FIFTEENTH AT POCONO MOVES SCHRADER

UP TWO SPOTS IN POINTS

 

It was a smiling Ken Schrader who got out of the #21 U.S. Air Force Ford following his 15th place finish Sunday at Pocono International Raceway.  

 

This was Ken’s first race with Michael “Fatback” McSwain calling the shots from the pit box, and neither knew what to expect.    

 

“At the start we were good,” Schrader said.  “We were just too tight, but that is the characteristic of the cars and the track.  But, it wasn’t bad.  I worked with David (Hyder) the last two years and Fatback is different on the radio.  It was very enjoyable and I thought it went real smooth.  Fatback will keep you pumped up, yells at you when you need to be yelled at and tells you, you are doing good when you’re doing good.  I enjoyed the day a lot.”

 

Does this mean you are looking forward to Indy?  “Yeah.  David and I had a good test up there.  When Fatback and I sat down on Monday, the very first question he asked me do you want to take the Indy car (to Pocono)?  I said, ‘I don’t want to.  If we are in trouble (in the point standings) when we get to Indy, we know that car is good.  Let’s save it.’  And he said, ‘Okay.  We’ll keep rubbing on the Pocono car.’  So, that’s what we brought, but there was a lot of work David had them do to this car after the last Pocono.”

 

The preparation done by both Hyder and Fatback before Sunday’s race was evident.  Ken finished 30th, three laps down at the 2.5 mile tri-oval in June after qualifying 29th and then experiencing a tire and electrical problem early in the race.

 

On Friday after an hour and a half of practice, Schrader’s qualifying lap was good for 18th on the starting grid – three places better than what he had posted in practice.  He went out tenth of the 47 cars that made qualifying runs.

 

After his run Ken said, “The track just cooled down.  I’m guessing that will be 15th.  It’ll be decent, but it won’t be that stellar.”  HOW DID THE CAR HANDLE?  “It was good.  I butchered turn three a little bit, but not real bad.”  WHAT’S YOUR GOAL FOR QUALIFYING?  “We’re looking for a top 15 is what we would be happy with.  Depending on what the sun does we’re gonna be close to there.”

 

As the afternoon went on the track did cool some with the sun periodically disappearing behind a partial cloud cover and temperatures dropping as evening approached.

 

Fog deprived competitors of the additional two scheduled practice sessions on Saturday morning.  And, with a strong storm cell making its way toward the racetrack, NASCAR called off the practices and closed the garage an hour early.

 

Six laps into Sunday’s event Ken radioed the crew that the car needed to be freer from the center of the turns and off.  A little later he reported his Fusion was tight everywhere.  When NASCAR threw a planned competition yellow on lap 20, McSwain ordered the first chassis and air pressure adjustment.  On the next stop tire pressures were adjusted again.  More adjustments followed and the car improved as the race progressed. 

 

When the sixth caution fell, McSwain kept Schrader on the track an extra lap, which he led, giving him an additional five points.  Those added points put him in a tie with Sterling Marlin for 31st in the standings, although Ken is officially listed 32nd on the chart.

 

Rookie driver Denny Hamlin dominated the race and won it from the pole – his second victory of the 2006 season, both at Pocono.   

 

Jimmie Johnson continues to lead the point standings over Matt Kenseth, Jeff Burton, and Kyle Busch. 

 

The NEXTEL Cup Series will take its final weekend off before the end of the season this coming week.  The Allstate 400 at the Brickyard on Sunday, August 6, is the next scheduled event.  NBC will televise the race on the famed 2.5-mile oval live with coverage beginning at 2:00 p.m. EDT.  The radio broadcast will be handled by the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and can be heard over its network of affiliates.

 

Pocono Results

 

Points following Pocono

   32.  Ken Schrader         1629