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: Wood Brothers Racing is in an expansion mode. The move to a new 129,000-square-foot shop began this week and will be completed by December 1, owner Eddie Wood says. Crew chief Fatback McSwain has been instrumental in hiring the additional crew members needed to operate two truck teams, two Busch teams and the #21 Cup ride. Drivers Bob East and Marcus Ambrose will be part of Ford Racing’s developmental program in the Craftsman Truck Series. Jon Wood and Stacy Compton will drive the Busch cars. An announcement will come this weekend that Ken Schrader will drive the Cup car.(Sporting News)(11-14-2005)
UPDATE 2: the announcement will come Friday morning at Homestead-Miami Speedway…supposedly the sponsors will be some of the sponsors currently on the #21 Ford and a sponsor brand new to the sport….no idea who…yet.(11-15-2005)
UPDATE 3: hearing Little Debbie will sponsor the #21 and Kenny Schrader in 2006, not sure in what capacity, but supposedly as a primary in a number of races.(11-18-2005)
UPDATE 4: Ken Schrader has joined the Wood Brothers/JTG Racing Team. Hell drive the famed #21 Ford Fusion during the 2006 Nextel Cup season. The car will be sponsored by the newest face in NASCAR ? Little Debbie, Americas #1 snack cake. I look forward to establishing a winning tradition with Wood Brothers/JTG Racing and Little Debbie Snacks, says Schrader. Some of the most victorious drivers in NASCAR history have driven the Number 21 car. I intend to continue that winning tradition in 2006. Three years ago, I thought that 2005 could be my last season. However, when the opportunity to drive for the Wood Brothers and Little Debbie presented itself, it made my decision to continue driving in the Nextel Cup Series very easy, says Schrader. There is always excitement when a new company realizes the marketing potential of NASCAR for increasing its business and then decides to enter the sport. This is going to be fun! Little Debbie will be the primary sponsor of the #21 car for 19 races in 2006. Motorcraft Quality Parts and the U.S. Air Force will rotate their sponsorship of the Ford Fusion for the remaining races during the 2006 season. Collegedale, Tennessee-based McKee Foods, a privately held, family-run company, has manufactured more than 150 billion Little Debbie snacks since 1960 thats enough to circle the 1.5-mile oval track at Homestead-Miami Speedway more than 1.3 million times. Little Debbie snacks have even orbited the Earth on the space shuttle, traveling more than 17,500 miles an hour. The #21 Little Debbie-sponsored car was unveiled following a news conference today at the Homestead Miami Speedway. A $21,000 check was presented to the Florida Hurricane Relief Fund to offer immediate assistance to victims of Hurricane Wilma in southern Florida.(McKee Foods/Little Debbie), see images of the car on my 2006 #21 Team Schemes page.(11-18-2005)
