#49 Team Past News and Rumors
NOTE: many of the links in the past news will be old and may not work
decided it was not worth the time to go thru each one on all the Team Past News pages
2006 News
BAM Racing to return in 2007, Bliss..maybe: Although the Beth-Ann Morgenthau/BAM Racing owned operation haven't confirmed their driver for the #49 whatsonline.com Dodge for 2007, team manager Eddie Jones and current crew chief David Hyder, as well as the primary sponsor, have all been confirmed for the 2007 season. With Mike Wallace, Chris Cook, Kevin Lepage and Mike Bliss all spending time behind the wheel of the #49 Dodge during the course of the year following Brent Sherman's departure, consistency was a major problem for the team in 2006 and it was no surprise to see the team finish 40th in the final team standings having failed to qualify for eleven of the 36 races.(in part from Crash.net)(11-25-2006)
Bliss in the #49, Lepage out..starting at Talladega: BAM Racing announced that former Truck Series Champion Mike Bliss as driver of the #49 Dodge for the remainder of the 2006 season beginning this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway [replacing Kevin Lepage]. Bliss joins BAM Racing in light of the recent restructuring efforts of the team. Recently, David Hyder returned to the team as crew chief and WhatsOnline.com joined BAM Racing as a repeat primary sponsor for 2006 and 2007. “I’m excited to have this opportunity with BAM Racing and to return to racing in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series,” commented Bliss. “This team is making great strides in preparing for the 2007 season and I am happy to be part of the process. As one of the few single-car teams, the challenges we face are greater than those of multi-car teams but so are the rewards. I look forward to being a part of the team that is being assembled by BAM Racing.” Bliss will be making his first Nextel Cup Series start of the 2006 season this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. He has four starts at the track with an average starting position of 28.0 and average finish of 25.2 at the 2.66-mile tri-oval with one top-10 finish. “We are pleased to have Mike Bliss behind the wheel of the BAM Racing Dodge,” said team co-owner Beth Ann Morgenthau. “Our team has been in a restructuring period for weeks now. As we look to the future, we feel that Mike has the determination and enthusiasm it takes to be successful. The final races of this season are important building blocks for us and Mike will be an integral part of our continued reorganization.”(BAM Racing site), nothing heard about Kevin Lepage's plans.(10-3-2006)
New Sponsor for the #49, starting at Dover: BAM Racing announced that WhatsOnline.com, a subsidiary of Abble Media, as primary sponsor of the #49 Dodge starting this weekend at Dover International Speedway. The first peek anyone will get of WhatsOnline.com will on Sunday afternoon. Abble Media has timed the "sneak peek" launch of WhatsOnline.com to coincide with the website's primary sponsorship of the #49 BAM Racing Dodge driven by Kevin Lepage this weekend in the Dover 400. In light of the recent personnel changes taking place at BAM Racing, the addition of WhatsOnline.com as a repeat primary sponsor in 2006 and 2007 is an additional step in the reorganization process for the team. The full-featured official launch of WhatsOnline.com is expected in mid-October.(BAM Racing PR-pdf)(9-20-2006)
Hyder returns to #49 BAM Racing, other crew changes: BAM Racing announced the return of David Hyder as crew chief of the #49 BAM Racing Dodge driven by Kevin Lepage. Hyder, a High Point, N.C. native, joined BAM Racing in October of 2004 as
crew chief for Ken Schrader leading the team throughout the 2005 season. In 2006, Hyder joined Schrader at Wood Brothers Racing but now returns to build upon an impressive record with BAM Racing. In a total of 43 races with BAM Racing, Hyder captured three top-10, six top-15 and 11 top-20 finishes. In addition, he secured one top-10, five top-15 and seven top-20 starts during his tenure with the team. "I welcome the opportunity to effect change as a crew chief," said Hyder. "I have respect for this team and I enjoy working with this organization. We have a history of success together and I feel very fortunate to have the chance to build upon that record. The team that is being assembled is the right group to build a strong foundation for the 2007 season." With the #49 team currently outside of the top-35 in the owner points standings, Hyder returns with a wealth of knowledge and experience. Under his direction, the #49 team finished 33rd in the owner points standings in 2004 and 31st in 2005. Joining Hyder in the transition is Dean Johnson who originally joined BAM Racing alongside Hyder in 2004 as shock specialist. Johnson will now serve as chassis specialist. The team is pleased to bring back together this proven successful combination. Also, Louis Duncan, racing aerodynamics pioneer and former director of the RAD program - a research consortium for then team owners Richard Childress, Andy Petree and Dale Earnhardt - of the late 1990s, is lending his expertise to BAM Racing by way of Arrington Engines.(BAM Racing PR)(9-6-2006)
RoadLoans back on the #49 car: BAM Racing announced that RoadLoans.com will return to the #49 Dodge for two NASCAR Nextel Cup events this season. The #49 RoadLoans Dodge Charger will hit the track this weekend at Richmond International Raceway with veteran driver Kevin Lepage and at Texas Motor Speedway in November. Also adorning the hood of the BAM Racing Dodge with RoadLoans this weekend is CarMax, one of its strategic partners. With its headquarters in Richmond, Va., CarMax is the nation's largest retailer of used cars. For more information, visit www.roadloans.com.(BAM Racing PR)(9-6-2006)
LoansDepot.com Sponsoring BAM: LoansDepot.com joins the BAM Racing family of sponsors this weekend as the primary sponsor on the #49 Dodge for the Sony HD 500. LoansDepot.com connects consumers to a network of lenders nationwide competing for their loan.(BAM PR)(8-29-2006)
#49 team hopes to team up with another team: #49 BAM Racing driver Kevin Lepage said he expects his team will announce an arrangement with at least one and perhaps several teams for pooling information, sharing test results and comparing notes.
It’s not a new idea, but perhaps it’s one that has become better developed. Lepage said he hopes his team, owned by Beth Ann Morgenthau, can put together a workable arrangement where past attempts have fallen shy of expectations.(Gaston Gazette)(7-23-2006)
Cook to drive the #49 at Infineon: Chris Cook, a veteran racer and driving instructor, will drive the #49 DSI Dodge Charger for BAM Racing this weekend in the Dodge/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway. The 34-year-old Cook, who owns the Shift Into Gear driving school, has tutored numerous NASCAR teams and drivers including Robert Yates Racing and Nextel Cup Champion Tony Stewart. As a driving instructor, he was the youngest chief instructor in the history of the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving in Phoenix, AZ. Cook's prior NASCAR Nextel Cup Series start came at Infineon Raceway in 2005 behind the wheel of the #87 Chevy owned by Joe Nemechek. He qualified for, and ultimately finished the race, in the 28th position.(BAM Racing PR)(6-21-2006)
New BAM crew chief; Lepage hopes to sign thru 2007: Greg Conner has replaced Ron Otto as crew chief for BAM Racing's #49 Dodge. Conner came to BAM with driver Kevin Lepage earlier this month after both started the year with the No. 61 Peak Performance team, which was sold to Front Row Motorsports. Lepage replaced driver Brent Sherman. "When I came to this deal, that was part of the deal to bring him along just to have the transition of what the driver feels and if he says this, what it means and how to adjust the car," Lepage said. "Now that he has taken over the full-time deal, I think it's going to make this program stronger, quicker."
Lepage, who joined the team for the Richmond race, said he expects to sign a contract soon that will keep him at BAM through the 2007 season. "We're still talking. This looks like where I'm going to be through this year and next year," he said. "Do I have contract signed, sealed and delivered? No. But we've been talking and everything is leaning toward it is going to happen. Right now, all I want to do is run good and get this race team back up where it needs to be."(SceneDaily.com)(5-25-2006)
Lepage in #49 BAM Dodge with State Water Heaters: BAM Racing is pleased to welcome driver Kevin Lepage and primary sponsor State Water Heaters to the #49 team for the upcoming race weekends at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte. Lepage will pilot the #49 State Water Heaters Dodge Charger in the upcoming Nextel Open/Nextel All-Star Challenge event as well as in the
Coca-Cola 600 over the Memorial Day weekend. Lepage has one prior start with BAM Racing this season which came at Darlington Raceway. BAM Racing expects to have an announcement regarding its plans for the remainder of the 2006 season in the near future, possibly as early as the upcoming race weekend at Dover.(BAM Racing PR)(5-18-2006)
#49 gets sponsor for Darlington, Lepage in for LMS races also: Kevin Lepage will drive the #49 Bam Racing Dodge with sponsorship from Freightliner for Saturday's Dodge Charger 500 at Darlington Raceway, according to a team spokesman. Lepage will be the fourth driver this season for the team, which has struggled this year with Brent Sherman behind the wheel for most races. Lepage will also drive for BAM in the Nextel Open and the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte later this month.(SceneDaily.com)(5-11-2006)
Driver Changes UPDATE: Chad Chaffin goes from #34 to #61 [both Front Row Motorsports cars]; Kevin Lepage moved from #61 [Front Row Motorsports/Peak Performance] to #49 BAM Racing Dodge; Chad Blount replaces Chaffin in #34 Front Row Motorsports car, Blount had been on the team's #92 entry, which ceased operations. See the updated entry list at Jayski's Darlington Entry List Page.(5-9-2006)
UPDATE: Kevin Lepage and crew cheif Greg Conner have left Front Row Motorsports #61 team and are now with #49 BAM Racing. Chad Chaffin will now be in the #61 Ford and Chad Blount will take over the #34 Chevy's. Mike Steurer and Teddy Brown are now working on the #34 team.(PR-FRMF)(5-9-2006)
Changes at the #49 team? UPDATE Wallace at RIR UPDATE 2 Sherman gone?: rookie driver Brent Sherman, who drives the #49 BAM Racing Dodge, tested the car Tuesday at Lowe's Motor Speedway, but Kevin Lepage, who usually driver the #61 Ford [which was not on the speed charts Tuesday], tested the #49 in the evening session. Supposedly there could be another driver in the #49 as soon as Richmond, may be a part-time thing.
UPDATE: Mike Wallace is now listed as the driver of the #49 Dodge at Richmond per nascar.com's entry list.(5-3-2006)
UPDATE 2: supposedly Sherman has left the team after testing the first session at Lowe's Motor Speedway on Tuesday. No word on his plans, if Serta will stay as a sponsor, but this week the #49 Dodge has Fire Dex as the sponsor of the car Mike Wallace will race at Richmond.(5-5-2006)
Spencer to drive the #49: Jimmy Spencer will drive the #49 Dodge Charger for BAM Racing at Martinsville Speedway this weekend. Spencer will join BAM Racing as an advisor for the team and mentor for rookie driver Brent Sherman. Spencer may run several additional races with BAM Racing this season, either in the #49 Dodge or another car. “I enjoy working with young drivers as they progress through the ranks of NASCAR,” said Spencer. “Brent has the determination and support it takes to compete at this level. I hope to be able to help him make a successful transition to the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series.”
“The team has made this decision due to the fact that NASCAR will not allow rookie drivers any test sessions at Martinsville,” commented team general manager Eddie Jones. “Brent has never been to Martinsville before and our hope is that Jimmy will be able to provide him with the guidance it takes to compete at short tracks.”
“I believe the team is being fair in its decision for this weekend,” said Sherman. “Although I am not currently in a championship race, the team is in a points race. I always welcome opportunities that are presented to me, and to work with a veteran like Jimmy Spencer is a great opportunity. I hope that this decision will not only benefit me, but the team as well.” Sherman will return to driving duties for the #49 Dodge Charger for the upcoming race at Texas Motor Speedway.(BAM Racing PR)(3-28-2006)
Congrats: Congratulations to Brent and Kathleen Sherman who welcomed their son, Brent Cooper Sherman, on March 21, 2006. Baby Cooper weighs eight pounds, five ounces and is 20.5 inches long. Both mom and baby are doing well.(3-22-2006)
BAM Racing gets assoc. sponsors: Fire-Dex, Inc. is proud to announce its associate sponsorship of BAM Racing, the NASCAR Nextel Cup team, their #49 Dodge Charger, and driver Brent Sherman. Fire-Dex will run a season-long associate sponsorship throughout 2006, while also being a featured sponsor on the car’s deck lid for 5 races. The Fire-Dex patch will appear on the driver’s left arm, as well as the left arm of the pit members. Two of the BAM Racing pit crew members will also wear Fire-Dex hoods. Fire-Dex will be hosting Brent for autograph signings at the largest fire service trade show: the Fire Department Instructors Conference (FDIC) in Indianapolis, IN, and will have the car in their booth at both FDIC and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) Show in Dallas, TX.(G&G Marketing)
AND American Liberty Mortgage will be a sponsor of the #49 BAM Racing Dodge of rookie driver Brent Sherman in the the Nextel Cup Series. With every online loan application or an application called into their office mentioning Nascar enters fans into quarterly drawings for NASCAR race tickets with VIP garage access included to the race of the fans choice in 2006. More info at americanlibertymortgage.com.(2-14-2006)
Schwan's to #45? UPDATE: hearing that Schwan's Home Service, who sponsored the #49 BAM Racing Dodge in 2004-2005 with Ken Schrader, could be heading to Petty Enterprises to be the primary sponsor for Kyle Petty on the #45 Dodge for 10-12 races in 2006. Wells Fargo already announced they would run 12 races as primary. Also there is a rumor floating around, but unable to confirm it at all, the new Coca-Cola soft drink, Vault could sponsor Petty in some fashion.(1-24-2006)
UPDATE: Schwan’s Home Service, Inc., a business unit of The Schwan Food Company, has announced its sponsorship of the #45 stock car owned by Petty Enterprises for the 2006 Nextel Cup season. “Everyone at The Schwan Food Company is thrilled to join the Petty racing team for the 2006 season. The team operates under the same values that are important to Schwan,” said Bill McCormack, executive vice president of administration and company spokesperson. The #45 car, driven by NASCAR veteran Kyle Petty, will carry the Schwan’s Home Service yellow-and-blue paint scheme for four races, which will be announced at a later date. Home Service will provide an associate sponsorship for the remaining races. “I’ve raced off and on against a Schwan sponsored car since 1985 and am really excited to finally be able to have them on my team,” said Petty, Petty Enterprises CEO (and #45 team driver). “The best part of this deal is my guys won’t have as far to go to get the great Schwan’s ice cream at the track. They are already clearing space on the transporter to haul the ice cream cooler.”(GoMarshall), Schwan's was the primary sponsor of the #49 BAM Racing Dodge the past two years.(2-8-2006)
2005 News
New #49 Crew Chief: Ron Otto has been named crew chief for the #49 BAM Racing Dodge of rookie driver Brent Sherman. Otto was promoted from car chief. "We are very excited that Ron Otto will be leading our race team in 2006, and working with Brent Sherman," said Beth Ann Morgenthau, who owns BAM Racing along with her husband, Tony. "Brent's potential as a driver and Ron's experience in working with rookie drivers, not to mention his talents and skills mechanically and as an organizational leader, will lead to a great year for our race team," Ms. Morgenthau said. The 41-year-old Otto is a native of Gahanna, Ohio, just outside of Columbus, but
has been working in NASCAR racing since he began has a fabricator for Bobby Dotter. Otto is a former car chief for Richard Childress Racing, where he worked with Dale Earnhardt, and has worked with Terry Labonte and Mike Skinner in the past. As crew chief for the startup of Tommy Baldwin Racing in the 2004 Busch Series, Otto began a team with just four people, competed with seven different drivers - including two rookies who had never been in a Busch car - in a single season. "Yeah, that was an experience," Otto laughed, "but one that could help in working with Brent this year. If nothing else, I have an idea of what to expect and areas where I can be the most help. All indications are he has a tremendous amount of potential, and I like the fact he wants to race hard. This is a great opportunity for me and I really appreciate Beth Ann, Tony and (General Manager) Eddie Jones having the faith in me to do this," he continued. "I've watched this team grow and improve over the years, and I know they are solid and headed in the right direction. I know I am not the only one here looking forward to a really bright future." Otto is engaged to Renee Sanders, and has two sons, R.J. and Kacey.(Williams Company), no word on former crew chief David Hyder plans or if he is still with BAM Racing.(12-7-2005)
Dale Jr. to buy track with Schrader? UPDATE Official: A Kenny Schrader/Dale Earnhardt Junior owned Paducah Raceway would certainly focus a lot of attention on the area racing scene. Not only for PIR, but for Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway as well. Both run dirt track races and would be in direct competition. Eddie Jarvis, Tony Stewart's manager, says Kenny Schrader approached Stewart to purchase the Raceway. Stewart declined and Dale Earnhardt Jr. expressed interest. "Dale Jr went out this morning before he left town. Hopefully he'll own something around here and that he'll have a chance to come back to Paducah quite a bit," Jarvis said.(News Channel 6)(10-7-2005)
UPDATE: Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and Ken Schrader along with well known Midwestern promoter Bob Sargent are now the proud owners of Paducah International Raceway. The trio recently finalized their purchase of the popular McCracken County, KY, venue that boasts a 3/8-mile high-banked clay oval, 1/5-mile race track and a Motocross/TT run with grandstands that accommodate 5,000 spectators. In addition to PIR, Schrader is the co-owner of another dirt track - I-55 Raceway in Pevely, MO. Located off of I-24 in Paducah, the track hosts the most popular touring sanctions from the AMA motorcycles to various 700+ horsepower super late model series. Paducah International Raceway will also host prominent special events including the Tri-Track Challenge, U.M.P. Summernationals and the track's annual banner event - "The Wayne Coakley/Bob Memmer Memorial 'World 50'". Racing action will take place at PIR every Friday night during a seven-month season from March through September and will feature U.M.P. Super Late Models, U.M.P. Modifieds, Crate Late Models and Pure Street Stocks. Additional divisions including quads, 4-cylinder hornets and mini-sprints will also compete on a limited schedule.(Paducah International Raceway site)(11-28-2005)
Sherman to the #49? UPDATE 2 OFFICIAL: hearing Busch Series driver Brent Sherman could be headed to the #49 BAM Racing Dodge with Serta as the sponsor.(11-4-2005)
UPDATE: Brent Sherman is expected to take over as driver of BAM Racing's #49 with Schwann's and Serta sharing sponsorship. Sherman, 31, currently drives the #10 Ford for ppc Racing in the Busch Series and has 25 career Busch starts. His best finish was ninth in the spring at Talladega.(Sporting News)(11-7-2005)
UPDATE 2: Brent Sherman, the talented rookie driver from the Chicago metro area, will drive the #49 Dodge for BAM Racing beginning with the 2006 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season. Car owner Beth Ann Morgenthau made the announcement today. Runnerup only to the legendary Frank Kimmel for the 2004 ARCA championship, Sherman exhibited the consistency necessary for success in the major leagues of stock car racing. That came after his first full season in ARCA, when Sherman finished fourth in the final national standings. This past season, he has competed in 25 NASCAR Busch Series events with a pair of different teams. The 31-year-old Sherman is a native of North Barrington, Ill., on the northwest side of Chicago. Unlike many of those who will be running for Rookie of the Year in NASCAR's Nextel Cup Series next season, Sherman has never started a race in the series. BAM Racing, completing just its fourth year of operation, is owned by the Morgenthaus, 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 Nextel Cup wars, enjoying a championship career as a crew chief, mechanic and team leader. Crew chief David Hyder has over 20 years of racing experience both driving and as a chief mechanic. Car chief Ron Otto is a former crew chief with years of successful experience in major league stock car racing.(Williams Company)(11-16-2005)
Red Baron's back on the #49: Kenny Schrader will drive a #49 BAM Racing Dodge emblazoned with the Red Baron frozen pizza colors this week at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Red Baron frozen pizza products are distributed under the Schwan's Consumer Brands North America banner, which also markets other leading frozen-food retail brands that include Tony's and Freschetta frozen pizzas, Pagoda Asian specialties, and Larry's potato side-dishes. Schwan's Consumer Brands is a division of The Schwan Food Company, whose Schwan's Home Service business unit sponsors Schrader and the #49 BAM Dodge throughout the remainder of the season. “We’ve got Red Baron back on the car this week and I know I’ve told this story before, but it means a lot to me. Red Baron was one of my first sponsors ever in the Cup series and we’ve always had a great relationship. Since the day of my first go around with Red Baron back in 1986, they have always kept my Mom’s freezer stocked with two Red Baron Frozen Pizzas... always! That’s really all you need to know about how I feel and what Red Baron has meant to me during my career", said Schrader.(Williams Company)(11-15-2005)
Schrader wins #15 at Phoenix: NASCAR veteran #49-Ken Schrader, the all-time, all-division leader in victories at Phoenix International Raceway, won the Southwest Series Arizona Lottery 125 Thursday night for his 15th checkered flag at the track. Said Schrader: "I'd trade them all for one Cup win. . . . Nah, I wouldn't."(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)(11-11-2005)
BAM Uncertain of 2006 driver: #49 BAM Racing co-owners Beth Ann and Tony Morgenthau are uncertain who will drive the #49 Dodge next season after several major teams' negotiations intensified. BAM Racing co-owners Beth Ann and Tony Morgenthau are unwittingly in a high-stakes game of musical Nextel Cup drivers. The couple isn't sure if veteran Ken Schrader still will be sitting in the cockpit of their #49 Dodge, as he has for three seasons, or if he will be taking over Ricky Rudd's #21 Ford ride for the legendary Wood Brothers. "We're going to let the Wood Brothers say it," Beth Ann Morgenthau said Monday. "We're not going to say anything. [Schrader] popped it on us.'' The Morgenthaus are two seasons into a three-year deal with primary sponsor Schwan's. The 50-year-old Schrader said in February he planned to end his Cup career when that deal ended in 2007. The team publicists were considering a farewell tour called: ``Schrader's Schwan Song.''(Miami Herald)(11-1-2005)
Blaney Looking: Dave Blaney, current driver of the #07 Jack Daniel's Chevy, reported he had no change in the prospects in picking up a ride for next season. He did say he would consider going back to Bill Davis Racing to take over the #22 next season as replacement for released Scott Wimmer.(High Point Enterprise)(10-29-2005)
UPDATE - Blaney to the #49? Dave Blaney is under consideration for the #49 ride with Beth Ann Morgenthau [BAM Racing], replacing Ken Schrader, who is headed to the #21 Wood brothers. Blaney and the Morgenthaus have been talking since July, according to sources.(Winston Salem Journal)(10-31-2005)
So..who would drive the #49 in 2006 if Schrader leaves? have heard there are a few candidates to drive the #49 BAM Racing Dodge: Mike Bliss, Dave Blaney and the latest is Larry Foyt, who just announced he was starting a new Busch Series team. Foyt made some attempts in a 2nd BAM Racing Dodge last year. And what ever happened to Klaus Graf BAM Racing plans? no idea, but he recently won the 2005 Trans-Am Championship. As for the sponsor Schwans Home Service/Red Baron's Pizza, have heard they are staying on the #49 car and have heard they could leave the #49 end up on the #21 in some capacity IF Ken Schrader goes to the #21 Wood Brother's Racing Ford in 2006.(10-26-2005)
Rudd to retire? Schrader to the #21 for 2006? UPDATE 4? one scenerio I am hearing is that Ricky Rudd, driver of the #21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford, could retire at the end of 2005 with no fanfare. John Andretti would drive the #21 for a year, with Jon Wood staying in the #47 Busch Series Ford and moving up to Cup in 2007.(10-9-2005)
UPDATE: now hearing Ken Schrader, driver of the #49 Schwan's Home Service, could replace Rudd in the #21, 'if' Rudd does retire, and possibly may bring the sponsor along with him. BAM Racing and Schrader have said in the past that they expected to be together in 2006 and Schrader said it was his last full-time season in 2006.(10-11-2005)
UPDATE 2; RacingOne reports: Ken Schrader will run one more full NEXTEL Cup season in 2006 for BAM Motorsports. Schrader will shift to the Craftsman Truck Series in 2007 joining Mark Martin as two more former NEXTEL Cup regulars finding homes on the truck circuit.(RacingOne)(10-12-2005)
UPDATE 3: been told that Andretti in not a candidate for the #21 ride.(10-13-2005)
UPDATE 4: seems most reports have Rudd going to the #42 ride or retiring, been told Schrader to the #21 is a done deal and will be announced soon.(10-24-2005)
AND as for Schwan's, have heard two things....that they stay with the #49 BAM team OR that they go with Schrader to the #21 in some capacity. Who would drive the #49? hve heard Mike Bliss is a candiate as is Dave Blaney, both are also up for the #43 Petty Dodge also.(10-25-2005)
Dale Jr. to buy track with Schrader? A Kenny Schrader/Dale Earnhardt Junior owned Paducah Raceway would certainly focus a lot of attention on the area racing scene. Not only for PIR, but for Kentucky Lake Motor Speedway as well. Both run dirt track races and would be in direct competition. Eddie Jarvis, Tony Stewart's manager, says Kenny Schrader approached Stewart to purchase the Raceway. Stewart declined and Dale Earnhardt Jr. expressed interest. "Dale Jr went out this morning before he left town. Hopefully he'll own something around here and that he'll have a chance to come back to Paducah quite a bit," Jarvis said.(News Channel 6)(10-7-2005)
Red Barons back at Dover: Ken Schrader will be driving the #49 Dodge emblazoned with the Red Baron frozen pizza colors this week at the Dover International Speedway, for Sunday’s MBNA Race Points 400. Red Baron frozen pizza products are distributed under the Schwan's Consumer Brands North America banner, which also markets other leading frozen-food retail brands that include Tony's and Freschetta frozen pizzas, Pagoda Asian specialties, and Larry's potato side-dishes. Schwan's Consumer Brands is a division of The Schwan Food Company, whose Schwan's Home Service business unit sponsors Schrader and the #49 BAM Dodge throughout the remainder of the season.(Williams Company), Schrader also ran this cool looking scheme at Atlanta in March, the Nextel Open, Indy and California a few weeks ago, see an image of the scheme on my #49 Team Schemes page.(9-20-2005)
#49 Team/Driver docked points and fined UPDATE 2 appeal denied: NASCAR announced today that three penalties have been issued to the #49 Dodge team in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series as a result of rules infractions last weekend at Michigan. The penalties were issued because of a roof height that was too low, a violation of Section 12-4-A (Actions detrimental to stock car racing), and Section 12-4-Q (car, parts, components and/or equipment used in the Event do not conform to NASCAR rules) of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series rule book. This infraction was discovered during post-race inspection. Ken Schrader, driver of the #49, was penalized with the loss of 25 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series driver championship points. Car owner Beth Ann Morgenthau was penalized with the loss of 25 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series owner championship points. Crew chief David Hyder was fined $25,000 and placed on probation until Dec. 31.(NASCAR)(8-24-2005)
UPDATE: #49 BAM Racing is appealing its penalty from last week's race at Michigan. NASCAR fined the team points and money for failing the minimum height requirement. The team blames a broken shock absorber.(Daily Record)(8-27-2005)
UPDATE 2 - Denied: The National Stock Car Racing Commission denied the appeal from #49 BAM Racing. Ken Schrader and the team were penalized 25 points each and crew chief Larry Hyder was fined $25,000 after the car failed the minimum height requirement at Michigan last month.(Roanoke Times)(9-10-2005)
Red Barons for KS this week: Ken Schrader and the #49 Red Baron Frozen Pizza Dodge return this week to the two-mile California Speedway. Driving a car emblazoned with the Red Baron frozen pizza colors this week. Red Baron frozen pizza products are distributed under the Schwan's Consumer Brands North America banner, which also markets other leading frozen-food retail brands that include Tony's and Freschetta frozen pizzas, Pagoda Asian specialties, and Larry's potato side-dishes. Schwan's Consumer Brands is a division of The Schwan Food Company, whose Schwan's Home Service business unit sponsors Schrader and the #49 BAM Dodge throughout the remainder of the season.(Williams Company), see images of the scheme on my #49 Team Schemes page.(8-30-2005)
Schrader on Wind Tunnel: Ken Schrader, driver of the #49 Schwans Dodge in Nextel Cup, will be Wind Tunnel’s guest co-host this Sunday August 28th. From USAC champion to NASCAR winner, Schrader has spent a career racing all kinds of cars. Currently in his 21st season in NASCAR’s top division, he looks forward to retirement from the series so he can dedicate more time to having fun. Fun for Schrader is going back to his racing roots on dirt. We’ll talk with Ken about his lengthy NASCAR career, his thoughts on NASCAR’s growth, and his plans for the future. Wind Tunnel is hosted by Dave Despain and airs on Speed Channel, Sunday nights at 9:00pm/et.(8-27-2005)
#49 Team/Driver docked points and fined UPDATE appeal: NASCAR announced today that three penalties have been issued to the #49 Dodge team in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series as a result of rules infractions last weekend at Michigan. The penalties were issued because of a roof height that was too low, a violation of Section 12-4-A (Actions detrimental to stock car racing), and Section 12-4-Q (car, parts, components and/or equipment used in the Event do not conform to NASCAR rules) of the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series rule book. This infraction was discovered during post-race inspection. Ken Schrader, driver of the #49, was penalized with the loss of 25 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series driver championship points. Car owner Beth Ann Morgenthau was penalized with the loss of 25 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series owner championship points. Crew chief David Hyder was fined $25,000 and placed on probation until Dec. 31.(NASCAR)(8-24-2005)
UPDATE: #49 BAM Racing is appealing its penalty from last week's race at Michigan. NASCAR fined the team points and money for failing the minimum height requirement. The team blames a broken shock absorber.(Daily Record)(8-27-2005)
#49 Roof Too Low: NASCAR officials announced after the race at Michigan that a post-race inspection revealed the roof on the #49 Schwans Home Service Dodge driven by Ken Schrader was too low. A penalty may be forthcoming this week.(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)(8-22-2005)
The Red Baron returns at Indy: Ken Schrader will be driving the #49 Dodge emblazoned with the Red Baron frozen pizza colors this week at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for Sunday's Allstate 400 at the Brickyard. Red Baron frozen pizza products are distributed under the Schwan's Consumer Brands North America banner, which also markets other leading frozen-food retail brands. Schwan's Consumer Brands is a division of The Schwan Food Company, whose Schwan's Home Service business unit sponsors Schrader and the #49 BAM Dodge throughout the remainder of the season. "Last time we took the Red Baron Dodge out we were pretty fast at Charlotte. Maybe it's something about the black and red paint scheme that makes it look faster, I don't know. I do know this a brand new racecar we're bringing to Indy. The only laps it has turned all year were testing there a few weeks ago. It felt good then and it should feel good this weekend. We're hoping to go out there and have a lot of fun at Indy and bring home a 'major-like' finish; and I believe we can do that," said Schrader.(Williams Company), image of the scheme on my #49 Team Scheme page.(8-2-2005)
Associate sponsor for the #49 at Chicago: Chicago’s number one relocation service company, All Chicagoland Moving and Storage [allchicagoland.com], will be an associate sponsor for driver Ken Schrader and BAM Racing’s #49 Schwan’s Home Service Dodge for this weekend’s USG Sheetrock 400 NASCAR Nextel Cup race at the Chicagoland Speedway. An affiliate of the national moving company, United Van Lines, All Chicagoland Moving and Storage will don the rear deck lid of the #49 in what will be the company’s first-ever venture into NASCAR.(Williams Company)(7-7-2005)
#650 for Schrader: Sunday’s race at Chicagoland Speedway marks the 650th start for #49-Ken Schrader in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series; the veteran is in his 22nd year of Nextel Cup competition.(Williams Company)
Schrader is 14th on the all-time Nextel Cup Series start list:
All Time Winston Cup Starts thru Daytona 7/2005 [* = active]:
1) Richard Petty, 1177
2) Dave Marcis, 881
3) Ricky Rudd, 856*
4) Terry Labonte, 823*
5) Darrell Waltrip, 809
6) Bill Elliott, 743*
7) Kyle Petty, 730*
8) Bobby Allison, 719
9) Buddy Baker, 701
10) Rusty Wallace, 687* [retires end of 2005, projected 706]
11) Dale Earnhardt, 676
12) Sterling Marlin, 657*
13) JD McDuffie, 653
14) Ken Schrader, 649*.(7-7-2005)
Graf wins at Portland: remember Klaus Graf? drove a few Cup races for BAM Racing in 2004 and was supposed to drive a few in 2005, but have heard nothing and he is not on the current entry list for the Dodge/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway.....Klaus Graf entered Saturday’s Rose City 100 Trans-Am race at Portland International Raceway a rookie and left a veteran as the German graduate of Porsche Michelin Supercup competition won his first Trans-Am race in just his second start. Driving the #7 Jaguar R Performance XKR, Graf became the first German national to win a Trans-Am race since rallying World Champion Walter Rohrl in 1988. He is also the first rookie to win a Trans-Am race since Butch Leitzinger in 2002. Graf won the pole, but started fifth due to Trans-Am’s Fast Five Qualifying inversion. He drove through the field and took the lead for good from team owner Paul Gentilozzi when Gentilozzi’s Jaguar suffered a mechanical failure on lap 16. Graf wasn’t seriously challenged from there. “This feels great,” said Graf. “At Long Beach, we had the pace down, but we couldn’t finish the race. We focused on improving the car each session. I knew it was going to be tough in the race. It took me awhile to get my rhythm and set the brake bias. I ran behind Randy for awhile. Then I passed him in the Festival Curves and then Paul had a problem. I held my pace from there. This is very special, being accompanied by Walter Rohrl because he is a very, very famous driver in Germany,” added Graf. “He’s a World Champion in rallying and one of my heroes. He is one of the best race car drivers ever.” The race will air on a tape-delayed basis, Sunday, June 26 at 1:00pm/et on SPEED Channel.(Speed Channel)(6-21-2005)
Schrader not back in the #49 for 2005? UPDATE: Eddie Jones, general manager of BAM Racing's #49, says the team intends to begin discussions for 2006 shortly with sponsor Schwan's and that he expects a positive outcome. He is not as positive about current driver Ken Schrader, 50, who likely will take his act elsewhere next year. Jones did not say who might be in line to replace Schrader.(Speed Channel), Schrader has said in the past that Schwans is on the car for 2006 and he would drive the #49, then probably move onto the Truck Series.(6-11-2005)
UPDATE: Few changes are anticipated for BAM Racing and the #49 Schwan’s Home Service Dodge team and driver Ken Schrader for 2006. Team owner Beth Ann Morgenthau said contrary to an erroneous Internet report Friday, plans are moving forward for the future. “While we’re certainly going to make the changes and additions we need to make to improve our race team now and in the future, we are very much planning on Ken Schrader remaining in our car, and every indication Kenny has given us is that he plans on remaining in our car,” Ms. Morgenthau said. “We’ve already begun discussions with Schwan’s in regards to our plans for 2006 and the future, as well as the years following that. We’ve discussed marketing and promotional plans for the future, and those involve Ken Schrader too.” Schrader, 50, has driven the #49 Schwan’s Home Service Dodge since the beginning of the 2004 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season, and has indicated publicly several times this year he plans on remaining in the car the rest of his Cup career.(Williams Company)(6-11-2005)
Marriage proposal a success . . . with a little help from Ken Schrader: Theresa Krueger never thought to ask why when she found out boyfriend Mark Spiller had booked them a weekend in Concord to enjoy NASCAR's Nextel All-Star weekend. Perhaps she'll be more inquisitive next time. Spiller, a long time Ken Schrader fan from Plainfield, Ill., made what he calls "a shot in the dark" several months ago, when he reached out in an attempt to meet the Nextel Cup veteran when the couple came to Lowe's Motor Speedway. That "shot" turned out more beneficial than Spiller could ever imagine when a simple meeting with Schrader morphed into a Schrader-assisted wedding proposal. After Nextel Cup practice concluded on Friday, Schrader spent several minutes with the couple giving them a tour of the garage, before leading them over to his #49 Red Baron Dodge. With the couple in tow, Schrader casually leaned inside the car and emerged with the ring case in which he promptly handed to Spiller. It became official just after 3:45 p.m. Eastern when the 36-year old
Krueger said "yes" to Spiller's proposal on bended knee in front of Schrader's #49 Red Baron Dodge.
"I'm still in disbelief that all of this came together," said Spiller, the 38-year old Illinois native. "Never in my wildest dreams could I
have imagined that Kenny would actually assist in my marriage proposal. We're both huge NASCAR fans, and Kenny Schrader fans; it's
pretty cool that we had this opportunity and something we'll both never forget. and thank God she said yes. We'll eat Red Baron pizza and have food delivered from Schwan's on our anniversary every year!"
As for Schrader? "I told him congratulations. It's a good thing Theresa said yes and probably what he was going for, but if she had
said no, it'd surely made one of them blooper reels."(Williams Company)(5-21-2005)
Schrader...one more year: Ken Schrader said he wants to race one more season after 2005 in the #49 Schwan’s Home Service Dodge before moving to the Craftsman Truck Series full-time in 2007.(The Morning News)(5-7-2005)
Red Barons on the #49 at Atlanta: Ken Schrader and the #49 Red Baron Dodge team head to the 1.5-mile Atlanta Motor Speedway, located in Hampton, Ga., this week for Sunday's Golden Corral 500; the fourth race of the 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup season. Driving a car emblazoned with the Red Baron frozen pizza colors this week. Red Baron frozen pizza products are distributed under the Schwan's Consumer Brands North America banner, which also markets other leading frozen-food retail brands that include Tony's and Freschetta frozen pizzas, Pagoda Asian specialties, and Larry's potato side-dishes. Schwan's Consumer Brands is a division of The Schwan Food Company, whose Schwan's Home Service business unit sponsors Schrader and the #49 BAM Dodge throughout the remainder of the season.(Williams Company PR), added an image of the car to my #49 Team Schemes page.(3-18-2005)
Schrader to the Trucks after 2006: Longtime NASCAR driver Ken Schrader [#49 BAM Racing Dodge] expects to move to the Craftsman Truck series after his Cup contract ends following the 2006 season.(ESPN.com/AP)
AND There wasn't a lot of hoopla, not a lot of fireworks. Nonchalantly, during NASCAR's Media Day at Daytona International Speedway, Schrader let it be known that he will not race in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series past the year 2006. That's when his #49 BAM Racing Dodge's sponsorship agreement with Schwann's Home Service runs out. "That deal is pretty simple actually. You do that when no one will hire you," Schrader said. "We did a three-year deal with Schwann's, with last year being the first year. You never know what's going to happen, but I won't go past next year for sure, I know. Our deal is a little different than some of those other guys, though. After that time, we're just not going to come back (to Daytona) for one race (the Daytona 500). We'll come back, but we'll just bring the truck instead." Once he's done with the Nextel Cup Series, he plans to start racing full-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. He's driven in 58 NCTS events between 1995 and 2004 -- including 12 last season -- with his own team. "We're going to gear up to run a full truck deal when we're done (with Cup)," Schrader said. That's the plan. We just bough a new shop, and we'll run one full-time truck next year. We'll still do a limited schedule this year with Federated Auto Parts as our sponsor, but we're going to go full out next year, whether I'm the driver or I get another one in."(Daytona Beach News Journal)(2-11-2005)
Larry Foyt to run Daytona ARCA race, BAM Plans still in the works: Fulltiltpoker.com, an interactive poker gaming Web site, has signed with Foyt Racing as the primary sponsor of the #16 Dodge. The car will be driven by Larry Foyt in the Advance Discount Auto Parts 200 at Daytona International Speedway Saturday, Feb. 12th. The ARCA race will be the first foray into motorsports for Fulltiltpoker.com which sees a great opportunity to bring its online poker experience to racing fans."I'm excited to be back behind the wheel at Daytona," said Foyt. "I've only driven in one ARCA race and that was over four years ago. I've learned a lot since then so I'm really looking forward to competing next weekend." Foyt put together the one-time race package for his father A.J. Foyt's team with support from BAM Racing team owners Beth Ann and Tony Morgenthau. The Morgenthaus are trying to secure sponsorship to field a car for Foyt in one of NASCAR's divisions this year. Foyt has also signed two associate sponsors for this event: Demons Cycles (www.demonscycles.com), builder of custom motorcycles, and Victory Sportswear (www.victorysportswear.com a full line apparel company that offers screen printing, embroidery and ad specialty items to local race teams across the country.(A.J. Foyt Racing PR)(2-8-2005)
Schrader to test at Talladega: Afterward racing at this year's six-race Early Thaw circuit at Central Arizona Speedway in Arizona, #49-Ken Schrader, will hit the highway toward Talladega, Ala., where his team will drop him off for testing early next week. A few days later, he'll return to the Valley for the Copper World Classic, where he will drive in two of the four scheduled races (NASCAR West and Southwest Series). Then, it's off to Las Vegas Motor Speedway and California Speedway for more testing.(Arizona Republic)
PLUS he WINS: One of the nation's busiest dirt late model racers during the short winter break that he gets from his NASCAR Nextel Cup schedule and the owner of his own dirt track, Missouri's Ken Schrader led the final 28 laps Thursday night as he scored a $3000 win in round four of the six race, $140,000 Early Thaw Speedweek at Central Arizona Raceway.(latemodelracer.com)(1-21-2005)
Been Asked why no Schrader? why is Ken Schrader and the #49 BAM Racing team NOT testing this week at Daytona when they were scheduled to? No idea, have no heard a thing, would 'assume' that he and the team will test next week.
UPDATE: Been told that Schrader and BAM Racing will not test at Daytona at all, but will supposedly test at Talladega next week. Schrader will run some late model races this weekend at Central Arizona Raceway (1-13-2005)
2004 News
Larkin leaves BAM for FBR: Hearing that BAM Racing [#49] Business Manager, Gus Larkin has left the team and accepted a similar position at FitzBradshaw Racing [#12,#14, #40,#82](1-4-2004)
Harvick and Schrader to run Copper Classic: The Copper World Classic will make its triumphant return as the nation's best four-races-in-one day event, and the first 'major' race of the season at Phoenix International Raceway January 29-30, 2005. The NASCAR Grand National, West Series and NASCAR Elite Division, Southwest Series events will not only be the first race of the season for NASCAR fans, but it will also feature some of the most skilled drivers from the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series and the INDY Racing League. Racing from the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series will be Ken Schrader and Kevin Harvick, while former Indy Racing League standout Sarah Fisher, is expected to be in the starting lineup for the West series race. Other NEXTEL Cup or Busch Series drivers could join the field in the weeks ahead.(FoxSports)(12-23-2004)
Schrader back in ARCA: Ken Schrader, driver of the Nextel Cup #49 BAM Racing Dodge, will also run five ARCA RE/MAX Series events in 2005. If Schrader is able to make all five events, the season will mark his most ARCA Series starts in any given year since the Fenton, Missouri native first raced with the series at Daytona in 1981. Schrader, with sponsorship from Federated Auto Parts, has plans to enter RE/MAX Series events at Salem Speedway, Toledo Speedway, Gateway Int’l Raceway, Michigan Int’l Speedway and the DuQuoin State Fairgrounds mile-dirt track. Schrader, in 34 career ARCA RE/MAX Series starts, has 11 wins, 11 Pork pole awards, 22 top-5 finishes and 25 top-10s. In addition, Schrader has led 1,417 laps in 20 races. Other events on Schrader’s 2005 calendar under the Federated Auto Parts banner include at least nine NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series races and at least 20 dirt late model events spread out across the country with the possibility of adding more in each category. In 2004, Schrader raced in over 40 short-track races on dirt in a combination of late models and UMP modifieds. Veteran crew chief Donnie Richeson is slated to crew chief Schrader’s RE/MAX Series cars as well as his Craftsman Truck Series machines.(ARCA Racing site)(11-28-2004)
BAM Racing gearing up - three car team in 2005: BAM Racing has two entries in Sunday's Ford 400. Veteran Ken Schrader, who has made the field for every race this season, once again will drive the #49, and Larry Foyt will try to qualify a second Dodge, the #70. Joining Schrader for testing recently at Homestead were Foyt, son of the legendary A.J. Foyt, and Klaus Graf, a road-racing German with little experience on ovals. Graf spun out and crashed, "so we made the determination not to even try to qualify with him," Tony Morgenthau said. The mishap didn't change the Morgenthaus' plans for 2005 — they hope to campaign Schrader and Foyt full time and Graf for a partial season. "The reason for (three cars) is not an egomania thing," Tony Morgenthau said. "The real reason is the testing. NASCAR is very strict on the number of tests you can run on their tracks. It's seven per car. So if you have two cars, you can test at 14 tracks." Sponsorship is in place for Schrader, with Schwan's Home Service, the home-delivery service of the Schwan Food Company, signed on for two more years. As for the Foyt and Graf cars, Tony Morgenthau said the team is negotiating with "about four multibillion-dollar companies that have never been in NASCAR," and a possible international sponsor for Graf. "There's a lot of interest in Europe about his driving ability that he can go from the Porsche Supercup cars to a NASCAR car," Tony Morgenthau said.(Palm Beach Post)(11-18-2004)
DHL? remeber all the rumors that DHL would be a sponsor in 2005 for a Cup team? and the rumored team was the #1 DEI team [looks untrue], well DHL is on the bright yellow #59 BAM Racing Dodge of Klaus Graf at Martinsville Speedway, but looks like Graf will not be fast enough to make the Subway 500.(10-22-2004)
Graf to run 2nd BAM car at Martinsville: Klaus Graf, and the #59 BAM Racing Dodge head to the .526-mile Martinsville Speedway, for Sunday's Subway 500. The German native Graf will be attempting to start the second Nextel Cup race of his career. After this weekend, he will also run the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series finale at Homestead for BAM. In his inaugural ARCA start, and his first on an oval, Graf led late in the race before finishing third at the Nashville Super Speedway. Earlier this month, Graf qualified seventh at the Talladega ARCA event and ran well before being caught up in another car's crash at Talladega, Ala. In his only start in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, Graf started from the 38th position and finished a solid 17th at Infineon Raceway in June. He was an obvious contender at Watkins Glen, but qualifying was rained out. Graf, 32, is the first German-born driver to compete in NASCAR's top series. He lives in Dornhan, Germany, which is located in Germany's
Black Forrest region. Graf trained to race Formula One in Europe, but switched to sports cars instead. After winning the 1993 German
Formula Ford Championship, 1993 Austrian National Championship, and 1997 Rookie of the Year in the Porsche Carrera Cup, Graf raced in the American Le Mans series competing in the Le Man 24-hour race and the 12-hours of Sebring.(Williams Company PR)(10-18-2004)
Larry Foyt to drive 2nd BAM Racing car in 3 races: Larry Foyt and the #59 BAM Racing Dodge team head to the 1.5-mile Lowe's Motor Speedway, located in Concord, N.C., for Saturday night's UAW-GM Quality 500 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race. Foyt joins BAM Racing with an extensive background in both stock car and open wheel racing. Part of the lineage of the legendary A.J. Foyt, Larry Foyt raced in the 2003 NASCAR Nextel Cup season for A.J. Foyt Racing, as well as in this year's Indianapolis 500. Foyt has a variety of racing experience from USAC, ASA, NASCAR Busch, and Nextel Cup series. "This will be the first time I've driven for a race team owned by someone outside of the family. It'll be a neat experience, something different that I'm looking forward to. Having two cars is something I know BAM Racing is looking forward to in the near future, so it's important for us to perform well this weekend. The only other time they've fielded two cars in the same race was at Infineon and both cars finished well out there. Hopefully, we can duplicate the same performance this weekend," Foyt said."I'm also looking forward to having Kenny Schrader as a teammate. He and A.J. Foyt know each other pretty well and he has said often how A.J. helped him throughout his racing career. Hopefully, a Nextel Cup veteran like Kenny can return the favor. As for now, we're planning on running three Nextel Cup races with BAM Racing before the end of the year; starting in Charlotte, then Atlanta, then the season finale in Homestead. After that we'll see. We're actively working on securing sponsorship for the 2005 Nextel Cup season.(Williams Company PR)(10-11-2004)
New Crew Chief for the #49:BAM Racing announced today the addition of David Hyder as the new crew chief of the #49 Schwan's Home Service Dodge of driver Ken Schrader. Hyder, 37, a High Point, N.C. native, now living in Trinity, N.C., comes to BAM Racing after a four-and-a-half year stint with Petty Enterprises, where he held several positions, most recently, car chief of the #43. Accompanying Hyder in the transition is shock specialist, Dean Johnson. Spending most of his adult life in auto racing, Hyder drove late models for 17 years in various series including the Hooters Pro Cup and Slim Jim All Pro Series. Hyder then worked as a crew chief in the Hooters Pro Cup before moving to Petty Enterprises. At Petty Enterprises he spent the majority of his tenure working as car chief on both the #45 and the #43.(Williams Company PR)(10-4-2004)
BAM Racing’s Graf to Run ARCA race at Talladega: Klaus Graf bears testament to the fact that Talladega Superspeedway is revered worldwide. While the 33-year-old native of Germany has a vastly different background than his fellow competitors, his reaction to driving the 2.66-mile tri-oval for the first time Tuesday was not unlike any other driver who had grown up hearing about the famed track. “It’s a place with a lot of history and a great image, even in Europe. Daytona and Talladega, these places are so massively big. Talladega is always known as a different race, different from any other race. That is what makes it so special,” Graf said during the ARCA RE/MAX Series open test in preparation for the Oct. 2 Food World 300. This will be Graf’s second ARCA RE/MAX Series start with BAM Racing, following up a third place finish in his first outing with the team at Nashville Superspeedway in April. Then in June, Graf partnered again with BAM for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup race at Infineon, qualifying 38th and finishing 17th. Graf explained that his finish in that first outing wasn’t too much of a surprise due to his considerable road course experience, but his impressive ARCA RE/MAX finish on the oval track at Nashville was particularly gratifying since his experience on such tracks has been limited. Running the NASCAR’s NEXTEL Cup Series full time is Graf’s ultimate goal, and he hopes to run at least a limited schedule as a second entry in NASCAR’s elite series for BAM Racing next year. BAM Racing owns the #49 NEXTEL Cup team with driver Ken Schrader, who Graf said has been extremely helpful to him. “Having Kenny Schrader as a teammate in the 49 car is very helpful to me. He is the oldest driver in the pedal, and I say that with a lot of respect because that means he also knows pretty much everything about this sport. That is good for me; it is very helpful. I think I am in a very good environment right now. It is very helpful and I am very happy,” Graf said. Graf will compete in the Food World 300 on Oct. 2 not only to be competitive and for experience, but also to gain clearance from NASCAR to compete in superspeedway NEXTEL Cup events, he explained. He will drive the #99 car in the event.(Talladega Superspeedway PR)(9-22-2004)
BAM Racing to expand to 2 teams in 2005 UPDATE team with Evernham?: BAM Racing is planning to run a two-car Nextel Cup operation next season, but the schedule for the second team has yet to be determined, said team manager, Eddie Jones. "At this point, we plan to run a second car in some form or another. It could be 12 races, it could be all 36, we have laid the groundwork for that and have the people to make it a reality," Jones said. Veteran Ken Schrader will again drive BAM's #49 Schwan's Food Service Dodges next season, while Klaus Graf [#59?] is the likely candidate for the second team. Graf, 32, a sports car driver from Germany, has driven a limited schedule in Cup and the Automobile Racing Club of America series for BAM this season. Graf is going to run the ARCA race at Talladega this season as well as Cup races at Martinsville, Va., Homestead, Fla. Charlotte is also a possibility. "He is very adaptable," Jones said. "I think that's one of his strongest points is his adaptability." Jones, who named Donnie Richeson as interim crew chief for Schrader's team this week, hopes to have a permanent replacement in place by the end of the season. "We have conducted several interviews and the names will not be unrecognizable by anybody," Jones said. "They're very highly regarded and it will be the next step in the evolution of BAM Racing."(ThatsRacin.com)(9-17-2004)
UPDATE: hearing that BAM Racing could end up working with Evernham Motorsports somehow, engines? bodies? alliance?
(9-19-2004)
#49 Crew Chief Out? UPDATE 2: hearing that #49 BAM Racing crew chief Scott Eggleston and the team parted ways, hearing Donnie Richeson could be the new crew chief.
UPDATE: BAM Racing has announced a new interim crew chief for Ken Schrader and the 49 team. Donnie Richeson replaces Scott Eggleston. Eggleston had been with the team since 2003. Owner Beth Ann Morgenthau said "a change was in order". Schrader is 32nd in points with one top-10 finish this year.(FoxSports/Totally NASCAR - missed it, not used to the new time yet)(9-14-2004)
UPDATE 2: Donnie Richeson has been named interim crew chief for BAM Racing, which fields the #49 Schwan’s Home Service Dodge for driver Ken Schrader in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. Richeson replaces Scott Eggleston, who had been with the team since the start of the 2003 season. “With everything else in place for the rest of the year and for 2005 – Schwan’s Home Service on board with us and Ken Schrader as our driver – we felt a change was in order,” said Beth Ann Morgenthau, owner of BAM Racing. “Tough decisions are part of this sport, and this was certainly a tough decision for everyone. We wish Scott nothing but the best in his career.” BAM has already begun discussions with several potential crew chiefs. Richeson will maintain those duties at least until a full-time replacement is named.(Williams Company PR)(9-15-2004)
More on Robby at RCR..Blaney? Schrader? Onne of the hottest stories in the garage sits inside Childress' head - the future of the team that Robby Gordon drives for. Will Childress sign Gordon to a new contract for 2005 or will Childress sign a new driver? Dave Blaney is the man most prominently mentioned as the candidate for the ride. Ken Schrader is another man also mentioned for the ride. Childress, without saying what his specific options are, expects to make a decision "within the next two weeks."(Winston Salem Journal)(9-11-2004)
Schrader not retiring anytime soon: #49-Ken Schrader, at 49 the oldest [full time driver] on the tour, is making no retirement plans. Schrader, from St. Louis, as is Wallace, grew up racing against Wallace. "And I could tell you some stories," Schrader said with a laugh. "We raced with each other until we went separate ways, Rusty to ASA, me to open-wheel dirt. Rusty has always been full-speed-ahead. Very much so. From the get-go." The retirement issue, Schrader said, "is nothing new. It happens all the time." But it appears that NASCAR is on the verge of watching an entire generation of stars hang it up. And it's unclear if NASCAR has any marketing plans for this generation, or even cares. "The sport's in good shape with all them kids, there are some really good ones, on and off the track," Schrader said. "And if all the guys 45 and over were to quit, the sport would move right along. It's just part of the deal that you're not going to do it forever. I didn't think I'd do it this long when I came in (in 1988). Didn't have a clue. You just don't know how things are going to work out." Schrader not only has his own race shop with cars and trucks, but he owns a short track in St. Louis and has part ownership in a racing association.(Winston Salem Journal)(9-5-2004)
Dirt Series Merge, Schrader part owner: Officials from NVE Pharmaceuticals announced a merger between the Stacker 2® Xtreme Dirt Car Series and the United Midwest Promoters (UMP). Doug Bland, president of the Stacker 2 Xtreme Dirt Car Series, will join Ken Schrader, Bob Sargent, Robert Lawton and Howie Comander of UMP as the new ownership of the improved Stacker 2 Xtreme Dirt Car Series. The new series will retain the Stacker 2 Xtreme Dirt Car Series name and will feature events at premier race venues across the country to conclude the 2004 season. The basic elements and structure of the original series will remain intact with the exception of some adjustments to the existing tire rule. With the removal of the tire conflict, the new series stands to pick up several big name drivers and several high profile events.(xtremedirtcars.com)(8-18-2004)
SEM to sponsor Graf at Watkins Glen: SEM Products, Inc., will sponsor driver Klaus Graf and the #59 NASCAR Nextel Cup car fielded by BAM Racing this weekend at Watkins Glen. "SEM has done it again. This is the most colorful and exciting car on
the track," said Beth Ann Morgenthau, owner of BAM Racing. "There is no way on earth you could miss this car coming by." The SEM custom paint finish is a one-of-a-kind custom paint scheme painted by Ron Fleenor, Color Horizons Manager at SEM. The design
highlights SEM's latest addition to the Color Horizons family, Hyperbase Concentrates. These concentrates are a creative mixture of
candy colors and pearls that were developed to make candy jobs easier by taking a three-stage process to a basecoat/clearcoat system. Just over a month, ago, SEM excited a lot of fans and racers alike in June when it sponsored Graf's #59 at Infineon Raceway with "California Dreamin'", which included a mix of different oranges, yellows and black, as well as a palm tree. "We love a chance to show off what our paints can do, and the Hyperbase Concentrates will really do that well," said Brian Joyner, SEM Marketing Manager. "You won't have any trouble finding Klaus Graf on the race track at Watkins Glen. This car will really stand out." This will be Graf's second NASCAR Nextel Cup start. He finished a strong 17th in his debut at Infineon Raceway, and proved to quickly adapt to the major leagues of stock car racing.
Hyperbase Concentrates are a part of the Color Horizons Custom Finishes of SEM Products, which create a rainbow of color combinations for almost any look. Color Horizons, which can be applied to metal, aluminum or plastic surfaces, is available in an array of base and candy concentrates, metal flakes, and paste pearls, as well as easy to use aerosols for a show-stopping finish. For more information on SEM and Color Horizons, please visit www.sem.ws.(Williams Company PR)(8-11-2004)
Graf full time in 2005? Klaus Graf, the erstwhile Formula One racer now working the Porsche Cup tour full-time while working on breaking into NASCAR, will be at Watkins Glen today testing for next month's stock car race as Ken Schrader's teammate - if he made connections at New York's JFK last night enroute from Hockenheim, Germany. If car owners Beth Ann Morgenthau finishes sponsorship deals, Graf would also run the Talladega ARCA race in September, and Cup races at Martinsville and Homestead. "That would hopefully lead to a full schedule next year," General Manager Eddie Jones said. Graf finished 17th three weeks ago at Sonoma, Calif., in his only NASCAR start. "And he would have finished a lot higher if he hadn't lost the hose to his water bottle the last 60 laps and become severely dehydrated. He started 38th and could have finished 11th or 12th. He drove the car up to 16th before the first stop. But the heat finally got to him," Jones said.(Winston Salem Journal)(7-26-2004)
Red Baron swoops in on Schrader's car IMAGES: Red Baron Pizza - which sponsored Ken Schrader's NASCAR Winston Cup ride with the #90-Junie Donlavey team during the 1986 and 1987 seasons - will again sponsor the Fenton, Mo., native for two races in 2004: the July 11 Tropicana 400 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill., and the Oct. 31 Bass Pro Shops MBNA 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Red Baron is returning to NASCAR competition in celebration of the Red Baron Pizza Squadron's 25th anniversary. The nation's leading civilian aerobatic performance team will participate in in approximately 150 events around the country during 2004, and will play a key role in the NASCAR promotion. Red Baron frozen pizza products are distributed under the Schwan's Consumer Brands North America banner, which also markets other leading frozen-food retail brands that include Tony's and Freschetta frozen pizzas, Pagoda Asian specialties, and Larry's potato side-dishes. Schwan's Consumer Brands is a division of The Schwan Food Company, whose Schwan's Home Service business unit sponsors Schrader and the #49 BAM Dodge throughout the remainder of the season. Red Baron Pizza will give NASCAR fans a chance to fully enjoy itsreunion with Ken Schrader. The brand has teamed with Jewel-Osco stores to offer a special in-store promotion that gives consumers chances to win great prizes that include four tickets to all five Chicago races, pit and garage tours, meet-and-greet opportunities with Ken Schrader and the BAM Racing pit crew, and opportunities to enjoy an exciting flight in a Red Baron Pizza Squadron vintage bi-plane. The promotion began in Jewel-Osco stores this week and continues through June 19.(Williams Company PR)(5-28-2004)
IMAGES scored some images from the Red Baron Pizza site, see them there or on my #2 Team Paint Schemes page or Paint Scheme Gallery page.(7-9-2004)
SEM sponsors Graf and the #59 BAM car: SEM Products announced its sponsorship of BAM Racing's #59 SEM COLOR HORIZONS Dodge and driver Klaus Graf, for the upcoming Dodge/Save Mart 350 at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA. As BAM's "Road Course Hired Gun," Graf is also the first driver professionally trained for Formula One racing by European automobile manufacturers to move into the NASCAR stock car racing world. "We are pleased to have this partnership deal with BAM and the #59 car. This is a dynamic time for our company and we look forward to showcasing our expanded COLOR HORIZONS line," stated Brian Joyner, Marketing Manager for SEM Products. SEM's custom paint scheme is called "California Dreamin" and includes a mix of different metallic oranges, yellows and black, as well as, a palm tree.
"SEM has done it again. This will be the most colorful and exciting car on the track, maybe in NASCAR history. Everybody always works to come up with specialty paint schemes for the night races; this is one of the first for a day race with a theme tied into the track itself," said Eddie Jones, General Manager of BAM Racing. "With the ingenuity of SEM and the expertise of our fabricators, this is going to be one that will really show off this race car." The theme was designed by California native, Ron Fleenor, Custom Finish Manager at SEM Products. "This new line of Custom Finish Products is unlike any other product out there. It rocks!" says Fleenor.
The recently re-vamped COLOR HORIZONS line, creates a rainbow of color combinations for almost any look. COLOR HORIZONS, which can be applied to metal, aluminum or plastic surfaces, are also available in an array of base and candy concentrates, metallic flakes and pearlescent pigments, as well as, easy to use aerosols for a show-stopping finish. "We are very pleased that SEM and COLOR HORIZONS will be on our car for this big race." said Beth Ann Morgenthau, who owns BAM Racing along with her husband Tony. "Having SEM with their history of excellence as a part of BAM Racing means a lot to all of us," she continued. "We plan on giving them our best effort for this race, and are excited to see how good our car will look on the track at Infineon Raceway."(SEM PR), see images of the car on the 2004 Paint Schemes Page.(6-25-2004)
Belt Confiscated from #49 UPDATE Penalty: Confiscated from Ken Schrader's #49 Schwan's Home Service Dodge at Michigan International Speedway was a Crotch Belt. The belt in violation, as it had surpassed the two year manufacturer's date, stamped on the belt. Evidently the rest of the belt met requirements.(Insiderracing.com)(6-20-2004)
UPDATE: NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series crew chief Scott Eggleston has been fined $500 for a driver restraint equipment infraction that occurred this past weekend at Michigan International Speedway. Eggleston - crew chief for the No. 49 Dodge driven by Ken Schrader - was in violation of Section 12-4-A (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and Section 20-17.2C (anti-submarine belt - expired manufacturer's date) in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Rule Book. The infraction was discovered by NASCAR officials during last Friday's initial inspection process.(NASCAR PR)(6-23-2004)
No. 49 Taking Over Lowe's Motor Speedway: The number 49 will be pretty important for Ken Schrader, driver of the Schwan's Home Service Dodge on the NASCAR Nextel Cup circuit, this weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Schrader celebrates his 49th birthday on Saturday, May 29 - the day before the Coca-Cola 600, the longest race in NASCAR Nextel Cup racing. As usual, he will drive the #49 Dodge, sponsored by Schwan's Home Service and fielded by BAM Racing. "We felt we had to make it a little more special for him," said Howard Miller, Schwan's vice president for corporate relations. "A guy doesn't celebrate his 49th birthday every day . . . even though we
realize Kenny might claim it's his 49th birthday for the next several years." Schwan's is bringing its familiar yellow home-delivery trucks to
Lowe's Motor Speedway on Sunday to treat 49,000 fans to complimentary Schwan's Confetti ice cream cups as they enter the speedway. In addition, 49,000 fans will receive free Schwan's refrigerator magnets. Race fans will be invited to log onto www.schwans.com/happybirthdayken to get a free dinner with their first order, receive a special commemorative Ken Schrader birthday screensaver or wallpaper, and send Schrader a birthday email greeting. "Pretty nice stuff. Sure beats a card and a necktie," Schrader laughed. "Actually, Anne (Schrader, wife) and my kids (Dorothy, Sheldon) have always taken pretty good care of me on my birthday," he said. "I think it's pretty cool Schwan's is involving the fans at Lowe's Motor Speedway with ice cream and a chance for a free dinner too. Of course, I think it is even nicer they are going to bring ice cream, cake and
that other stuff down to our transporter Sunday afternoon too." At 49, Schrader is the oldest active full-time driver in NASCAR's Nextel Cup Series but in an era where younger drivers have have been the rage, Schrader continues to be an icon for Schwan's and a force on the race track. This is the second time he has driven for Schwan brands; in the late 1980s, he piloted the Red Baron Pizza-sponsored cars. Now with Schwan's Home Service sponsorship, he's glad to be involved in the company's second NASCAR outing. Fans who enjoy following Ken Schrader's exploits online are invited to visit www.SchwansRacing.com.(Williams Company PR)(5-30-2004)
Schrader wins Toledo ARCA race: A winner’s trophy for Ken Schrader, more trying times for Frank Kimmel and a black flag for Billy Venturini; and that was only part of the fascinating story Sunday afternoon at Toledo Speedway where the ARCA RE/MAX Series played before a packed house. In the end, Schrader held off Jason Jarrett in a spirited door-to-door, two-lap shootout to win the thrilling Hickory Farms 200 presented by Federated Car Care. Rookie Boston Reid, in his first series attempt, looked very sharp, led laps and finished third. For Schrader, the victory represented his 11th ARCA RE/MAX Series victory in his 31st attempt.(ARCA Racing Site)(5-17-2004)
Schrader wins West race: Nextel Cup veteran Ken Schrader held off Busch Series rookie Clint Bowyer to win Saturday's King Taco 200 at California Speedway. Schrader, who won by 0.259 seconds following a five-lap shootout, now has three NASCAR Grand National Division, West series, wins and three second-place finishes in seven races at California. Bowyer, who is sharing driving duties with Kevin Harvick in Richard Childress Racing's #21 Chevrolet this season, started from the pole and was making his first series start. Scott Lynch was third, Scott Gaylord and Kevin Conway completed the top five.(ThatsRacin.com)(5-1-2004)
Assoc for BAM? hearing that the #49 BAM Racing team has signed another major associate full season sponsor, AXA Financial.(4-28-2004)
Schrader on CNN: Ken Schrader, driver of the #49 Schwan's Home Service Dodge on the NASCAR Nextel Cup circuit, will be a featured interview Sunday on CNN's Inside Politics Sunday With Judy Woodruff. The nationally-televised show is scheduled to air at 10:00am/et Sunday [Apr 25th]. A live stand-up from the Talladega Superspeedway with correspondent Bill Schneider will be the catalyst for Schrader's taped interview. Schrader, who wheels the Schwan's Home Service entry for BAM Racing, will talk about NASCAR fans and his experience with motorsports fans in general throughout his career. A native of Fenton, Mo., who has driven in more different series than virtually any other active driver, Schrader is well-known with motorsports fans throughout the country.(Williams Company PR)(4-21-2004)
New Look for the #49: The #49 Schwan's Home Service Dodge of driver Ken Schrader will take on a new look beginning this weekend at the 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway. The car, fielded by BAM Racing, brings a darker blue to the front end and roof of the Schwan's Home Service Dodge, making it stand out even more on the race track. "This jazzes it up a good bit and I think our fans are going to really like it," said Schrader. "It will be a lot easier to find on the race track, and the 'Schwan's' stands out a little bit better too. We don't want anybody missing that part of it!" Said Howard Miller, Vice President of Corporate Relations, Schwan's: "We chose to brighten up the car to more closely match Kenny's wonderful personality. In addition, we believe our employees and customers will find the new color scheme more appealing and more quickly spot their favorite driver." Is the change permanent? "Yeah, about as permanent as anything can be in this sport," said Schrader. The new paint scheme will first hit the track for pole qualifying Friday at Talladega Superspeedway.(Williams Company PR), see my #49 Paint Scheme page for the image.(4-20-2004)
2nd Team for BAM? road courses UPDATE 3: BAM Racing, which owns the Nextel Cup #49 Schwan's Dodge of Missouri driver Ken Schrader, will soon add a second car to its team. Eddie Jones, the team's general manager, said the team will field a second car for both road races this year and perhaps for five other races. He said the team is close to a deal with a sponsor for the second car and have a deal with a driver whom he would not name. “Hopefully, within the next six weeks we'll have more definite news on the second team,” Jones said. He did say the driver was a 32-year-old who is not currently driving stock cars.(Kansas City Star)(4-4-2004)
UPDATE: hearing the driver is Klaus Graf of Germany, a sports car driver who is entered by BAM Racing in the ARCA Race at Nashville Superspeedway this weekend.(4-5-2004)
UPDATE 2: NASCAR Radio - XM Satellite Channel 144 reports that BAM Racing says they plan to run the two road course races at Infineon Raceway and Watkins Glen and while they wouldn't say who would drive, Klaus Graf is a driver under consideration.(4-7-2004)
UPDATE 3: Trained for the highly-technical world of Formula One racing, Klaus Graf has instead found a home with the traditional bodies and carbureted engines of NASCAR stock cars. Graf will run at least two NASCAR Nextel Cup stock car races this year, beginning with the June 27 race at Infineon Raceway at Sonoma, CA. BAM Racing, which fields the #49 Schwan's Home Service Dodges of driver Ken Schrader, will run Graf in up to seven races in 2004. Graf will join Schrader, who is running the full NASCAR Nextel Cup schedule. Graf, 32, is the first German-born driver to compete in NASCAR's top series. He lives in Dornhan, which is in Germany's Black Forrest region, and will eventually relocate to the United States. "Having a multi-car team has been part of our plan from the very beginning and bringing in a driver with the talents of Klaus Graf is the next step," said Beth Ann Morgenthau, owner of BAM Racing. "We're very excited with him joining us and with the future this presents all of us." Said Graf, "My dream all of my life is to compete among the best in motorsports. I am thrilled with the opportunity." Graf has tested with BAM at Virginia International Raceway and Kentucky Speedway, and was highly competitive in the Apr. 9 ARCA race at Nashville Superspeedway, where he finished third after leading late in the race - his first on an oval. He is scheduled to test at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, CA on Tuesday, May 27. Graf is the first driver professionally trained for Formula One racing by European automobile manufacturers to move into the NASCAR stock car racing world. He comes to NASCAR racing directly from the Porsche Michelin and Porsche Carrera Supercup series where he raced at Talimit Motorsport after a stint as test driver for McLaren. He ran Sportscar Prototype cars 1999-2001. Graf's career began with the Suzuki Swift Cup in 1990, followed by German Formula Ford Championship 1991-93; International German F3 Championship (1994-96), Porsche Carrera Cup (1997); and ISRS Endurance Championship (1998).(Williams Company PR), more info about Graf on his website at: klaus-graf.com(4-14-2004)
Good Answer: Angie Mesimer, a fabricator for #49 BAM Racing and Nextel Cup driver Ken Schrader, turned down an offer from Playboy magazine to pose for a "Women of Racing" photo spread. "I am in racing because I love racing, I love working on race cars and I love the competition," said Mesimer, a 32-year-old single mother of two. "I have no interest in a magazine like Playboy anyway, unless they want to talk about building and working on race cars."(Delaware News Journal)(3-11-2004)
Start #600 for Schrader: Ken Schrader and the #49 Schwan’s Home Service Dodge head to the 1.54-mile Atlanta Motor Speedway this week for Sunday’s Golden Corral 500. Sunday’s race will be the 600th NASCAR Cup start of Schrader’s career. 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 thoughts of #49 Schwan’s Home Service Dodge driver Ken Schrader heading into Atlanta: “If you were to catch me at a certain time, I might tell you that Atlanta is just another race at another track. But, that wouldn’t be entirely true. Atlanta will always be special to me and I suppose after Sunday it will carry a bit more meaning. Historically the Atlanta Motor Speedway has always been a place where we run well. We’ve won there before so, of course I’ll always remember it for that. But, when they give the command to fire the engines on Sunday that will be start Number 600 for my Cup career. Occasionally you reach a number, which is really all it is, that someone will label a milestone and then they’ll ask you to reflect back. When we started out racing in Cup over 20 years ago, I never thought about start number 600. Shoot ,I was just worried if I would get start number two! Honestly, I just feel fortunate that I have been able to race for this long at this level. Someone told me that I’ll be the 16th driver in Cup history to reach 600 starts… not everyone has had that opportunity, so I guess it’s pretty neat to know I’ll be one of the few who were fortunate enough to get to 600.(Williams Company PR)(3-9-2004)
New Assoc for the #49: The Casite Company announced today that their 2004 Associate Sponsorship of NASCAR’s BAM Racing, Dodge car #49 car, will kick-off at the Daytona 500 in Florida on February 15. Casite has been supplying the racing and automotive industries with quality aftermarket automotive chemicals since 1922. And while Casite is not new to sponsoring racing, this will be their first national sponsorship at this level. Casite will also participate in the following Nextel Cup NASCAR races with BAM: Food City 500 in Bristol, TN on March 28; Coca-Cola 600 in Concord, NC on May 30; Michigan 400 at MIS, MI on June 20; Brickyard 400 at Indy on August 8; EA Sports 500 at Talladega on October 3; and one other yet to be determined race. For the past two years, Casite has sponsored the Casite Classic at Flat Rock Speedway and recently concluded their 2003 ARCA Street Stock race sponsorship at Flat Rock. For additional Casite product or company information, visit the company website at www.casite.com.(Williams Company PR)(2-10-2004)
BAM and Pizza? UPDATE 3 Officilal Sponsor: heard from a source very close to the situation Red Baron Pizza has reached an agreement to sponsor BAM and Ken Schrader in the #49 car starting in 2004. Red Baron Pizza sponsored Schrader in the past and has been involved in NASCAR before.(1-15-2004)
UPDATE: from a Ken Schrader fan club emailing......: "As far as what is going on with Kenny and BAM Racing....No, Red Baron is not going to be the sponsor. I really wish I could say more, but with all the rumors that were incorrectly generated past few weeks I can't say much. Yes, they have a full-time sponsor (it is a good one), Ken will be the driver and BAM will compete in the complete NEXTEL Cup season...Other than that...stay tuned...they will be making the announcement sometime around February 3, 2004.
being told it will not be Red Baron Pizza specifically but it's parent company Schwans who could be the sponsor.(1-28-2004)
UPDATE 2: from a new part of the Schwan's site: A company that grew from “one man and one truck” into an American food-industry powerhouse will join forces with NASCAR’s fastest-growing Cup team beginning with the 2004 season. Announcing a multi-year agreement, Schwan’s Home Service – a unit of The Schwan Food Company -- will sponsor BAM Racing’s #49 Dodge and veteran driver Ken Schrader in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. See more at www.schwansracing.com, including an image of the car.(getting this link from a ton of folks, seems (1-30-2004)
UPDATE 3: A company that grew from “one man and one truck” into an American food-industry powerhouse will join forces with NASCAR’s fastest-growing Cup team beginning with the 2004 season. Announcing a multi-year agreement, Schwan’s Home Service – a unit of The Schwan Food Company -- will sponsor BAM Racing’s #49 Dodge and veteran driver Ken Schrader in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series. The announcement was made today by Beth Ann Morgenthau, owner of BAM Racing, and M. Lenny Pippin, president and CEO of The Schwan Food Company. “We are very excited to have one of the best-known names in the food industry join us as we work towards our first pole, our first race victory and our first championship as a team,” Ms. Morgenthau said in making the announcement. “Schwan is a well-known and highly respected name in the American and European food industry, and we’re extremely pleased to be partnering with them. The fact that The Schwan Food Company grew from a small dairy home-delivery business in 1952 to what it is today is not lost on us,” she continued. “Their faith in a race team that began small and is building into what we feel will become a powerhouse within NASCAR means a great deal to us. We are excited about the marketing possibilities for Schwan, as well as the competitive possibilities for BAM Racing. The Schwan Food Company is pleased to join forces with BAM Racing and Ken Schrader,” added Pippin. “We are excited to be associated again with NASCAR and Mr. Schrader, who drove Schwan’s #90 Red Baron Thunderbird in the late 1980s. We are seeing a groundswell of excitement about this partnership among Schwan’s Home Service’s millions of customer families across the United States who believe that Schwan and BAM have the potential to be a major force in the Nextel Cup Series.”
“Racing the Schwan’s Home Service car is literally a dream that is coming true,” said driver Ken Schrader. “It’s been about 15 years since I raced for Red Baron Pizza, but our friendship has remained strong and we always hoped to work with Schwan’s again. This is a great opportunity for all of us, and it adds another chapter to a great sponsor-driver relationship.” Visit www.schwansracing.com to follow the Schwan’s Home Service 49 Dodge throughout the 2004 Nextel Cup Series.(Williams Company PR)(2-2-2004)
And Some More Schrader News: Federated is pleased to report that Federated Auto Parts and Ken Schrader Racing will continue their association in 2004. For 2004, the Ken Schrader Racing Team will again dedicate their resources to the Federated Auto Parts Racing Program. NASCAR veteran Ken Schrader will drive Federated vehicles in 19 races plus over 20 dirt track events. Road racing veteran Boris Said will be behind the wheel of the Federated entry in the NASCAR Southwest Tour race in Sonoma. The Federated/Schrader vehicles are scheduled to carry an in car camera in all televised events. In addition to his duties as driver of the Winston Cup #49 BAM Racing Dodge, Ken Schrader’s 19 plus Federated Auto Parts racing schedule includes 3 ARCA events, 13 Truck races, 1 Winston Southwest Tour races, 2 Winston West series events and more than 20 dirt track events. Federated will also be an associate sponsor of BAM Racing's #49 Winston Cup Dodge driven by Ken Schrader. Federated’s logo will be prominently displayed on the vehicles B-pillars and Schrader’s Winston Cup driving suit for the entire 2004 season.(Federated Auto Parts Site)(1-28-2004)
Schrader wins at PIR..again: Ken Schrader earned his second consecutive Grand National Division West Series victory in the United Rentals 150, Sunday in Phoenix International Raceway's fourth annual Winter Heat. His ninth overall series win boosted his total wins at PIR to 14 in the 15 years he has been coming to Phoenix during NASCAR's off-season. Schrader, fresh from a seventh-place finish in the AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series www.phoenixraceway.com 100, switched cars and took the green flag in the 150-mile race in PIR's double feature. Child's play for the racer accustomed to 500 miles and four hours of turning left. Schrader charged from his 19th-place starting position to seventh in only 14 laps and moved steadily through traffic until he caught Austin Cameron. Cameron started fifth and passed pole sitter and October winner Scott Lynch of Burley, Idaho, by the second lap around PIR's mile oval. Cameron led until Lap 50 when he got wide in Turn 3, with the help of Schrader, he said, and fell to second. After a round of pit stops on Lap 89, Cameron clawed his way back into the lead. An incident on Lap 116 in Turn 1 involving Schrader, Cameron and Clint Bowyer put Bowyer sideways and ended Cameron's challenge for the win. Schrader finished seven seconds ahead of Cameron, who held on to second. Matt Kobyluck, who started 24th in the 30-car field, finished third.(Arizona Republic)(1-28-2004)
Maryland legal firm to be associate sponsor for three Cup, three Busch and four Truck Series teams: Starting a unique sports marketing initiative in 2004, one of the country’s fastest-growing legal firms will become the most active car associate sponsor in NASCAR racing. Jenkins, Jenkins & Jenkins, P.A., a top personal injury firm based in La Plata, will sponsor three NASCAR Nextel Cup teams, three NASCAR Busch Grand National teams, and four NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series teams this season. These associate sponsorships make the firm the first legal firm to be involved in motorsports sponsorship on a full-time basis, and make it one of the very few companies of any type to sponsor teams in all three divisions. Their involvement with 10 teams will be greater than any car sponsor in the sport.
Jenkins, Jenkins & Jenkins not only handles personal injury claims but also is well known for its contract and business representation, as well as a vast criminal and real estate practice.
BAM Racing, which fields the #49 Dodge of driver Ken Schrader, will be sponsored by Jenkins, Jenkins & Jenkins the entire 2004 season. The logo will also appear on the #02 Score Motorsports NASCAR Nextel Cup entry of driver Hermie Sadler in selected events, while also appearing on Sadler’s NASCAR Busch Series entry. In addition, the #0 NetZero car of driver Ward Burton will carry the firm’s logo in the four NASCAR Nextel Cup races at Dover, Del., and Richmond, Va., while the #00 Haas/CNC Busch entry of driver Jason Leffler will carry the Jenkins colors throughout the season. The #77 Moy Racing-owned Busch Grand National entry of driver Donnie Neuenberger will be sponsored the entire year, as will the Bobby Hamilton-owned #4 and #18 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series entries; the #38 Cure Autism Now Ford Truck of driver Brandon Whitt; and the #21 Innovative Motorsports Toyota Truck of driver Hank Parker, Jr.(Williams Company PR). NOTE: these are associate sponsorships, teams such as the #49 BAM Racing and #02 Hermie Sadler are still looking for primary sponsors.(1-7-2004)
2003 News
Chili Bowl Stuff: Dirt-track star Danny Lasoski has entered two additional cars for the Chili Bowl Midget Nationals [www.chilibowl.com] and invited drag racer Ron Capps and NASCAR veteran Ken Schrader to drive them. They'll be competing against Tony Stewart, J.J. Yeley and Kasey Kahne in the 18th annual event Jan. 7-10 at Tulsa, Okla.(Indianapolis Star)(12-19-2003)
Schrader staying; Sponsor close for BAM: BAM Racing G.M. Eddie Sharp says Ken Schrader will remain in the No. 49 Dodge and the team is close to announcing a sponsor.(Yahoo Sports/Sporting News)(12-1-2003)
Schrader #30? #49? Ken Schrader says he plans to return to the No. 49, but there's speculation that he and Johnny Benson are the two finalists for the #30 ride at Richard Childress Racing.(FoxSports/Sporting News)(11-17-2003)
Schrader or Raines to the #30? UPDATE 3 However: With Jeff Burton all but assured to remain at Roush Racing next season with a new sponsor [Fed-Ex? Kodak? Nat Guard?] for his #99 Fords, veteran Ken Schrader and Winston Cup rookie Tony Raines have emerged as the front-runners for Richard Childress Racing's #30 AOL Chevrolets, NASCAR sources confirmed Saturday. Burton is under contract with Roush, but his team had difficulty in securing a primary sponsor for next season. Roush apparently has a sponsor for the team, although the identity remained unclear. Burton's unavailability has forced team owner Richard Childress to consider other alternatives.(ThatsRacin.com)(11-8-2003)
UPDATE: also hearing John Andretti is a stong candidate for the ride.(11-10-2003)
UPDATE 2: the Barre-Montpelier Times Argus reports that Kenny Schrader will be the new driver of Richard Childress' No. 30 AOL Chevrolet in 2004. Steve Park will not return next season, and Childress has delayed an announcement for nearly a month. Early speculation centered around Ward Burton and Jeremy Mayfield, but AOL reportedly vetoed Burton, and Mayfield recently re-signed with Evernham Motorsports. Schrader will leave the BAM Racing team to take his new position with Childress. BAM has struggled to find major sponsorship this season, and has nothing in place for 2004. Team owner Beth Ann Morgenthau has said the team may not race a full schedule next season if a new backer cannot be found, prompting Schrader to look for a new position with more job security. Expect an announcement as soon as this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway.(Barre-Montpelier Times Argus)(11-13-2003)
UPDATE 3: however, being told that Schrader was with Beth Ann and Tony Morgenthau last night and said his plans are to be part of BAM Racing. The team has already built three cars for 2004, and is working on a fourth. Several associate sponsors are already signed for 2004. No announcement with RCR is listed for anything the track has on its schedule.(11-13-2003)
Benson to BAM? Fox Sports Nets's NASCAR This Morning reports that if Ken Schrader takes the #30 AOL RCR gig, that Johnny Benson couild end up in the #49 BAM Racing Dodge in 2004, and Benson is supposedly the front runner if Cal Wells starts a 2nd team to join #32-Ricky Craven in the PPI Motorsports stable.(11-9-2003)
Schrader to the #23? HOWEVER: [hi Mags!] Kenny Schrader [currently with the #49 BAM Racing team] is being courted for a ride with Bill Davis as teammate with rookie [#22] Scott Wimmer, according to sources.(Winston Salem Journal), past rumors have current #23 driver, Kenny Wallace and sponsor Stacker 2 going to the Busch Series, another rumor had Steve Park under consideration for the #23 ride.(11-3-2003)
HOWEVER hearing there may be a non-change in the works...meaning that Kenny Wallace and Stacker 2 may be staying in the Cup Series and not moving to the Busch or Truck Series.(11-3-2003)
BAM Announcement at Homestead? UPDATE non planned: BAM Racing hopes to announce at Homestead that it has a sponsorship deal that will enable the organization to add a second car and a teammate for Ken Schrader. Team owners Beth Ann and Tony Morgenthau are optimistic that the #49 car will have two major sponsors to split the season, and that a full-time sponsor will fund the second car. AT&T will remain as a major associate sponsor for Schrader's car. BAM already has benefited this season from the "full technical support" the team receives from Dodge, including wind-tunnel time, track-test time and additional engineering support from the manufacturer.(Yahoo Sports/Sporting News)(11-3-2003)
UPDATE: BAM Racing is getting closer to sponsorship for 2004 and is in discussions with several potential sponsors right now but does not have an announcement scheduled for Homestead, and no announcement is currently planned for there.(source)(11-3-2003)
BAM Team told it will be back; 2 cars? .....#49 BAM Racing's determination was recently rewarded by Dodge Motorsports. The manufacturer said it would supply the team with technology and equipment, including use of its wind tunnel and assorted dynamometers. A team that's gone without for so long may have enough backing to run two cars in 2004. Team Owner's Tony and Beth Ann's Moganthau have Ken Schrader as a driver. There is no contract between them, other than their words. That's binding enough for both sides. Schrader now knows the future of the team depends on signing a sponsor. The search for a sponsor has been so promising that the team was told this week it would be back in 2004.(full story at the Augusta Chronicle)(11-1-2003)
#49 Still Looking for a 2004 Sponsor; letter of intent?: #49-Ken Schrader may be the oldest regular driver, but he's also one of the most versatile, racing everything from ARCA cars at South Boston, Va. last Saturday to a dirt Late Model at Dixie Speedway in Woodstock last night. And he's one of the most frankly honest of the lot, even when the subject is a touchy one like the lack of a full-time sponsor for the #49 Dodge he drives in Winston Cup. "The phone doesn't ring a whole lot when you're 48," he said. "We're kind of on hold here waiting to see what happens. There are a couple of other little deals out there, a couple of opportunities maybe." Schrader said that if all else fails, he has a back-up plan in place that would allow him to run his own truck on the Craftsman Truck Series with backing from his long-time sponsor, Federated Auto Parts. "I guess that would be option one," he said. "But there's been way too much conversation on [car owners Tony and Beth Ann Morgenthau's] part and the whole team with other companies to really be in panic mode."(Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
AND #49 Team owners Tony and Beth Ann Morgenthau got a heavy-handed dose of NASCAR reality in June, when, just as they sensed a sponsorship breakthrough with AT&T, NASCAR executives issued a controversial, and legally questionable, "No." The Morgenthaus are still not happy with the way that played out, but they've resigned themselves to playing by NASCAR's business "rules."
"NASCAR got into the middle of something they should never have been in the middle of, really," Tony Morgenthau said. "They tried to work that out. They have helped us tremendously trying to get sponsors. They've gone to presentations for us. They've had a lot of data. They've encouraged existing sponsors to talk with some of our people to show it really has helped their sales. NASCAR has been extremely helpful. The only problem we've had has been the Nextel problem. It's really not a problem. We'll overcome it and survive." With Kenny Schrader.(Winston Salem Journal)(10-26-2003)
AND II: Tony Morgenthau, co-owner of the No.49 Bam Racing car with Ken Schrader, says the team has a letter of intent from a company to be a sponsor next season.(Roanoke Times)(10-26-2003)
Kodak talking to teams: The Kodak sponsorship question is still unanswered, but company officials are expected to meet with potential car owners this weekend. Larry McClure [owner of the #4 Kodak Pontiac] has reportedly agreed to Kodak's buy-back of the final two years of his contract; however the two sides are apparently at odds over other aspects of that deal. Kodak is being bombarded with sponsorship bids, and the top two teams in the running appear to be DEI and Roush Racing. Ty Norris, DEI general manager, won't talk specifically about Kodak but says "We've had some movement in the last 10 days."(Winston Salem Journal)(10-25-2003)
Fan’s Face Finds Hood Of 1 800 CALL ATT Dodge: Robert Underwood probably never figured he could take the place of nationally-known comedian Carrot Top. But the native of South Elgin, Ill., located just outside of Chicago, will do just that this weekend at the 1.54-mile Atlanta Motor Speedway. His face will adorn the hood of the #49 1 800 CALL ATT Dodge of driver Ken Schrader and his BAM Racing team. Underwood won a nationwide consumer promotion by 1 800 CALL ATT, and will have his face on the hood of the car where Carrot Top’s has been. nderwood will also be at the NASCAR Winston Cup race this weekend as guest of 1 800 CALL ATT and BAM Racing. The winner was chosen at random last week from amongst the hundreds of thousands of callers who placed collect calls using 1 800 CALL ATT during the promotion, which began right after Labor Day.(Williams Company PR)(10-21-2003)
Kodak to BAM? UPDATE: Hearing Kodak has given up on the high-dollar teams at Bill Davis and DEI, and is working a deal to bring BAM Racing into the picture. The main reason is BAM can give them a solid race team at a much lower price than the other two. That way, they can ease out of the #4 Morgan-McClure situation and pay him more to buy their way out but still have a somewhat solid team. They like Ken Schrader as driver and the fact the Morgenthau's have enough money to make a lower-price sponsorship work for Kodak. Still too early to call but the good price for the sponsorship and the fact Kodak is impressed with the team might make this one work.(source)(10-18-2003)
UPDATE: Kodak officials may be on the verge of announcing a buyout of the final two years of the company's sponsorship contract with car owner [#4 Pontiac] Larry McClure. Those negotiations have been sharp, according to sources. But Kodak appears ready to make a move to another Winston Cup team. The top option is the third DEI team -- however, Kodak, after doing an exhaustive review of the costs of fielding a Cup team, may not be willing to pay the price DEI wants, and rival car owners are moving in quickly with lower bids, among them Beth Ann Morgenthau, Bill Davis, and Jim Smith. And then there is unexpected a new third Joe Gibbs team in the making, looking for a sponsor.(Winston Salem Journal)
HOWEVER: Owner Larry McClure says Kodak is staying put through 2005 as sponsor for the #4 Pontiac and that Kevin Lepage will drive it the rest of the season. McClure hasn't made a decision on a driver for 2004 but says Lepage is a candidate.(FoxSports/Sporting News)(10-20-2003)
Schrader to the Trucks? hearing Ken Sschrader may run the full Truck Series schedule in 2004. No word if he will still run the #49 BAM Racing Dodge, which will have Dodge backing in 2004.(10-18-2003)
Schrader wins at South Boston; Sadler third: Winston Cup veteran, Ken Schrader (#99) started where he left off from his last ARCA Series visit to "America's Hometown Track". Claiming the Old Milwaukee Pole for the Bank of America ARCA 200 presented by Fox 21/27, Schrader was the only driver to top 90 mph. Hermie Sadler (#02) started in third with the Bailey's Chevrolet and immediately went to work when the green flag waved. Schrader scooted to the lead, but Sadler tracked Schrader's trail through three cautions in the first 50 laps. Lap 60 saw another caution, but Sadler took advantage for a charge on the restart. Schrader went low, Sadler went high, but was unable to power around Schrader. Rookie, Alex Whitman (#56) wormed his way into the Top 5 in only his second ARCA start. Lap 84 saw Series Champ, Frank Kimmel (#46) slide sideways in four with two other machines bringing out another caution. Pit stops cycled through on lap 86 with Hermie Sadler beating Schrader off pitroad. Jason Jarrett (#67) remained on track to pick up the lead and keep valuable track position. Brent Sherman (#44) lost the handle on the restart, resetting the field on lap 97. Several cars got crossed up on lap 99, bringing out yet another caution at midway. Lap 119 saw caution for debris as Jarrett had company near the front in the form of Hermie Sadler and Ken Schrader lying in wait in second and third. Sadler claimed the lead on lap 125, but caution flew for debris on the frontstretch only two laps later. Schrader lined up behind Sadler, as Jarrett resisted pitroad again in third. Schrader worked under Sadler in turn four for the lead on lap 134, to reclaim his frontrunning position. Lap 138 slowed the charge again for a lap car, backstretch spin. Schrader pulled Sadler on the restart and built a healthy lead by lap 150. Sadler began to close in traffic by lap 155, but caution waved on lap160 for Billy Venturini's spin in turn three, resetting the field and Sadler's charge. After a lengthy clean up, only 25 laps remained with Schrader in control. Lap cars again entangled a lead lap ride on lap 181, this time Terry Jones (#30) snared Whitman, who was running a strong seventh on the lead lap. With 10 laps remaining the field was again under caution, after several cars dodged and darted for position. Sadler shuffled back to fourth, as Kimmel moved to second followed by Jarrett. Schrader restarted with only 8 laps remaining and a win hanging in the balance. A late lap caution in front of the leaders caused a green, white, checkered restart after the posted distance clicked on the board. Schrader felt the pressure of a charging Frank Kimmel and Hermie Sadler sailed under Jarrett to advance in the final lap, but Schrader held on for the win, followed by Kimmel, Sadler, and Jarrett.(South Boston Speedway PR)(10-19-2003)
Congrats: Scott Eggleston, Crew Chief for the BAM Racing #49, and his wife Michelle had their first child on Tuesday, October 14th. Mitchell Kent Eggleston arrived at 3:45pm without a hitch. Mom and Baby Boy are doing well.(10-17-2003)
BAM Racing gets a sponsor for Lowe's: SEM Products, Inc., celebrating its 50th year of automotive product research, production, manufacturing and distribution, will sponsor the #49 BAM Racing Dodge of driver Ken Schrader in the upcoming NASCAR Winston Cup stock car race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. SEM Products sponsored BAM earlier this season in the second races at Brooklyn, Mich., and Bristol, Tenn. "We are very pleased SEM Products will return to our car for the race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway,” said Beth Ann Morgenthau, who owns BAM Racing along with her husband Tony.(Williams Company)(10-9-2003)
What was on the #49 hood at Kansas? Blue Ox was one of the sponsors on the #49 car of Ken Schrader's for Sunday's Banquet 400 presented by ConAgra Foods at Kansas Motor Speedway. Blue Ox had the main logo on the hood of the # 49 BAM Racing Dodge. BAM Racing has partnered with Blue Ox for this race.(Blue Ox Site)(10-8-2003)
BAM to get Manufacturer Support in 2004: The #49 BAM Racing Dodge, currently driven by Ken Schrader, has received a pledge of support from Dodge for the 2004 season. That is great news for the unsponsored team, which is owned by Kansas City native Beth Ann Morganthau.(Kansas City Star)(10-2-2003)
Long Streak: #49-Ken Schrader extended his winless streak to 400 with his 37th-place finish at New Hampshire last week. Schrader will be at the site of his last Winston Cup win today. He won the June 2, 1991, race at Dover. He tied #11-Brett Bodine who also has 400 since his last, and only, Cup win, for the longest active streak without a win since winning a race. Bodine is running a partial schedule in 2003 and we all await the announcement of his new sponsor which hopefully will allow him to race full time in the series soon.(DBNJ/Jayski's Stats Page)(9-21-2003)
Stewart and Schrader do some dirt trackin': Tony Stewart and Ken Schrader love to race anything, anytime, anywhere, and this love for turning fast laps brought them to the Sheboygan County Fair Park in Plymouth, WI on Wednesday night. Both racers gave a good show on dirt in the IMCA Modified cars but they were plagued by mechanical problems most of the evening. See more to the story and images of the cars at MotorsportsTV.com.(9-5-2003)
No Carrot Top on the #49 at Darlington or Atlanta: #49 driver Ken Schrader is revved up about the new 1 800 CALL ATT national consumer promotion. Indeed, it’s unique, a NASCAR fan will be the face on the hood of Schrader’s #49 1 800 CALL ATT Dodge in the Sunday, Oct. 26, race at Atlanta (Ga.) Motor Speedway. The face will belong to winner of a national consumer promotion that began Monday, August 25th. "Carrot Top is a nice guy but it will be nice to have somebody else looking back at me during the race," he laughed. Schrader’s 1 800 CALL ATT Dodge at Darlington, S.C., this weekend will carry a paint scheme announcing the promotion, with “Your Face Could Be Here” emblazoned on the hood. "I can’t think of a cooler deal than having your face on the hood of a NASCAR Winston Cup car in front of 150,000 fans," Schrader said. "Atlanta is a perfect place for it too. A Darlington or Bristol, well, it could put a few wrinkles in you." Every collect call made with 1 800 CALL ATT beginning August 25th and continuing through October 8th, is a chance for fans to be entered for the promotion. Other prizes include Ken Schrader autographed collectible cards. 1 800 CALL ATT for collect calls is AT&T’s automated service that lets you make collect calls from any phone. For more information about the service or the sweepstakes, visit www.callatt.com.(Williams Company PR)(8-27-2003)
No 'white' #49 at Bristol, it'll be gold: With a highly unique paint job and a car that might even outglow the lights of the speedway itself, Ken Schrader and the #49 SEM Products/Color Horizons Dodge team head to Bristol. The race will debut one of the most unique paint schemes in NASCAR Winston Cup history. Sponsor SEM Products Inc. is introducing its Color Horizons line of custom finishes on the #49 SEM/Color Horizons Dodge at Bristol. The car showcases SEM/Color Horizons’ intense colors and the unique designs as applied by artist Ron Fleenor, a nationally-known custom designer from Knoxville, Tenn. The car itself will sport a design and coloring unlike anything seen before in major league stock car racing. It is a translucent mandarin candy which goes from light to dark from the top to the bottom of the car, all on top of a silver base. The colors were developed by SEM Products Inc. in their Color Horizons line, and are available through automotive paint suppliers. The thoughts of SEM/Color Horizons Dodge driver Ken Schrader heading into Bristol: “We think we’re going to have a pretty good weekend at Bristol but, no matter what, everybody is going to remember we were there. This SEM/Color Horizons car is hot. It looks great. That mandarin candy on top of that silver base really makes it jump out.(Williams Company PR), see an image of the car without decals on my 2003 Winston Cup Paint Schemes - Cars #'s 24-99.(8-21-2003)
SEM Products Sponsors BAM Racing #49 At Michigan and Bristol: SEM Products, Inc., celebrating its 50th year of automotive product research, production, manufacturing and distribution, will sponsor the #49 BAM Racing Dodge of driver Ken Schrader in the upcoming NASCAR Winston Cup stock car races at Michigan Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway. SEM will feature its Color Horizons custom finish paint through the sponsorship, and BAM will showcase a special paint scheme using Color Horizons Flakes and Color Horizon Pearl Pigments in the Aug.23 night race at the .533-mile Bristol track. “SEM and the fabricators at BAM are putting together a deal that is going to look incredible under the lights at Bristol,” said Schrader. “Everybody is always trying to come up with these special night paint schemes. With the ingenuity of SEM and the expertise of our fabricators, this is going to be one that will really show off this race car.” SEM Products recently revamped Color Horizons, which create a rainbow of color combinations for almost any look. Color Horizons, which can be applied to metal, aluminum or plastic surfaces, and is available in an array of base and candy concentrates, metal flakes, and pearlescent pigments as well as easy to use aerosols for a showstopping finish. “We are very pleased SEM Products and Color Horizons will be on our car for the next two races,” said Beth Ann Morgenthau, who owns BAM Racing along with her husband Tony. Having SEM with its history of excellence as a part of BAM Racing means a lot to all of us,” she continued. “We plan on giving them our best effort for two races, and are excited to see how good our car will look at Bristol when we use Color Horizons.”(Williams Company PR)(8-14-2003)
AT&T To Stay: AT&T apparently won't keep its telecommunications off the circuit next year despite restrictions set forth by new sponsor Nextel. With Nextel set to replace Winston as the title sponsor the NASCAR's top level of stock car racing in 2004, the only telecommunications companies allowed to sponsor cars will be companies already on the circuit. BAM Racing has a part-time sponsorship from 1-800-CALL-ATT, but Nextel decided to add so many restrictions on AT&T, including the banishment of AT&T's famed global emblem from the car and all of its marketing, everyone thought the deal was dead. "It looks like AT&T will be with us in some form in 2004, and this offers another tremendous opportunity for a sponsor," said BAM owner Beth Ann Morgenthau. "They appear to be very willing to work with our 2004 sponsors, develop cross-promotions and marketing opportunities, and help whoever comes in with BAM Racing." One way Morgenthau can make the AT&T deal work around Nextel's restrictions is to promote the company's 800-calling plan, not its telephone service.(Augusta Chronicle)(8-7-2003)
More on AT&T and Nextel: The future of AT&T's involvement in NASCAR remains in question, although it appears #49 BAM Racing has lost most hope in securing the company as a primary sponsor for its Dodges and driver Ken Schrader [who is NOT retiring]. NASCAR chief operating officer George Pyne confirmed Friday that NASCAR made the decision not to allow an expansion of AT&T's sponsorship of BAM Racing in light of the sanctioning body's new 10-year deal with Nextel Communications to sponsor what is now the Winston Cup series beginning in 2004. AT&T's 1-800-CALL-ATT division, which has served as a primary sponsor on BAM's #49 in several races this season, was among the sponsors that would be allowed to continue in the sport under a "grandfather clause," Pyne said. However, NASCAR drew the line on any expansion of AT&T's involvement, particularly the use of any logos that would promote AT&T Wireless, a direct competitor of Nextel. "It is part of our responsibility to look out for the interests for our teams and our sponsors," Pyne said. Audrey Schaefer, director of corporate communications for Nextel, said NASCAR was the "final arbiter" for all sponsor decisions. She said Nextel had no objection to AT&T's continued involvement in the sport so long as it fell within the confines of Nextel's agreement with NASCAR. The use of AT&T's trademark "globe" logo has been the sticking point on most of the discussions involving the possible full-time sponsorship of BAM's team. NASCAR has also had AT&T as an "official sponsor," but that agreement concludes at the end of the season, Pyne said.(ThatsRacin.com)(7-18-2003)
NASCAR Experimental Escape Hatch: Ken Schrader Discusses Test: Ken Schrader, driver of the #49 At&T Dodge for BAM Racing, Tested NASCAR's Experimental Escape Hatch [or as NASCAR calls it - Alternative Exit] Recently. NASCAR has made no announcements regarding it. Schrader's comment's: “NASCAR just called me up and asked if I would go over to the Tech Center there in Mooresville (N.C.) and try out the new escape hatch. To me it’s a wonderful improvement, looks fairly easy to implement, and it’s not complex. Personally I can’t see any draw backs . . .you know, makes perfect sense. It’s going to make a big difference, especially after an accident that ends with the driver’s side up against the wall. Now, you can’t get out of the driver’s side in that situation, because a lot of these walls are higher than the top of the car. With the escape hatch you can get out just as quickly as any other situation.. It’s also easier for emergency workers to get to the driver in that situation. You still have to unfasten all the safety equipment, so as far as it saving time in other situations, I’m not sure it will. However, now it’s impossible to get out with the wall right beside you - with the escape hatch you will be able to. I look for the thing to be implemented soon. Personally, I think it’s great.”(Williams Company of America PR)(7-16-2003)
Schrader to Retire after this season? UPDATE: Ken Schrader, driver of the #49 BAM Racing Dodge, dropped a minor[?] bombshell at The Beacon News Celebrity Sports Club dinner on Thursday night at Long Island Sound. "This might be the last year for me," Schrader told the near-capacity crowd. "There's no sense racing if you're not having fun. It's a profession where you have a lot of fun and I'm the oldest guy running now." The 48-year-old from Fenton, Mo. wasn't able to finish three of his last four NASCAR Winston Cup races. He had accidents June 8 at the Pocono 500 and June 15 at the Sirius 400, running his season total to four. He also crashed in the season-opening Daytona 500. Last Sunday in the Pepsi 400, engine troubles prevented him from crossing the finish line. Schrader, who spoke in an easy-going manner and showed a bit of comic timing, made it clear that he wasn't considering abandoning the sport entirely, just the NASCAR circuit. He avoided crashing Tuesday at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, winning a short-track race at the Hawkeye Downs Raceway. Schrader races his self-owned team in the Craftsman Truck Series, Winston West Series, ARCA and Southwest Tour Series. He still finds time to race on dirt tracks in the Midwest.(Beacon News)(7-11-2003)
UPDATE: Ken Schrader was quoted this week as saying 2003 might be his last year, but Schrader said that was taken just a little bit out of context. He did say that is a possibility, but it more hinges on whether or not his current team gets good sponsorship. That's the Beth Ann Morgenthau team, the [#49] BAM Racing operation. If they get good, solid sponsorship, or if he gets a ride offered to him in 2004. There are a lot of solid rides open out there, including Petty Enterprises and the Morgan-McClure team so Schrader may or may not be back in 2004.(NASCAR This Morning)(7-13-2003)
No AT&T for the #49 in 2004? UPDATE: hearing that Nextel has said AT&T can NOT sponsor the #49 car next year. NASCAR has told the team it will have to find another sponsor for 2004. Apparently NASCAR gave Nextel the choice because of the grandfathering of current sponsors, and Nextel said no. AT&T has sponsored the team all year. Not sure how this affects the #49 for next s