In the Pits- KSR

Schrader, crew chief reunited on new team

Ken Schrader, who left BAM Racing at the end of 2005 in order to join the Wood Brothers/JTG Racing Team and drive the famed No. 21 Ford Fusion during the 2006 Nextel Cup season, will have a familiar face with him in the pits.

The Wood Brothers team recently hired David Hyder, Schrader’s former crew chief at BAM Racing, as crew chief for the No. 21 car.

Meanwhile, last year’s crew chief of the No. 21 car, Michael “Fatback” Mc-Swain, was promoted to the position of race director for all of the teams under the Wood Brothers Racing-ST Motor-sports-Wood Brothers/JTG Racing umbrella. The multi-team operation recently moved into a new shop in Harrisburg, NC.

“We are giving Fatback the title that goes with the work he has been doing in getting the Truck, Busch and Cup teams under one roof and ready for competition next year,” says Eddie Wood, team co-owner along with Len Wood. “He has coordinated the move to our new location while maintaining a leadership role in the fabrication and engineering of all of our race cars and trucks. These changes will just strengthen our Little Debbie/Motor-craft/U.S. Air Force team in 2006.”

“I’m glad that Eddie and Len decided to hire David,” McSwain says. “I already know he and Kenny work well together, and this will give me the freedom to work with the five teams we now have in place. It would have been very difficult to work with all the teams and remain as crew chief for the 21, so this is a great solution.”

McSwain has been with Wood Brothers Racing as crew chief for the No. 21 Nextel Cup Series team since August 2004. The racing veteran has been on the Cup circuit since 1992.

As for the Schrader-Hyder reunion, Eddie Wood says, “This was just the logical progression of events. They had a good thing going at BAM Racing. We wanted to keep the relationship between Kenny and David intact.”

Hyder comes to the Wood Brothers operation after working with Schrader as crew chief at BAM Racing for more than a year. Before that he was with Petty Enterprises where he served as car chief for both the No. 43 and No. 45 Nextel Cup cars.

“I am so pleased to be able to continue the working relationship Kenny and I started at BAM,” Hyder says. “This is really a win-win situation for me.”