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Blaney & friends visit at racetrack
By JOHN BASSETTI
HARTFORD
Unofficially, it was veteran’s night at Sharon Speedway with 46-year-old Kenny Wallace, 48-year-old Dave Blaney and 55-year-old Ken Schrader in the spotlight.
The drivers, representing various levels of NASCAR competition at various stages of their careers, were at the track to take on area talent in the E-Mods class.
Blaney, a Sharon co-owner, continues to qualify for Sprint Cup races most weekends, despite the wear and tear of start-and-park Sundays.
“We’re doing all we can do with a small team [Prism Motorsports]. Racing [watching son Ryan] is fun, it’s just that my side of it isn’t anymore.”
The Hartford native thought he’d have more than just one full race this season, but they haven’t materialized so far.
“Hopefully, coming up, we do run [a full race] some — pick a few we think we can be pretty competitive at. It’s kind of day-to-day on what we can do and how much.”
He reiterated Prism’s predicament.
“To stay out there costs a lot of money and you could tear up a lot of stuff. There’s no sense doing it if you’re not ready. We have the equipment and it’s very competitive [based on Blaney’s weekly qualifying]. It’s picking your spot and having a good race.”
Blaney has resigned himself to the quandary.
“I choose to be there every week. If we can get some money [to race] or an opportunity comes up with another team — a bigger team, then I’m there. For now, I’m going to stick it out.”
Although no opportunities exist now, one that opened lately was snatched up by Casey Mears, who got Brian Vickers’ ride.
“Yeah, that was an opening that popped up, unexpectedly. You wouldn’t think something like that would happen. But, Casey was standing there and they grabbed him to do it.”
Blaney fans felt that their man should have moved in, but Dave said he wasn’t slighted.
“He [Mears] is a young guy in a Red Bull car, so that kind of makes sense. The teams make what they think is the best move for them.”
He reiterated that competitive rides are like gold.
“Not many are hiring. That’s where the sport’s hurting. The economy in the last few years has sucked some of the sponsorship money out of it so the teams have to [cut] to stay alive. It used to be you had to have a lot of experience before you could get in a good car, but now, if you can bring a sponsor, they’ll take a chance on you because they have to do that to stay alive. It may or may not stay that way.”
Schrader, a former Cup driver, has been relegated to mostly dirt racing this summer, but he did well last Friday in the WinStar World Casino 400k Camping World Truck Series race in Fort Worth, Texas.
“I’m running Kevin Harvick’s Truck Series some and running my own Federated Auto Parts some,” he said of his involvement.
“We’re not done, but as far as being at those places where you run 200 mph every weekend, I don’t think we’ll see that happen anymore.”
The Trucks series is where a lot of veterans have gone.
Schrader has ownership in tracks in a St. Louis suburb, in Macon Speedway south of Decatur, Ill. and in Paducah, Ky.
Of the effect of the down economy, Schrader said: “Everybody’s fighting for sponsorship and fighting to get people in the grandstands. We’re going through an adjustment period. It probably needed to happen.”
Last Friday’s race was only the third in the Camping World Series for Schrader, who just turned 55 a few weeks ago.
But he jumped 12 places to 30th after Texas.
“That’ll happen when you only run three times a year. That’s why you’ll make big gains.”
Schrader favors the return of tough-nosed racing and the drama that ensues, such the heated exchange between Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick after Sunday’s race at Pocono Speedway.
In his comments following an on-track incident, Logano said that Harvick’s wife was more fit to wear the firesuit in the family, a reference to her being the boss.
Schrader said: “I think it [drama] is good but I don’t know if I’d put my money on Logano over Kevin’s wife.”