Michigan (Aug) Preview & Review

 

Ken Schrader, driver of the #21 Little Debbie Ford Fusion, answers his fan’s questions regarding his car at Michigan this weekend, commercials, car prep, his Live strong bracelet, and the I-55 M&M’s Night of Stars

Will you use the same car you tested with at Indy at Michigan?  “It will be the car we ran at Pocono and at Indy – not the car we tested at Indy, but the one we ran there.  The tracks aren’t the same, but we wound up running that car because we had what we thought was a pretty good set up.  They had them both in the tunnel, and they said that was a better car in the tunnel.  We put the same stuff under it that was in the car at the Indy test.  We’ve run it twice now, and it has been good so we’re gonna take that car.”

How many different commercials have you been in during your career?  “I don’t have a clue.  I didn’t keep track.  Not a ton, but I don’t know.”

When your shop is prepping a car for a race and it's on scale's do the guy's ballast to the seat if you are not in it (your body weight)?   “No.  They scale them without the driver because every time the team wants to put the car on the scales the driver is not always there.  And, they’ve got all their notes without the driver so that is what they go off of.  And when the car goes through NASCAR inspection the driver is not in it when it goes on the scale.”

I've noticed for some time that you have been wearing a yellow Live strong bracelet. I was wondering who you were wearing it for. It’s cool to see such a symbol make it across all sports and groups.  “When Bobby Hamilton made his announcement I put it on.”  (Driver Bobby Hamilton announced earlier this season that he is fighting cancer.)

Did you let David (Reutimann) win at the M&M’s Night of Stars?  “David won the first part of the M&M’s night at Pevely and Kenny (Wallace) won the second.  We run second to both of them so we weren’t real bad.  I just couldn’t quite get there.”

 

Ken Schrader Career

Starts 690

Poles 23

Wins 4

Top 5's 64

Top 10's 183

Wood Brothers Career

Starts 1257

Poles 119

Wins 97

Top 5's 336

Top 10's 515

Schrader at Michigan

Starts 44

Poles 2

Wins 0

Top 5's 0

Top 10's 6

Wood Brothers at Michigan

Starts 73

Poles 9

Wins 11

Top 5's 26

Top 10's 37

 

SCHRADER 18TH AT MIS; MOVES UP A PLACE IN POINT STANDINGS  

Ken Schrader’s Little Debbie was good on shorter runs Sunday afternoon at Michigan International Speedway.  When the car came in following the team’s second pit stop Ken moved up 10 places (from 28th to 18th) in 16 laps. 

Schrader found his car was too free for the first few laps, and then it would tighten up just enough to allow him to pass almost at will.  But, the longer the run lasted the tighter the car got, and if it went on too long he would begin to lose spots.

Unfortunately, that is what happened at the end of the race.  The Little Debbie team made its final pit stop on lap 161, and the final restart occurred on lap 163.  Ken was able to maneuver his way up four places and moved into 15th before his Fusion started to tighten up with only 11 laps to go.  Schrader was 18th on the final rundown.

After the race Ken said, “We were too loose at the beginning of a run, and then the car would tighten up.  But, we had good pit stops, and Fatback called a good race so this will help in the point standings.”

However, it was a good point’s day for the Wood Brothers crew.  Ken moved up a spot to 31st.

Schrader qualified 21st.  After his lap he responded to media questions.  PRETTY GOOD FRIDAY, SO FAR? “We’ve had worse. It’s been fun, but we don’t need it to get cooler, but it will. We need to draw a number someday.” THE LAST FEW WEEKS THERE HAS BEEN A MARKED IMPROVEMENT WITH THIS TEAM. IS IT A CASE THAT THE TEAM IS STARTING TO FIND ITS STRIDE? IS IT ANYTHING TO WHICH YOU CAN POINT? “A lot of it goes back to a really good Indianapolis test. A lot of stuff that David Hyder (former crew chief) did up there, and then the switching we did. Fatback (McSwain, new crew chief), he’s been a pleasure to work with so far. It’s been fun. It’s been a big improvement. There’s not any one reason, I think. Our Indy test is the biggest thing.” IS THIS A SPORT WHERE YOU CAN BUILD MOMENTUM FROM WEEK TO WEEK? “Most definitely, if I didn’t hurt us too bad last week at Watkins Glen, yeah.”

Matt Kenseth won the GFS Marketplace 400 out running Jeff Gordon at the end. 

Jimmie Johnson still leads the point standings after 23 events.  Matt Kenseth and Kevin Harvick are still second and third, respectively.  And Ken is now 31st.

The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series goes to Tennessee for the Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway this coming Saturday night, August 26.  The 500-lap event on the .533-mile high-banked short track will be televised live on TNT with coverage beginning at 7:00 p.m.  The Performance Racing Network of radio affiliates will also broadcast the race live.

Michigan Results

1. Matt Kenseth
2. Jeff Gordon
3. Tony Stewart
4. Kasey Kahne
5. Mark Martin
6. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
7. Greg Biffle
8. Reed Sorenson
9. Denny Hamlin
10. Elliott Sadler

   18.  Ken Schrader

 

Points after Michigan                                                    Gain/Loss

1. Jimmie Johnson                  3365                   0           
2. Matt Kenseth                       3307                   0
3. Kevin Harvick                      3048                   0
4. Mark Martin                          2970                   +2
5. Tony Stewart                        2959                   +2
6. Jeff Gordon                          2931                   +3
7. Kyle Busch                           2922                   -2
8. Denny Hamlin                      2920                   0
9. Jeff Burton                            2916                   -5
10. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.            2881                   0

31.         Ken Schrader                    1920                   +1