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)
