KENNETH "KEN" SCHRADER - 05/29/1955
a second-generation race car driver. As of 2023, he races on local dirt and asphalt tracks around the country after retiring from driving in the NASCAR Cup Series. He occasionally appeared as a television analyst on This Week in NASCAR on the Speed Channel. Schrader is also a reporter for ESPN's NASCAR Now. He is a first cousin once removed of fellow NASCAR driver Carl Edwards. Despite having a full-time NASCAR ride for over twenty years, Schrader frequently races at local tracks between NASCAR races. He races in many racing divisions, and has been successful in any division he has stepped into. He owns a dirt late model and dirt open wheel modified car. Both of these cars, along with his Truck Series and ARCA series cars, are sponsored by Federated Auto Parts. He owns I-55 Raceway in Pevely, Missouri, and is co-owner of Macon Speedway, near Macon, Illinois, along with Kenny Wallace, Tony Stewart, and local Promoter Bob Sargent. Schrader generally races 100 or more races among many types of racing, including NASCAR's national and regional touring series, ARCA, short track, and dirt track. Ken Schrader began his racing career in Missouri. Schrader was the Sportsmen's champ in 1971 at Lake Hill Speedway in Valley Park Mo. He then moved up to sprint cars in 1971, racing in various locations across the Midwest. In 1980 he started racing in USAC's stock car division, and was the series Rookie of the Year. Schrader made his NASCAR debut in 1984 in the Cup series, leasing out the #64 Ford normally
owned/driven by Elmo Langley. He ran his first race at Nashville, qualifying 27th and finishing nineteenth in a 30-car field. In 1985, he signed to drive the #90 Ultra Seal Ford for Junie Donlavey full-time. He had three tenth-place finishes and finished 16th in points, winning Rookie of the Year honors. In 1988, Schrader moved over to the #25 Folgers Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. In his first race, he won the pole for the Daytona 500, beginning a three-year streak in which he won the pole for that race. After failing to qualify for the following race and purchasing
1980 Devils Bowl
1981 Gardena CA
a race car from Buddy Arrington, Schrader won his first career race at the Talladega DieHard 500, and finished fifth in the final standings. He won his second career Cup race the following season at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and finished fifth in the standings again. In 1991, he got his third win at the Motorcraft Quality Parts 500, and his final win to date at Dover International Speedway. In 1997, Schrader was hired to drive the #33 Skoal Bandit Chevrolet Monte Carlo for Andy Petree Racing. He had eight top-tens and won two poles, finishing tenth in the standings. During the 2001 Daytona 500, he was collected in a final-lap crash where Dale Earnhardt lost his life, the image of
Schrader peering into Earnhardt's car, only to jump back and frantically signal for assistance, is etched into the minds of many racing fans; his interview with Jeanne Zelasko during Fox Sports' post race show was the first sign to many that something was terribly wrong with the seven-time Winston Cup Champion, as he appeared visibly shaken and, upon being asked if Earnhardt was okay, stated "I don't know, I'm not a doctor." In 2006, Schrader drove the #21 Little Debbie/Motorcraft/United States Air Force Ford for Wood Brothers Racing. In 2007, he ran a part-time schedule with the Wood Brothers, sharing the ride with rookie Jon Wood. After the team fell out of the
1991 Atlanta win
2000 Martinsville
top-35 in owners points, Bill Elliott became their new driver until the team returned to the top 35. In 2008 Schrader ran 15 CUP races with a best finish of 16th. 2009 Schrader didn't run any CUP races and 2010 only saw Kenny start one event and finished a respectable 18th at Martinsville. Schrader was always good on the short tracks; so many times the rest of his career teams would call upon Ken to drive for them at a short track. Frank Stoddard started a race team in 2011 and needed a driver with some
experience to help his team achieve decent results as they learned and grew. The pair ran seven races that season. Once again Schrader posted his best results at Martinsville; however it was only a 21st and a 22nd. 2013 and 2013 Schrader and Stoddard remained together; but acquiring sponsorship for the young team was an issue. Schrader had a long term relationship with Federated Auto Parts; and they agree to come on board and sponsor the car. The team ran 23 races those two seasons, but results were dismal. The team only posted four finishes inside the top 30 with a best of 27th at Bristol. Schrader hasn't driven in a CUP series race since that time. In fact he has only
2012
2015 ARCA Series DuQuoin
raced three times in any of NASCAR's top three divisions since 2013. One race each year 2014-2016 in the Truck series. since the NASCAR truck series started racing on the dirt in Eldora Schrader annually shows up to race that event and is always competitive. In the three races he has ran he has finished all inside the top twelve with a best finish of fourth in 2014. For his career Schrader has competed in 763 CUP events; claiming the four wins, and
64 top five finishes He has finished in the top five in points on three occasions. He has ran in 116 Xfinity series events garnering two wins and 18 top five finishes. He's ran 105 Truck Series races, garnering a win at Saugus Speedway in California in 2003. He has numerous wins in the USAC stock car and sprint car series, and also many wins in the midget series and championships. Some info from Wikipedia
2005 Cup ride
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