KEN SCHRADER: “Any time the surface sits a little bit, it loses grip and we like that as drivers, so there is nothing wrong with the surface.”
Ken Schrader, driver of the #21 Motorcraft Genuine Parts Ford Fusion answers his fans questions this week concerning racing at home; the track surface at Lowe’s Motor Speedway; qualifying; restarts and his new partnership with Tony Stewart.
What is your favorite part of coming home to Charlotte - Is it the fact that you're so close to your family and friends, the track, or both? “It’s just being home, that’s it, and the schedule. Getting to stay at home.
The race surface at Lowe's has been called into question ever since it was levagated. Where do you think the race surface stands now? “They did a very good job on the surface. There were some concerns that maybe Goodyear could have brought a different tire. Any time the surface sits a little bit, it loses grip and we like that as drivers so there is nothing wrong with the surface.”
I still find myself referring to Lowe's motor speedway as Charlotte. Do you still have that problem? “It’s Charlotte as far as I’m concerned.”
Qualifying - should NASCAR wait for good weather or line cars up by points? “The main thing is the race, and they have ways to do it if qualifying is canceled. I’m sure they’d rather qualify all the time, but they’d rather give us race practice rather than qualifying. Plus, the race that day is the most important, and if weather is a factor on that day sometimes there just isn’t time for qualifying. It’s bad for the three, four, five cars that don’t make the show because of it. But there are no guarantees in this business, and that is just the way it works sometimes.”
If there are no cars down a lap would you prefer single file or 2-wide restarts? “Single file is the way they do it, and it is the way it should be done. If you were ahead of that car you should be restarting ahead of him, not beside him. And, there is more of a chance for accidents on double-file restarts. I prefer single file. I’m not a fan of double file restarts even at some of the dirt tracks and stuff.”
Kenny, I was in the stands at Knoxville last week. During your track interview that you and Tony were doing, I thought that you said Tony was going to be joining you and Dale Jr. in your next new venture (it was a little hard to hear). Is that what you said, and if so, what's the venture? “Tony’s got Eldora and we’ve got Pevely, and Dale, Jr. and Bob Sargent and I last winter purchased Paducah. And, Tony really likes Paducah. He went there and ran three times this year, and he just wanted to be involved and we welcomed him as a fourth partner. We don’t have plans for any more. We sometimes question why we have any to start with.”
Ken Schrader Career |
Starts
698
|
Poles
23 |
Wins
4 |
Top 5's
64 |
Top 10's
184 |
Wood Brothers Career |
Starts
1265 |
Poles
119 |
Wins
97 |
Top 5's
336 |
Top 10's
516 |
Schrader
at Charlotte
|
Starts
45
|
Poles
2 |
Wins
1 |
Top 5's
6 |
Top 10's
13 |
Wood Brothers at Charlotte
|
Starts
91 |
Poles
20 |
Wins
6 |
Top 5's
25 |
Top 10's
40 |
