Photo by Dwight Drum
Web work by Gary Larsen

NASCAR Nextel Cup Teleconference Moments
Time: Late season 2005

Ken Schrader, Driver No. 49 Schwan's Home Service Dodge Charger

"It's just amazing to me."

Ken Schrader is perhaps one of the most seasoned veterans on any oval circuit in motorsports. It's often said of him that he can race any thing, any one, any time. His prodigious schedule includes many short track events in stock cars and sprint cars in addition to his NASCAR NEXTEL Cup fulltime ride. Schrader explained his passion for racing in a recent teleconference.

"I'm going to continue to race just until I can't climb in the window any more," Schrader said. "Or if I can't find anybody to help me get in."

We bring you brief coverage of Schrader and his single team quest in an ever-powerful multi-team scenario that creates special challenges. Schrader is accustomed; indeed, he is immersed in challenges that he welcomes. We will seek more great words from this good guy in the future.

What have been the biggest changes in motorpsorts and NASCAR racing during your long great career?

"Just growth and that's everything - the amount of people at the racetrack, the amount of TV exposure, the number of top-notch, good quality teams. I think one thing that gets overlooked, we can talk about TV or whatever. That's been done a lot, but I think one group of people that are most responsible for growing our sport are the actual sponsors. Every individual sponsor, in the process of that company promoting their own product, they ended up promoting the sport, and I think that's the biggest thing that made it grow or took it to one level. Maybe TV took it from there. It's just amazing to me. When I started in 19 0 something, in St. Louis there was only four or five races you could watch on TV. Now with all the shows that are on TV before and after the races and all the races live, it just amazes me."