By: Betty Glynn
La Salle, IL – Thursday night the noise echoing heavily in the air was not the skies rumbling or road construction. It was some of the greatest dirt track racers, a Nascar professional, and the local hotshoes competing in the much anticipated UMP DIRTcar Summernationals special event at the La Salle Speedway.
The engines roared inside their expensive machines and rolled to impressive speeds as they ran full throttle on the ultra exciting ¼ mile high banked oval without caution.
The legendary Summernationals tour was in town. During the dog days of summer contenders from across the nation, travel to 28 different venues in 30 days hoping to score the big win and the coveted tour championship.
It is one of the toughest schedules a racer and crew can endure. Much like the reality show “Dirty Jobs”, this is truly a dirty career path. Of course, when you have a job that starts out as a hobby and the passion rolls into a career it can be a lifetime dream.
For many of the racers, they have fulfilled their childhood fantasy of growing up to be nothing less then a racecar driver. But most will admit it isn’t always fun and games. What is hard to comprehend is the long hours in the garage, the road trips that stop being glamorous way too quickly, finding and keeping sponsorships, filling up at the gas pump and that isn’t even the half of it.
For one racer this life has been a good one and he is more then willing to share his feelings on what he knows best…racing. And of course the grueling schedule and the competition of the tour he had to check out for himself.
“A lot of the guys here have the stuff they need to win. If their not torn up yet then you know they have their cars where the need to be,” Nascar driver Ken Schrader told the crowd.
Schrader has been driving every since he could remember and loves to do nothing more then race. Doesn’t matter what he is behind the wheel of but one thing for sure he isn’t willing to give that passion up any time soon.
At age 3, his father would use a cable to tie his go-kart to a post in their backyard. He would spend hours driving in circles until he eventually ran out of gas. This was the beginning of a lifetime of turning left.
At 52, Schrader is still a die hard race fan and driver. He competes at the highest level in the Nascar’s Nextel Cup and various other sanctioned series but his heart still belongs in a dirt machine. He has been known to drop in on races throughout the Midwest to keep his passion fed.
Upon first meeting Schrader it is easy to see why he is such a likable person. He appears most comfortable hanging around the pit area and just talking shop. A quick smile, a kind laugh and a very approachable personality make him a fan favorite.
Several times during the interview he politely stopped to give an appreciative fan a personal autograph.
He spoke candidly of his life and where he is headed.
“I am going to keep doing Nascar a few more times this year, and then maybe that’s it – we’ll see after that.”
Schrader leads a pretty busy life as he travels the Nascar circuit, races dirt any time he can and has sponsorship events to attend. But known as the racer’s racer he doesn’t care as long as he can climb into the car and do what he knows best.
“June, July and August are very hectic for our family. My son has been with me a lot this summer and I like that.”
His son is now 11 but shows little to no interest in pursuing a racing career like dad.
“He has no desire what so ever to race. It’s okay with me. I know how hard it is to make any money doing it but I just like having my family with me.”
“This was a hobby and turned into a profession for me. I’m lucky to have done it and want to keep doing it until I just can’t get into a car anymore.”
Not only is Schrader a driver but for over 10 years he has co-promoted the
I55 Raceway near his childhood stomping ground of Pevely, Missouri.
“The people here are the backbone of auto racing.”
At the end of the day, Schrader took home a thirteenth place finish. He didn’t win the venues top billing but he may have won over quite a few new fans in process.
La Salle, IL – Thursday night the noise echoing heavily in the air was not the skies rumbling or road construction. It was some of the greatest dirt track racers, a Nascar professional, and the local hotshoes competing in the much anticipated UMP DIRTcar Summernationals special event at the La Salle Speedway.
The engines roared inside their expensive machines and rolled to impressive speeds as they ran full throttle on the ultra exciting ¼ mile high banked oval without caution.
The legendary Summernationals tour was in town. During the dog days of summer contenders from across the nation, travel to 28 different venues in 30 days hoping to score the big win and the coveted tour championship.
It is one of the toughest schedules a racer and crew can endure. Much like the reality show “Dirty Jobs”, this is truly a dirty career path. Of course, when you have a job that starts out as a hobby and the passion rolls into a career it can be a lifetime dream.
For many of the racers, they have fulfilled their childhood fantasy of growing up to be nothing less then a racecar driver. But most will admit it isn’t always fun and games. What is hard to comprehend is the long hours in the garage, the road trips that stop being glamorous way too quickly, finding and keeping sponsorships, filling up at the gas pump and that isn’t even the half of it.
For one racer this life has been a good one and he is more then willing to share his feelings on what he knows best…racing. And of course the grueling schedule and the competition of the tour he had to check out for himself.
“A lot of the guys here have the stuff they need to win. If their not torn up yet then you know they have their cars where the need to be,” Nascar driver Ken Schrader told the crowd.
Schrader has been driving every since he could remember and loves to do nothing more then race. Doesn’t matter what he is behind the wheel of but one thing for sure he isn’t willing to give that passion up any time soon.
At age 3, his father would use a cable to tie his go-kart to a post in their backyard. He would spend hours driving in circles until he eventually ran out of gas. This was the beginning of a lifetime of turning left.
At 52, Schrader is still a die hard race fan and driver. He competes at the highest level in the Nascar’s Nextel Cup and various other sanctioned series but his heart still belongs in a dirt machine. He has been known to drop in on races throughout the Midwest to keep his passion fed.
Upon first meeting Schrader it is easy to see why he is such a likable person. He appears most comfortable hanging around the pit area and just talking shop. A quick smile, a kind laugh and a very approachable personality make him a fan favorite.
Several times during the interview he politely stopped to give an appreciative fan a personal autograph.
He spoke candidly of his life and where he is headed.
“I am going to keep doing Nascar a few more times this year, and then maybe that’s it – we’ll see after that.”
Schrader leads a pretty busy life as he travels the Nascar circuit, races dirt any time he can and has sponsorship events to attend. But known as the racer’s racer he doesn’t care as long as he can climb into the car and do what he knows best.
“June, July and August are very hectic for our family. My son has been with me a lot this summer and I like that.”
His son is now 11 but shows little to no interest in pursuing a racing career like dad.
“He has no desire what so ever to race. It’s okay with me. I know how hard it is to make any money doing it but I just like having my family with me.”
“This was a hobby and turned into a profession for me. I’m lucky to have done it and want to keep doing it until I just can’t get into a car anymore.”
Not only is Schrader a driver but for over 10 years he has co-promoted the
I55 Raceway near his childhood stomping ground of Pevely, Missouri.
“The people here are the backbone of auto racing.”
At the end of the day, Schrader took home a thirteenth place finish. He didn’t win the venues top billing but he may have won over quite a few new fans in process.
