Ken Schrader
No. 18 Fastenal Dodge Ram Race Recap
The Kroger 250
Martinsville Speedway

Martinsville Speedway is known as one of the most prestigious short tracks in the south and one of the hardest to pass on. Veteran Driver Ken Schrader showed off years of short track experience as he made his way through the field during the Kroger 250 after qualifying the No. 18 Fastenal Dodge in the 30th position. With the help of a timely pit crew, several close calls and moves that resembled a race at the local dirt track Schrader brought the Fastenal Dodge home in the 12th position. It was the team's best finish of the 2007 season and moved Schrader up to 15th in the season point's standings.

No. 18 Fastenal Dodge Martinsville Speedway Race Recap

• Schrader qualified his Fastenal Dodge in the 30th position Saturday morning before the Kroger 250. "It is not fast by herself, but I know it will race good," said Schrader after climbing from the truck after qualifying.
• By lap 20 of the 250 lap event Schrader had worked his way into the 25th position.
• The second of 15 caution flags waved on lap 33 when Bobby Hamilton Racing teammate Chase Miller spun in turn four. "It's still too early to come in and get tires," said Crew Chief Jeff White. Schrader agreed and restarted in the 25th position.
• Schrader asked to be freed up when the next caution came out on lap 40. Typical of Martinsville Speedway, his truck was getting tight in the turns.
• Schrader brought the Fastenal Dodge down pit road to the attention of the Fastenal Racing Team. They cranked out a fast pit stop changing all four tires, adding fuel, up two rounds on the track bar and made a wedge adjustment to aide the tight condition. Schrader, gaining two spots on pit road, restarted in the 21st spot.
• By lap 110 Schrader was comfortably running in the 17th position. "It is still a little tight," said Schrader who did not pit under the seventh caution.
• The eighth caution waved on lap 153 for an accident in turn two. "Schrader, there is only four trucks on the lead lap behind us. I think we should come in and take four tires and make an adjustment," said White.
• Schrader brought the Fastenal Dodge down pit road for the final time. Once again The Fastenal Racing Team cranked out a fast pit stop changing all four tires, adding fuel, went up one round on the track bar and made an air pressure adjustment to help the tight condition. Schrader, gaining another position on pit road, restarted in the 15th position on lap 164.
• The next 50 laps were filled with caution after caution allowing Schrader to gain more spots on the track.
• On lap 230, while running in the 13th position, Schrader was on the inside three -wide going in to turn two when the back end of the No. 18 Fastenal Dodge jerked sideways. Schrader showed of his stellar short track skills saving the Fastenal Dodge and gaining a position to move into 12th.
• "No worries," said Schrader. "I was just getting ready for Paducah (his dirt track in Kentucky) next weekend."
• The final caution waved on lap 249 setting up the field for a green-white-checkered flag finish. "Alright here is my game plan, we are going to have to play defense here," said Schrader under the caution. "These guys are getting really crazy out here and I have a feeling they are going to wreck."
• Schrader avoided any possible trouble on the final restart and brought home the Fastenal Dodge in the 12th position.
• It was the team's best finish of the season and their third consecutive top-15 finish.

Mike Skinner won the Kroger 250 before an estimated crowd of 45,200. Todd Bodine, Rick Crawford, Kevin Harvick and Ted Musgrave rounded out the top five finishers. The next event for the NCTS will be the O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas Speedway on April 28, 2007 with Joe Ruttman driving the Fastenal Dodge.