Ken Schrader’s passion for motorsports has been well documented throughout his 50+ years of racing. Starting at barely 16, Schrader has made it a lifelong goal to race as often as possible and in as many classes of race cars as possible.
Schrader’s last year as a full schedule team owner was in 2017 via his Concord, North Carolina-based ARCA team. Winning seven of the 20 races during the 2017 season, the team captured the ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards Series National championship! Schrader sold his North Carolina shop and has moved his operation to the St. Louis area Ken’s hometown. Schrader Racing is currently located in Dittmer, MO a small town about 45 minutes from downtown St. Louis.
An icon within the American motorsports’ community, Schrader has driven every kind of race car – late models, modifieds, sports cars, sprint cars, Indy cars and stock cars. His many “roles” in racing include driver, team owner, author, radio and TV commentator, spotter, racetrack promoter, and mentor. Schrader drove at NASCAR’s highest level - the Cup Series for 29 seasons before retiring in 2013 at Miami-Homestead Speedway.
During his 2018 season, Schrader reached yet another career milestone by racing in Alaska. According to his stats, Schrader needs only two more states – Hawaii and Rhode Island – and he will have competed in every state in the United States, something he didn’t set out to do.
As a spokesperson for Federated Auto Parts for 25 consecutive years, Schrader has traveled the United States and Canada, meeting Federated members and customers, speaking at meetings, visiting stores, hosting corporate programs and driving his Federated Auto Parts modified as often as possible. In 2023 he competed in 65 races. His business of racing keeps him in a race car more than 100 days a year. Currently Ken has run 57 races in 2024, and has won 12 of those events!
“Racing has afforded me countless opportunities, representing well-respected brands such as Federated Auto Parts, Hunt Brothers Pizza, Hendrickcars.com and our other marketing partners, making numerous friends and business associates along the way, just to name a few. Family and friends have been a huge part of my career,” continued Schrader. “We have competed against the best in the business and have been able to become friends with many of my heroes. I am enthusiastic and grateful for another season of racing!”