ELKHART LAKE, Wis.—NASCAR Sprint Cup legend Ken Schrader has driven a lot of racecars during his career, but he has never competed in a MINI Cooper S. That all changes next weekend, when Schrader joins RSR Motorsports to co-drive the No. 195 MINI Cooper S during the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge race at Road America.

Schrader’s racing career includes 27 years as a NASCAR Sprint Cup driver. He has also competed in ARCAÜSAC, various NASCAR series, and several dirt series. As team owner of Ken Schrader Racing, he currently fields driver Tom Hessert in ARCA. Schrader is also a popular commentator on SPEED and ESPN.

At Road America, Schrader will co-drive the No. 195 MINI with Dicky Riegel in the Street Tuner (ST) class of the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge. While this is the first time they have driven together, their partnership reaches back a decade. Riegel is Group President of Thor Industries, and Schrader can usually be found in one of the company’s motorhomes at the racetrack.

“We’ve been working with Dicky and Thor Motor Coach for many years,” says Schrader. “As a family, we’ve owned and enjoyed many Thor motorhomes. The Schrader family stayed connected throughout my career because we were able to stay in Thor motorhomes at racetracks all over North America. Our family loves RVing and it has been our solution for combining my racing and making time to be together as a family.”

Schrader’s ties to RSR Motorsports also extend to team owner Randall Smalley, whose company Cruise America has long utilized Thor Motor Coaches. Smalley, Riegel and Schrader all met through Thor Motor Coach, but it was a weekend of racing modifieds together that really sealed the friendship for Smalley.

The 2.5-hour race, which kicks off at 7:15 p.m. ET on Friday, June 24, will be Schrader’s first appearance at Road America. “I have known Dicky for a long time and look forward to co-driving with him. We hope to bring home this trophy to add to our other road course wins at Sonoma, Topeka, Lime Rock, and Riverside. The challenges of roadracing really test your skills as a driver and I always welcome such a challenge,” says Schrader.

“Ken absolutely loves being in a race car, any race car, and I know that he's relishing his opportunity to drive the MINI, a new car for him, at Road America, a new track for him. There's no doubt that Ken will be fast, and will take to the MINI right away,” says Riegel, who adds that Schrader’s example of taking every opportunity to race has influenced his own career as a driver.??Riegel aptly sums up the feelings of RSR Motorsports, saying, “The entire RSR team is looking forward to welcoming Ken into the paddock, and as a new member of RSR Motorsports.”

Follow along with Schrader and RSR Motorsports at Road America by visiting www.RSRMotorsports.com.

RSR Motorsports is sponsored by Cruise America, Thor Motor CoachĂśS LED, MINI USA, Pilot/Flying J Travel Centers, Performance Friction Rotors, OS Giken Racing Clutches and Limited Slip Differentials, Midway Ford Truck Sales, Mini North Scottsdale, Performance Speed Tech, and Carbotech Pads.

ELKHART LAKE, Wis.—GRAND-AM’S first appearance at Road America proved to be a good one for RSR Motorsports. The MINI Cooper S team earned three top tens in the Street Tuner class of the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge.

Friday’s 2.5-hour race was plagued with cautions, but the three RSR MINIS managed to stay out of trouble as they cruised to finishes of fourth, seventh and tenth.

Sarah Cattaneo and Owen Trinkler were in top form in the No. 198 RSR MINI, and their fourth moved them up a spot in the driver championship. Ron Farmer and Jason Hart were seventh in the No. 196 US LED MINI.

NASCAR star Ken Schrader and longtime friend Dicky Riegel finished tenth in the No. 195 RSR Motorsports MINI Cooper S. The finish capped a great day for the Cruise America and Thor Motor Coach sponsored team, but was especially memorable for Schrader. Prior to the weekend, he had never raced in a MINI or at Road America.

“Racing at Road America with Dicky Riegel was a great experience—it may have been the most fun I ever had in a race. It ranks right up there,” says Schrader. “Road America is a beautiful road course and fun to drive. Racing the MINI Cooper in the ST class was a thrill.”

Riegel echoed the sentiment, saying, “It was an outstanding result for our team to get three top-tens. It’s always fun to drive with a friend, especially when that friend is a legendary racecar driver. It was remarkable how quickly Kenny got up to speed and how well he performed in a car that was new to him.”

Cattaneo and Trinkler now sit at fourth in the driver championship, and their fourth place at Road America is their second-best finish this season. Cattaneo had never raced at the four-mile course before, but it didn’t take long for her to become a fan.

“Road America is probably one of my favorite tracks now and I hope to go back,” Cattaneo says. “It’s a fast track with a lot of wide open corners. It’s a lot of fun, and our results certainly made me like it that much more!”

“I only did ten laps under green during my stint,” says Trinkler. “It was tough trying to hold onto our position at every restart. As a team, though, it was a great weekend and a really solid race.”

RSR Motorsports hopes for another solid race when they travel to Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca next week for round eight of the GRAND-AM Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge on Saturday, July 9. In the meantime, fans can catch the Road America race on SPEED on Sunday, July 3, at 1:00 p.m. ET.

See photos from Road America and keep up with RSR Motorsports at www.RSRMotorsports.com.

RSR Motorsports is sponsored by Cruise America, Thor Motor CoachĂśS LED, MINI USA, Pilot/Flying J Travel Centers, Performance Friction Rotors, OS Giken Racing Clutches and Limited Slip Differentials, Midway Ford Truck Sales, Mini North Scottsdale, Performance Speed Tech, and Carbotech Pads.