Schrader Dumped For Elliots Past Champion's Provisionals

[falcon325]

What a crummy way to end a career.

http://www.woodbrothersracing.com/team_news2.cfm?ID=1459

Oh well.  Too many calories in them Little Debby's cakes anyway.

[Tyyrus]

Yeah , I feel for Ole Kenny ! The Business side of Racing can be harsh at times , but it is a business and Kenny will land on his feet . I know he will not let this detract from his dirt car action...lol ! 

[The Voice]

Didn't he just run an ARCA race last weekend?

[FS Ren]

He runs in anything.  People whine about Buschwhacking all the time, but see nothing wrong with Schrader going into ARCA, local tracks or anywhere he can strap into a seat.  I don't see a problem with it, but I don't complain about Cup drivers in Busch cars either.

As soon as Elliott uses up all his provisionals. I'm sure that Kenny and Jon will be back in the ride.  Unless they can get Terry Labonte, He's still good for PC provisionals since he ran last year.

Ren

[Tyyrus]

Didn't he just run an ARCA race last weekend?

Oh ..Hell Kenny Races Arca.. Nascar South West Tour ..even Raced in Cascar in Hamilton Ontairo..the Cat just flat out is a Racer !   

[falcon325]

He runs in anything.  People whine about Buschwhacking all the time, but see nothing wrong with Schrader going into ARCA, local tracks or anywhere he can strap into a seat.  I don't see a problem with it, but I don't complain about Cup drivers in Busch cars either.

As soon as Elliott uses up all his provisionals. I'm sure that Kenny and Jon will be back in the ride.  Unless they can get Terry Labonte, He's still good for PC provisionals since he ran last year.

Ren

Ren:

One Cup driver--heck, four or five Cup drivers--showing uo at a minor league event can be good for the series regulars.  It gives them better competition, let's them measure themselves against the top tier, brings out more fans, etc.

But there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.  That's what's happening with the Busch series.

[FS_Amy]

I wrote about this in my column last week: http://www.frontstretch.com/ahenderson/9011/

My two cents:  It would be one thing if the Wood Brothers really wanted Bill Eilliott for Bill Elliott.  But they don't, the want the free ride that Awesome Bill gives them, and if he didn't have six races free and clear, his phone probably would not have rung.  They're using him,, plain and simple, and screwing Schrader (who has always been a good qualifier-perhaps they need to look at the EQUIPMENT instead of the DRIVER, hmmmm?-and Jon Wood, who could be a long-term drivr for the team and needs seat time-with Schrader's guidance-to be ready for that.  Instead, they went for a stopgap measure, and everyone loses.  I'm doubly disappointed becasue I'd always admired the Wood Brothers, both generations...until now.

As for Schrader racing in ARCA and other series...it's a nonissue becasue he isn't trying to use more money and his name to steal sponsors, wins and championships from the regularas in those series.  That's the difference between him and your average Buschwhacker Cup team and Schrader-he just wants to race, and it doesn't hurt the integrity of the series the way the RCR/Roush?HMS crowd hurt the Busch series-different animal.

[Chris]

well.. lets just wait and see what happens.
Something is going on Somewhere.... time will tell.
It's either the team, the driver or a combination of both.

Obviously the combination they have NOW is NOT working.
Whats a team to do,.. keep doing what they are,... something has to change.  That don't make any sense.

If (and this will be a challenge since BIll Hadn't drove much since Daytona).. but lets say IF BIll can get the cars in the field, and he can gain the Woods back up into the top 35 in points, and he even gets the car in on speed and don't have to use up his provisionals all the time,.. that kinda tells me maybe he deserves to be in the seat more than Schrader.
Granted that team start OUT in the top 35 at the start of the season... got to start all the first 5 races, I would think they "should" have been able to keep it there.  NOw they have fell out of the top 35 and even went so far as to miss a couple races.  Something is wrong.

I'm not holding my breath,.. hard for a driver to just get in a car and perform right off the bat when he hadn't drove in three months+.... not to mention probably NEVER been in the "new car".  TO get the #21 car back into the top 35 NOW is gonna be a tall order.  The Woods are trying to fix the problem "after the fact".  Currently the #21 car is 39th in points and is 160 points out of 35th.  The worse problem is he has to jump over some stronger cars just to get to 35th.  Guys like Riggs, Menard, Blaney, and Mears.  They can't get there in one race... so it'll take several weeks, and some of the other teams will have to have problems.

Still, I'd just wait and see what happens before passing any judgement.... obviously the Woods were going backwards with the combination they had.
As far as putting Jon Wood in the car and letting him get seat time.... That would be kinda like havng Allmendinger (or Waltrip) in a car.  He'd miss was more races than he makes,.. and it would just be an excercise in pulling a race hauler back and forth to the tracks each week.  If the Woods want to improve,.. they need someone who has some experience and can help to tell then whats wrong.

[HUDSON HORNET]

I had alot to say about all this, but thanx to Chris, I don't have to. Chris pretty much echoed my sentiments.

In order to finish first, first you have to finish. But even before THAT, you have to be IN the race. Awsome Bill can get 'er done. Although, I imagine running a 600 mile race right out of the box, ain't gonna be too easy.

I don't get the impression that this driver trade-off is resented by Kenny Schrader though. I think he understands the ins and outs enough to realize this is a kinda necessary thing to do, under the circumstances. And I hear, when it's all said and done, Kenny will be back in the seat. Jon, too. Bill Elliott is more like medication to go with the band-aid they've been using. No sense treating the symptom. Go for the cure.

There ain't no "I" in TEAM.

Besides, all things considered, it'll be great to watch Awsome Bill out there again. I just hope to hear a bunch of interviews with him. That Southern Smooth accent is waayyyy cool.

[The Voice]

but lets say IF BIll can get the cars in the field, and he can gain the Woods back up into the top 35 in points, and he even gets the car in on speed and don't have to use up his provisionals all the time,.. that kinda tells me maybe he deserves to be in the seat more than Schrader.

If all that was going to happen, why'd they wait until now to make the deal?

[HUDSON HORNET]

If all that was going to happen, why'd they wait until now to make the deal?

Desperation?

[Tyyrus]

.  As far as putting Jon Wood in the car and letting him get seat time.... That would be kinda like havng Allmendinger (or Waltrip) in a car.  He'd miss was more races than he makes,.. and it would just be an excercise in pulling a race hauler back and forth to the tracks each week.  If the Woods want to improve,.. they need someone who has some experience and can help to tell then whats wrong.

Hey , Chris do me a Favor don't put Poor Young Almendinger in Waltrips Class...at least the Kid has Qualified and ran in some races since Daytona...give him a break...sheeesh ! 

[Chris]

Hey , Chris do me a Favor don't put Poor Young Almendinger in Waltrips Class...at least the Kid has Qualified and ran in some races since Daytona...give him a break...sheeesh ! 

yeah I did the kid a dis-service... my bad... sorry

[Chris]

How about that... The old boy put it on the field...
WHO needs a champions provisional..??  LOL

OH interesting... he should get in a car and make a good run and make the field for a struggling team after the "first" time he MISSED the field was here at this SAME track last fall.
Guess shows the equipment is much better he is driving now (for the Woods) than the stuff he drove last Fall for the Red Bull team.
Still say if Red Bull had hired him instead of Allmendinger that team could be MILES ahead of where they are now.

[FS_Amy]

I still wonder where Schrader, always an outstanding qualifier, might have put it...  the team's problem was never the driver...