NASCAR Team Owners Handed Grim Warning by Ken Schrader

The stars will descend at a different place this year! After three years at LA Memorial Coliseum at a specially built quarter-mile track, NASCAR will move The Clash—to a place known for its tight corners, short straightaways and bumper to bumper racing—slated for February 2. But don’t think, it’s going to any easier. As per veteran racer Ken Schrader, drivers and especially team owners will have a tough time.

For those still confused, we’re talking about the hallowed Bowman Gray Stadium. But before we get to what exactly makes it exciting/worrying for teams…

For the unversed: “The Madhouse” will reportedly host a Cup Series race after a staggering 54 years. It was built in 1937, and is the longest running weekly track in NASCAR’s history. A comparatively smaller venue with a seating capacity of 17,000, the venue hosted 29 Cup races between 1958-71, and NASCAR’s return to it holds a special mission and meaning—it’s an effort by the organization to return to its roots, while appealing to younger audiences. And looks like the plan’s working.

As per NASCAR’s official website on November 24 last year, tickets for the exhibition race have already sold out. “The sellout of The Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium speaks volumes about the monumental nature of the event at this historic venue. We’re honored to bring such an incredible race weekend to Winston-Salem that will provide an opportunity to place the stars of Bowman Gray Stadium’s Modified Division in the national spotlight,” NASCAR’s Project Lead for the NASCAR Clash, Justin Swilling, said. Fans will definitely not regret. But teams might…

In an update that is mostly bad for NASCAR teams, but exciting for those attending the race, Ken Schader and Kenny Wallace dissected what’s to come in February. In the YouTube video aired January 7, Schrader quipped that The Clash should instead be called “The crash”.

“See that’s why Kenny Schrader’s so witty,” Wallace responded by laughing out loud to which his co-host warned, “It won’t be a ton of cars involved. But there’ll be a ton of cars stopped…that might be blocked with two or three cars. But it’ll still be blocked.”

“It’s small, but look at where they were…No matter what you think: The Clash at Daytona, The [Budweiser Shootout] whatever it was, it was packed. But people quit coming to The Clash. So they are trying some other stuff. Believe me, I’m going to have my TV on for Saturday and Sunday…to watch everything going on at Bowman Gray. Because it’s gonna be exciting and the place is going to be packed,” the dirt track veteran added. Kenny Wallace noted how Schrader, in a fun way, said it’s gonna be called the cookout crash. But what does it mean?

Schrader said, “What I mean is that those cars are pretty tough. They are going to be replacing those links. They are always replacing some parts. But, it’s not like you are going to be throwing cars away. When we used to run it, you just figured you weren’t coming home with the same car. One or two guys were going to come home with their car and use it again. When you went to Daytona, you knew you were going to lose a car. As far as your rotation and everything you plan on, some things are not coming back. A lot of guys will lose two or three cars down there.”

Even Bowman Gray Stadium’s winningest driver, Tim Brown doubled down the difficulty level. Talking to Bob Pokrass, the racer admitted, “I’m hoping it’s going to be a really good race,” Tim Brown said. “The fear that I have is that if it’s really, really cold, like 30 degrees and the track is cold and the tires are cold, they’ll be slipping and sliding quite a bit. Racing at the stadium is hard. I think it’s going to be more difficult than even racing at the Coliseum in LA, just because of the asphalt difference and the weather, the temperature difference. It’s going to be the same for everybody, so I think the bottom will definitely be dominant. Just got to have your car turning really good in the center and have plenty of forward drive and you’ll be fine.” 

Regardless, while Schrader speaks freely about crashes, there is one particular crash that still remains in his memories.

Ken Schrader and the burden of Earnhardt’s death

What Ken Schrader experienced the day Dale Earnhardt passed away is a memory that has stayed with him. He was aware that his friend was in serious trouble, although he couldn’t confirm if he had actually passed. This realization has left a lasting impact on him. Following the tragic loss of Dale Earnhardt Sr., which sent shockwaves throughout the NASCAR community, many were eager to learn the details of Dale Sr.’s last moments. However, Schrader chose not to share those memories, keeping them private.

The world only saw what was captured on camera: In turn 4 at Daytona in 2001—the final turn of the final lap—Earnhardt had made light contact with Sterling Marlin and Ken Schrader. The aftermath was a hair raising head-on collision between Earnhardt and the retaining wall at a critical angle at an estimated speed of somewhere between 155 and 160 miles per hour.

Having said that, Earnhardt’s son Dale Earnhardt Jr. holds no grudges against Schrader. In fact, Jr even expressed gratitude and support that the veteran and his father’s friend was the one who had to bear the weight of that painful memory. In those challenging days, the young 26-year-old racer could have easily lost his way.

Thankfully, he was surrounded by supportive individuals who guided him through the turmoil. Dale Jr. reflected on the significant role of mentors in his life, emphasizing a particular gesture by Kenny Jones that provided him with invaluable support. He recognized how important it was to have good people around him and how those relationships shaped his journey in racing.

Do you think the number of wrecks in NASCAR makes the races more exciting for fans? Why or why not?