Ken Schrader has started 660 Cup races in his career. Credit: Autostock

10 Questions: Ken Schrader

DOVER, Del. -- Ken Schrader is one of the most diverse raceaholics in the Nextel Cup garage area, and has been for the better part of the last 30 years.

Schrader is as apt to be wheeling BAM Racing's Dodge, as he is one of his own cars or trucks -- or anything, anywhere else at any time.

During a break in preparation for the MBNA RacePoints 400 at Dover International Speedway, Schrader sat down to answer 10 questions not necessarily related to his racing career.

	Ken Schrader Career stats Series Yrs W T-5 T-10 Cup 22 4 64 182 Busch 14 2 18 39 Truck 10 1 6 25 IROC 2 0 3 5 ALSO •   Ken Schrader Driver Page

1. What's your dream vehicle that you don't already own?

Schrader: Oh, I don't know. I don't have one. You know, I like so many different vehicles I wouldn't say that I had one dream vehicle.

Q: Is there a dream piece of road, maybe -- like the Autobahn -- that you'd like to head down, because you've had a lot of racetracks and a lot of miles driving to 'em?

Schrader: I've made that trip from Charlotte to St. Louis so many times -- when you leave about 5 o'clock in the evening, or 6 o'clock -- and then getting in there, the next morning just running it by myself.

I pretty much enjoy that trip.

2. If time on the road weren't an issue, what would be your ideal pet?

Schrader: We've got a cat. Now, I'm not big, big into pets, you know, but the cat's been fine.

Q: Is that cat a road warrior?

Schrader: No. The cat's old. The cat's 18 years old, I think. She's had a good life, but I'm not big into pets.

3. What's your biggest pet peeve while driving on the road?

Schrader: Just traffic jams -- just traffic jams, oh, I hate 'em.

Q: Are you a route guy, a map guy and you'll try to navigate your way around potential trouble spots -- or jams you know are there?

	Ken Schrader drives for BAM Racing on the Cup circuit. Credit: Autostock
	Inside the Numbers Ken Schrader 2005 Nextel Cup Category No. Starts 28 Wins 0 Top-5 0 Top-10 3 DNF 4 Avg. Start 28.8 Avg. Finish 25.2 Rank 30

Schrader: I'd rather run 50 mile an hour in the wrong direction than sit in traffic.

4. You've had a long career racing a number of different divisions, so what's your worst hotel experience?

Schrader: Aaah, I don't remember the name of it, but it was down in Rockingham (North Carolina). It was bad.

Q: How bad was it?

Schrader: It was bad. My wife wouldn't come for a couple of years and you had to wear your shoes when you got up out of bed.

Q: And you kept going back, so I guess that's a place where there aren't a lot of hotel rooms, maybe?

Schrader: It was before campers.

5. What's your favorite food?

Schrader: Probably dead cow, yeah.

Q: Again, the road can be in your favor, here, so what's your best place for steak on the road?

Schrader: Well, my favorite place to eat is Martin's, down in Flagler (Beach, north of Daytona Beach, Fla.).

6. If you had to choose, would it be being honest, or being nice?

Schrader: I'd go with honest.

Q: You feel like that comes back around better?

Schrader: Yeah, it never gets you in trouble.

7. I remember you telling the story about running a go-kart tied to a pole, but what's your favorite childhood memory?

Schrader: Just riding in the tow truck with daddy. And I got the tow truck, now.

Q: You've restored that whole thing, haven't you?

Schrader: Oh yeah -- it's real nice.

Q: And I have to go back to the go-kart story. Did they chain you to the pole to make you learn precision and consistency, or was it because mom didn't want to be chasing you around the neighborhood?

	In the Craftsman Truck Series, Ken Schrader is in charge of his own ride. Credit: Autostock
	Inside the Numbers Ken Schrader 2005 Craftsman Truck Series Category No. Starts 8 Wins 0 Top-5 0 Top-10 1 DNF 2 Avg. Start 21.4 Avg. Finish 21.4 Rank 31

Schrader: No, it was because I was too little. I couldn't steer, so they tied me up so they didn't have to chase me.

8. What would your dream date be? Where and with whom -- and politically correct is just fine.

Schrader: Yeah, well, my wife and a night at the garage usually work out pretty good.

Q: Is she one that would bring you in something to eat, maybe 7 or 8 o'clock at night?

Schrader: Oh yeah -- or else she'd just eat and then stop by.

9. Racing and pranks seem to go hand in hand, so what's your worst prank, either perpetrated by you, or done to you?

Schrader: I don't know. There have been so many.

Q: Maybe it was one that you witnessed someone carry out against someone else?

Schrader: (Dale) Earnhardt with the sardines was pretty bad. He'd put them under someone's seat with the lid off before the start of the race.

That's not even nice.

Q: You'd like to think that airflow would take care of some of that, but maybe not, eh?

Schrader: No, there's not much air moving around in them things.

10. Finally, what would you consider your "Welcome to NASCAR" moment?

Schrader: Welcome to NASCAR? Hmmm? I'd say when Mr. (Junie) Donlavey hired us. We ran five races (with owner Elmo Langley) the year before and I didn't know what was going to happen (after that).

Q: Was that a case where you contacted Junie and said to him, "I want to do this?"

Schrader: No, Ford had hooked me up with Elmo and then Mr. Donlavey called me up out of the blue.

Q: In terms of owners in this sport, legendary owners and guys who really made this sport what it is, do you feel like Junie holds a spot in that group?

Schrader: Oh yeah. I mean he obviously didn't have the success that some of them had, but he was definitely one of the pioneers.

Q: In terms of all the good things about the sport, is one of the tough things about racing in 2005 that a guy like that, a backyard mechanic or someone trying to do it on his own, would have a hard time getting going into the sport, now?

Schrader: Yeah, but a guy can. You've just got to get "the backing," you know? It just takes a tremendous amount of money and you've just got to come up with the backing.

You don't have to be a big, big operation if you get the backing. But you've got to have the backing.