UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 - Ken Schrader Notes

Ken Schrader Notes, Quotes: UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400

"'Cookie-cutter' isn't the right term at all"

Ken Schrader and the #49 Schwan's Home Service Dodge head to the 1.5-mile Las Vegas Motor Speedway this week for Sunday's UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400.

Driver of the Schwan's Home Service Dodge, 48-year-old Schrader, is a native of Fenton, Mo., and the busiest driver in major league motorsports, Schrader has raced on virtually every type of speedway in virtually every type of race car, and continues a winning career that has seen him win over $20 million.

The team is owned by Beth Ann and Tony Morgenthau, investors from Coral Gables, Fla. Ms. Morgenthau, whose initials make up the name of the team  BAM Racing  is the only female car owner in motorsports to become involved without prior family connections. General manager Eddie Jones is a veteran of the NASCAR Winston Cup wars, enjoying a championship career as a crew chief, mechanic and team leader. Crew chief Scott Eggleston is one of the few active crew chiefs in the business to have won a Daytona 500. Business manager Gus Larkin is a successful veteran motorsports marketer, and leads the corporate sponsorship activities.

The Schwan Food Company is a privately held manufacturer and marketer of fine frozen foods through its nationwide Schwan's Home Service home-delivery service, its Schwan's Consumer Brands North America retail grocery business, and its Schwan's Food Service Group foodservice unit. Headquartered in Marshall, Minn., Schwan's production and distribution activities in the United States and Europe employ 24,000 people. Among its well-known brands are Schwan's., Tony's., Red Baron., Freschetta., Pagoda., Mrs. Smith's., and Edwards..

The thoughts of Schwan's Home Service Dodge driver Ken Schrader heading into Las Vegas:

"You just have to get excited when you come to Las Vegas. For some it's the shows, others it's the casinos, but for me it's the food. Vegas has every kind of food under the sun and plenty of it. Not many places we go where you have the choice of ten or twelve cuisines not only under one roof, but sometimes in the same 'chow-line'!

"Oh yeah, we race there too. The state-of-the-art facility is one of the finest we have a chance to go to. There seems to be about five or six different race tracks on the grounds which, in my opinion should be mandatory everywhere we go.

"The track itself is the flattest mile and a half on the circuit. That's going to put a premium on handling and tire wear. No need to harp on the 'new' tires, we're all getting the same ones. We've had some decent runs here in the past but there is definitely room for improvement. Hey, maybe the 'Schwan' is just the one to take us to the front. "Here's a term that I guarantee you will hear this week - 'cookie-cutter.' It seems everyone is ready to label three or four tracks that look similar 'cookie-cutter tracks,' as if someone uses a mold to cut these track the same way they use a mold to cut Mrs. Smith's cookies. First of all, even though the design on some of these tracks might be the same, they are different in a lot of ways. How you drive them, how you approach them, how you set up for them . . . all of that is different. Just because something looks the same doesn't always make it the same.

"We've invested a lot into this race. We tested out there, did the whole wind-tunnel deal, everything that we could do to make sure we're ready for this weekend. This Schwan's Home Service Dodge team is feeling confident because we've had very competitive cars in the first two races this year. Unfortunately, we just haven't had the finishes to show for it yet.

"Someone informed me the other day that Las Vegas will be start number 599 for my Cup career. Someone else told me long ago that once you get about 600 races under your belt then you should have this thing figured out. So, it looks like I've got one more chance to learn.

"We're looking forward to seeing what we can do with this Schwan's Home Service Dodge at Las Vegas."