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NASCAR WCUP: Ken Schradercaught in early crash at Darlington, Prepares for Bristol

22 March 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

Ken Schrader Said...

"It didn't take us long to get caught up in an accident at Darlington. But once the race really got started we dealt with what we had. The guys changed the right front shock, and I was sure there was something wrong with the right rear shock, but we weren't willing to lose a lap in order to change it. I've driven cars without shocks before so I knew I could deal with it. When the race was over I got out and looked at the right side of the car and I was a little surprised because I didn't realize it was that bad. The "M&M's" Team did a great job of getting me to 23rd with that kind of damage."

"Racing at Bristol is a long day no matter where you start, but we definitely want to start from the front. Bristol is a physically demanding race because you don't really get a break from the turns to the straight-aways. We're going so quick that by the time we come off turn two, we're already in turn three. It is a constant traffic jam, be it lapped cars or cars you are racing for positions. The key is starting in the front and getting to the inside groove as early as possible because as soon as the field strings out single file, cars start going a lap down."

Ken Schrader's Stats...

* "M&M's" Racing Team driver Ken Schrader had a solid outing at Bristol Motor Speedway in the fall of 1999. Schrader qualified 13th and then went on to finish 10th, his fifth top 10 of 1999 and 168th of his career.

* The "M&M's" Racing Team qualified in the eighth position in their last outing at Bristol Motor Speedway. It was the team's second top-10 qualifying effort in six starts (ninth in 1997).

* Ken Schrader has 30 starts at the .533-track nestled in the mountains of Tennessee. His best finish came in the spring of 1994 when he took the checkered flag running in the second position. Schrader also had a string of third-place finishes beginning with the fall race in 1991, following that up with consecutive third-place finishes in both the spring and fall events in 1992.

* In 30 starts at the track, Schrader has only started from the backstretch pits nine times. Of those nine starts with a seemingly automatic disadvantage, Schrader has two top-five finishes.

Text provided by Laura McCullars

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