seemed to help for a few laps, but the water temperature rose again, and this time the problem was terminal.

 

When asked for the Ford notes, what put you out, Ken responded:  “Some kind of water leak. I don’t know what caused it. A water pump or something. We lost all the water and melted it down. It had been having a problem from the get-go.”

 

Jimmie Johnson won after leading only one lap all day, but it was the money lap as he slipped past Matt Kenseth at the start/finish line in a green, white, checker finish.  Kenseth had had the dominant car all afternoon, but Johnson proved to be just a little bit better at the right time – just as the pair reached the finish line.  Kyle Busch was third.

 

Johnson leads the points going to Atlanta by 52 points over Kenseth.  Kasey Kahne follows the top two in the standings.

 

The Golden Corral 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway is scheduled to be held on Sunday, March 19.  Television coverage on FOX will begin at 1:00 p.m., and the race will be carried live over the Performance Racing Network of radio affiliates.

 

Las Vegas top-ten

  1. Jimmie Johnson
  2. Matt Kenseth
  3. Kyle Busch
  4. Kasey Kahne
  5. Jeff Gordon
  6. Mark Martin
  7. Jeff Burton
  8. Greg Biffle
  9. Casey Mears
  10. Denny Hamlin

41.     Ken Schrader

 

Points after Las Vegas

  1. Jimmie Johnson         540
  2. Matt Kenseth           488
  3. Kasey Kahne           455
  4. Casey Mears            454
  5. Mark Martin             430
  6. Kyle Busch   403
  7. Clint Bowyer            389
  8. Elliott Sadler             385
  9. Jeff Gordon              374
  10. Jeff Burton    373

26.         Ken Schrader         257