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NASCAR BGN: Schrader hopes to find victory lane as part of his West coast itinerary

22 October 1999

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
CONCORD, N.C. --- Ken Schrader has quite an itinerary heading into the inaugural NASCAR Busch Series race at Phoenix International Raceway on November 6 and the NASCAR Winston Cup race on November 7. His busy itinerary begins with him leaving October 26 for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at California Speedway and ends with him coming back to North Carolina following the NASCAR Winston Cup race at Phoenix on November 7. He hopes part of his itinerary will include a couple of trips to victory lane.

Schrader will drive in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at California Speedway on October 30. From California, Schrader will head to Las Vegas for the SEMA show, an automotive after-market trade show. Schrader's West Coast swing ends in Phoenix with the Busch Series race in the No. 15 Oakwood Homes Chevrolet and the Winston Cup race in the No. 33 Skoal Racing Chevrolet.

Both California Speedway and Phoenix International Raceway hold fond memories for the veteran driver.

Schrader is no stranger to victory lane at the California Speedway where in three starts in the Winston West Series, he has two wins and a runner-up finish.

"I'm looking forward to running a truck at California," said Schrader. "I haven't run a truck race in a while. I'm really looking forward to our West Coast road trip. Hopefully we can make it to victory lane somewhere."

A trip to victory lane for Schrader at Phoenix International Raceway would be a familiar one. He has visited victory lane nine times at the one-mile oval in Phoenix and can boast the most wins there of any other driver in the track's history. Schrader has two Southwest Tour victories, four USAC Midget, and three USAC Silver Crown wins. He claims Phoenix is one of his favorite tracks and hopes to add the inaugural NASCAR Busch Series event to that list, as well as a NASCAR Winston Cup victory.

"I don't typically like flat tracks, but I love Phoenix," said Schrader. "I have raced there in several different divisions and have even won some races, but I am still working on a Winston Cup victory there. Winning the inaugural Busch Series race would be pretty special."

Schrader claimed the pole for the Winston Cup race there last year and in 11 Winston Cup starts at the track, he has two top-five and four top-10 finishes. He has started ninth or better nine times.

Although his schedule is very busy over his 13-day stint on the West Coast, Schrader plans to find some time to visit victory lane. A win at California or Phoenix would make his West Coast road trip quite memorable.

Oakwood Homes Corporation, founded in 1946, is a fully integrated housing company that manufactures, retails, finances and insures factory-built home in a 28-state region stretching from coast to coast. Headquartered in Greensboro, N.C., Oakwood Homes is the largest retailer and the third-largest manufacturer in the industry. Oakwood retails its homes through company-owned and independent locations in 49 states. The company operates nearly 360 sales centers, 24 plants and employs more than 10,000 employees nationwide. Oakwood Homes is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OH.

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