Schrader in the 49 in '03

You can paste the story here if you want. :)

I like KS, don't get me wrong...but he's just a stroker. Nice, funny guy and all...but not really a WC competitor.
 
I think everyone tends to like Kenny Schrader......but I would have to agree with you, Paul. He has never been one of the top drivers in NASCAR. Not that he doesn't know how........but, I think he just doesn't put too much into it. He races anything with wheels and it seems quite ok with him whether he wins or loses.......he just loves to race for the fun of it.:)

But, he is a decent racecar driver, so it will be interesting to see how the BAM team does next year.......I bet about the same as last year.
 
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- BAM Racing has announced that Ken Schrader will drive the team's No. 49 Dodge in 2003.


Credit: Autostock
Schrader was left without a ride after being released from the No. 36 Pontiac at the end of the 2002 season, although he had been rumored to be driving for Andy Petree at least for the 2003 Daytona 500. BAM has been without a full-time driver after having six drivers in the car during 2002.

"We're very excited that a driver of Ken Schrader's abilities and experience will join us in 2003," said team owner Beth Ann Morgenthau. "His expertise as a driver and his faith in us as a race team, will combine to make our first-full season as a team a memorable one."

Schrader, 47, is four-time winner with his last victory coming in 1991 at Dover International Speedway. He's made 554 career starts since his rookie of the year campaign with Junie Donlavey in 1985.

"Like a lot of drivers, I've been paying a lot of attention to what Beth Ann and Tony (Morgenthau) have been doing with BAM Racing and the strides they have made," Schrader said. "And, like most drivers, I've been able to see what is going on with this team and cut the truth out of what has been a lot of talk.



Ken Schrader

"Frankly, I like what I see at BAM and I like the direction they are headed. There is a tremendous amount of potential with this race team. They have good people in place and good leadership."

BAM began the 2002 campaign with Shawna Robinson. However, she drove in only seven races before Ron Hornaday, Kevin Lepage, Stuart Kirby, Stacy Compton and Derrike Cope alternately occupied the seat.

"Everything we did and everything we went through in 2002 was to put us in a good position for 2003," Morgenthau said. "We made tremendous strides last year.

"When you take into account that eight weeks before the Daytona 500, we decided we were going to enter it. We came a long way in a short period of time.

"Our goal all along has been to make consistent progress. There have been occasional setbacks along the way but all along, we knew where we wanted to go and knew we had to work hard to get there.

"Ken Schrader is another piece of that puzzle and someone who will help this BAM Racing team reach its goals."
 
can i say desperation to stay in winston cup what a shame...:rolleyes:
 
While like many others, I like Kenny, and he's a born racer, as Paul said, he's just become a stroker and a back marker at best. I just read where Petry is still trying to find a sponsor for the 55 car and that if that happens, Kenny will be in that car.

Kenny is getting old and it's time to move on. The owners are scrambling for new talent and that means some of the old guys are going to have to leave. If you aren't in the top 15 or so, you might have a hard time staying in a good car. Bobby Hamilton is in the same boat and will probably focus his racing in the trucks next year because he can't find a decent ride in a cup car.
 
Originally posted by paul
You can paste the story here if you want. :)

I like KS, don't get me wrong...but he's just a stroker.  Nice, funny guy and all...but not really a WC competitor.
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The same could have been said about Sterling or Bill Elliot 5 years ago...mostly has to do with equipment. Most of these guys out there in crappy rides, such as the 36 and now the 49 in Kenny's case, are stroking it because if they push it they're just going to cause a bunch of wrecks.
 
well i think he can help build this team........he's a good guy...decent driver and just what BAM needs

just wish he could have found a better ride
 
Schrader signs with BAM team for 2003
By JIM UTTER
ThatsRacin.com Writer

Winston Cup veteran Ken Schrader has signed to drive BAM Racing's No. 49 Dodge next season, the team announced Friday.
Schrader drove the past two seasons for MB2 Motorsports. He finished 30th in points in 2002 with no top-10 finishes.

"We're very excited that a driver of Ken Schrader's abilities and experience will join us in 2003," team co-owner Beth Ann Morgenthau said. "His expertise as a driver, and his faith in us as a race team, will combine to make our first full season as a team a memorable one."

Schrader, 47, has 554 career starts, eighth among active drivers. "Frankly, I like what I see at BAM and I like the direction they are headed," he said.

"There is a tremendous amount of potential with this race team," Schrader said. "They have good people in place and good leadership. I'm excited with the future."

BAM Racing began operations as a Winston Cup team just over a year ago. Owned by South Florida investors, the team attempted a partial schedule in 2002 with several drivers.

"Everything we did and everything we went through in 2002 was to put us in a good position for 2003," Morgenthau said. "We made tremendous strides last year. When you take into account that eight weeks before the Daytona 500 we decided we were going to enter it, we came a long way in a short period of time."
 
The Morganthau's need to talk with Felix Sabatas, he learned the hard way that you cant just throw money at it and make it work. Chip came on and brought with him world class organization and talent to straighten up what too much money and not enough knowledge will lead to. When they get a team manager or co-owner that knows what the heck he is doing they will be successful and not until then. Kenny can love to race till his teeth hurt, it wont do him any good till they get the mess cleaned up there with the 49.

I think Kenny is one of the best, the other drivers understand that they HAVE to race him, he is not gonna give them anything and he has a desire to race that is almost beyond comprehension. I hope he does well but I have my doubts, I did not think the #36 was good enough for him and I know this ride is not!

Kel
 
at least we will see the 49 in some races now that they got someone that can qualify
 
I don't care how good Kenny is, that BAM team is not going to start performing well. Kenny should go do trucks full-time as well Hamilton should.
 
If kenny can attract good sponsor money, then maybe the team can afford to hire more good people and start building the team up. maybe not even a top 20 team anytime soon but a team that can start finishing races. as everyone knows if your gonna finish first, first you gotta finish. or in this case maybe 25th.
I wish him alot of luck.
 
Atleast Kenny can tell them HOW to spend the money, instead of them just guessing(asking Shawna how)!! Kenny will have 100 times the success they've had to this point.IMO
 
Instead of being doom and gloom for Kenny, I'm going to wish him all the best. Maybe he can give some stability to the 49 team that they've lacked.

The person I worry about is Andy Petre. Things must look pretty bleak for him and the teams. :(
 
Originally posted by 66mustang
and they will still run like crap.
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Yup, I agree. Damn Kenny. Even Bobby Hamilton knew not to take that ride. He knew it would just be better to go race trucks.
 
A few months ago, I listed on my e-mail group all the older drivers and their ages and asked my friends who would be the first to go. This was during the time Ricky Rudd was whining about the younger guys getting all the attention. Kenny and Bobby are just the first of a long line of drivers that will be forced out of a cup car. Yeah, I know that Kenny will be in the #49 car, but we will have to see how well he performs there with that equipment. It's not going to be guarenteed they will make a race even with Kenny behind the wheel. There are still a lot of 40 plus drivers left, and many of them are still the top drivers. Who will be next? Will any of them lose their ride during the next season or at the end?
 
Kenny said he likes what he sees at BAM, I do as well. From the pictures they have on there site they have a very nice shop and the owners must know how to run a company or eles they would not been able to have the money to buy the team.

I think this is a bad move for kenny, I know he loves to race but I think I would have went with APR and just waited untill a sponcer was found. Or at least in the Contract with BAM say that if a sponsor is found for APR that he could leave.

It will be interesrting to see what Kenny can do in the 49. There goes another ride that Hamilton will not be able to get, a i think that was his last hope. That or the 54 car which is rummored to be Todd or Geoff Bodines ride.
 
Pettybenson.........I wish I could agree with you.:) I think the BAM team is so far out of the league that is is almost funny.........more pathetic than that though. People with a "passion" for NASCAR given a team to "play" with are not going to succeed! I see the BAM team stuggling for a couple more years, then sold or bankrupt and being just one of those teams that used to be. Sorry, that's the way I see it.:(
 
i like kenny.

ZOE, give me and my dad the team for 5 races. and after 2 it would be a winner. GEANATIED

kenny races to race. i think he could be a champ he is just to nice, but i think he still has somemore wins in him :)
 
Lappy, he's been in lots better cars and he hasn't won since '90, so why are you so sure he will win in that piece of crap?
 
what i ment with the driver, crew chif was....

if they got jeff gordon and his crew chife that car would win

i can explane this but i know what i am talking about
 
Originally posted by Lap3Forever
what i ment with the driver, crew chif was....

if they got jeff gordon and his crew chife that car would win  

i can explane this but i know what i am talking about
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Without proper financing, coordination, contractual agreements, and leadership..........even good old Jeffie with his former Crew Chief Ray would not succeed.:(
 
I've always said it was a team thing.........driver, crew, owner, sponsor and luck thrown in to make a winning team. Without even one ingrediate it all falls apart.
 
If they were to put Jeffy in the car with the best CC, he might bring it up from a 30th place car to maybe a top 20, but luck would really have to play a big part.
 
Originally posted by DE Wrangler 2
I've always said it was a team thing.........driver, crew, owner, sponsor and luck thrown in to make a winning team.  Without even one ingrediate it all falls apart.
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Said it all right there. Very bad move on his part. He needs to go to a series where he can have fun again. After all, that is what racing is all about isn't it?
 
Well.'m sue if Schrader had it his way he would of liked a better ride,but there must be some other reason why he took that ride other than just to race in WC. He could probably race full time in Trucks or Busch if he wanted to. Maybe he feels that at this stage in his career if he can get a team like Bam up to some level of respectability, then groom a young driver for it,it would be something rewarding for him. The way i see it if that team can make a decent showing in qualifying for the 500 and maybe land a decent finishing spot, they might secure another top sponsor to help them out. Obviously Kenny knows how to drive and win, if that team makes every race and finshes in the top 30 in 2003 it will be a major accomplishment!
 
Why are so many calling Kenny a great driver? He is at best a journeyman driver who has won 4 races in a cup car since his rookie year in 1985. About the only thing he is a threat to winning is maybe a pole position. Yeah, he can drive the wheels off anything he touches, but that doesn't say much for winning. Just like so many other athletes who are spectacular at lower levels but fail to become stars when they reach the big time, Kenny has never become a genuine Winston Cup star unless you lower the standards for what a star is.

How about Dick Trickle. They say that Richard Petty has more NASCAR wins than anyone, but that's not true. Trickle has many more NASCAR wins than the King, but in the lower tiers of racing. When trying to win in the bigs, Trickle could only muster one win in the Busch series.
 
He is a good driver but just hasn't perforned well in WC. If he couldn't win with Petree, Hendrick or with MBwhatever racing then I have no idea why he is going to BAM racing. Like I said before, he needs to go and have fun, whether it be just racing on dirt or in trucks.
 
If you listen very closely, you can hear Ken Schrader's career screeching to a hault.
 
Originally posted by rpmallen
If you listen very closely, you can hear Ken Schrader's career screeching to a hault.
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Many heard it a few years ago.:(
 
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