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NASCAR WCUP: Schrader loves California, but struggles on the track

25 April 2000

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel
"California Speedway...I love the place. I don't know why because I have always struggled a little at Michigan (California's sister track), but I just love racing there. We haven't always finished that well, but from the very first time I went there I fell in love with the place. Before the very first Winston West race I did a bias-ply tire test for them. Bobby Hamilton was there testing in his Winston Cup car and before we were done, I bolted a set of radials on my Winston West car and went faster than the other cars. I've run all three Winston West races there and I've won twice and finished second once. It is just an awesome track."

Ken Schrader's Stats...

* The No. 36 Pontiac the "M&M's" Racing Team will use at California Speedway is the same car the team ran earlier this year at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The car was extremely strong, although the team got only 144 laps to show its hand before rain caused an early end to the 267 lap race. In the first half of the event, the "M&M's" Racing Team improved 18 positions to finish 16th.

* "M&M's" Racing Team driver Ken Schrader has two top-15 finishes in three starts at California Speedway. Schrader didn't enjoy quite as much success at the inaugural race in 1997, but that same year he started fifth, his best starting position at the two-mile speedway to date.

* Although he hasn't visited victory lane in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series at California Raceway, Schrader has two wins at the track. He won the 1997 and 1998 Winston West events at the track and finished second in 1999. Schrader will once again pilot an entry in NASCAR's West Coast division, this time for Ken Schrader Racing.

* There was no rest for the weary during a break in the Winston Cup schedule. The "M&M's" Racing Team tested at Richmond International Raceway on Wednesday April 19. In addition to Schrader's duties with the "M&M's" Racing Team, he made a swing to the west coast over Easter, running the Winston West race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Text provided by Laura Ehret

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