NASCAR veteran Ken Schrader has officially filed his ARCA Racing Series entry for the Akona 250 presented by Federated Car Care at Elko Speedway coming Saturday night June 1.
“We went up there last year to watch the ARCA race, and it was killing me that I wasn’t in it,” Schrader said.
“But what a great show. All kinds of green flag racing – really, really good racing. We had a good car last year (with Tom Hessert driving) but we got crashed on the last lap. If our car makes it through Toledo this weekend (May 19), it’ll be the car we’ll take to Elko. If not, we’ll pull another one out of the shop. Either way, I’m definitely racing at Elko, and I’m really looking forward to it.”
With 80-plus races on his 2013 schedule, the 57-year-old Fenton, Missouri veteran driver has already raced in more than 20 races this season, and it’s not even summer yet.
“Been racing the dirt modified quite a bit already.”
In fact, Schrader has already raced his dirt modified at Elko a few years back, when track officials created a dirt surface over the asphalt.
“We raced up there a few years ago, but that was on the dirt. Either way, it’s a great little track. I like it either way.”
The Akona 250 at Elko will mark Schrader’s 62nd career ARCA start.
“It’s going to be a busy year, and a better one too because we have more ARCA races on our schedule this year.”
Schrader is slated to race in four ARCA Racing Series events in 2013 to also include the Menards 200 at Toledo Speedway (May 19), the event at Elko, the Southern Illinois 100 presented by Federated Car Care at the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds (mile-dirt) on Labor Day, September 2, and the Kentuckiana Ford Dealers 200 presented by Federated Car Care at Salem Speedway on September 14.
In addition, Schrader’s season includes 10 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races with team owner Frank Stoddard in the No. 32 FAS Lane Racing Ford, and at least two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events at Eldora Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg for Schrader, who spends most of his time behind the wheel of his Federated Auto Parts modified playing on dirt bullrings across America, coast to coast. But it’s more than just a play in the clay – it’s about crossing the finish line first, which he’s already done, winning twice this season at Volusia Speedway Park and Las Vegas Motor Speedway. And that’s not all. Schrader won on the final night of the UNOH DIRTcar Nationals presented by Summit Racing Equipment at Volusia in February, and was crowned 2013 Speedweeks Gator Champion.
“It felt pretty good,” said Schrader, who became the only driver to win the Gator Championship and the overall points total in the same year. “It’s the second time we won the championship down there; we worked pretty hard at it. It feels awesome.”
During Schrader’s ARCA tenure, which reaches back to 1981, he has 15 career ARCA wins.
“One of the things I really like about ARCA is that it gives me a chance to play with these Cup type cars, and be competitive, and have lots of fun.
“Looking at Elko last year, one of the things I liked about it is that it’s got multiple grooves for a little track, and you can pass on the outside if you need to, which is real helpful on a tight little short-track.
“But it’s more than that; I’m just a really big fan of the ARCA Series, and I really enjoy being part of it. We’re looking forward to running at DuQuoin and Salem later this year too. I’m just a real fan of a series that runs all those different types of places.”
His ARCA triumphs are a stark reminder of his versatile driving skills, with wins at Toledo, the Topeka, Kansas road course, the Indiana State Fairgrounds mile-dirt, the Illinois State Fairgrounds mile-dirt, DuQuoin, the Hagerstown Speedway half-mile dirt, Nashville Superspeedway, and other short tracks at Salem, South Boston Speedway, and Anderson Speedway.
In 60 career ARCA starts, he’s logged 39 top-fives and 47 top-10s overall, with 15 Menards Pole Awards presented by Ansell. Through it all, he’s led an impressive 2,063 laps in 34 races.
Schrader was also the 1999 ARCA Racing Series car owner champion with Bill Baird driving, and a back-to-back car owner winner at Daytona with Mike Wallace and Andy Hillenburg.
His NASCAR career includes four Sprint Cup Series wins at Charlotte, Dover, Talladega, and Atlanta, two wins in the Bud Shootout at Daytona, three poles in the Daytona 500, and eight top-10 Cup championship points finishes.
Prior to his stock car career, Schrader first made a name for himself in USAC where he earned the USAC Silver Crown Series championship in 1982 and the USAC Sprint Car championship in 1983. He has 33 career USAC victories overall in Silver Crown, Sprints and Midgets.
Raceday at Elko starts with ARCA Racing Series practice from 2-2:45 p.m., with final practice following from 3:15-4. Menards Pole Qualifying presented by Ansell starts at 5:30 with the Akona 250 set to take the green flag at 8.
ARCA Racing PR
