Sprague Moves to Seventh in the Standings Despite Tough Trip to Texas

Fort Worth, Texas (June 11, 2007) – Coming off a rough race at Dover International Speedway last weekend, Jack Sprague and the Wyler Racing team were eager to return to Texas Motor Speedway, a site where the Three-Time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champion has had a solid history of success.  In Sprague’s 15 previous outings at the 1.5-mile tri-oval, the veteran had scored two wins and nine top-10 finishes, leaving he and the Wyler Racing team hopeful of a top-10 run in the “Lone Star State” during Friday night’s Sam’s Town 400.  But after struggling to find speed during the two pre-race practice sessions, qualifying 25th, starting at the back due to “unapproved impound adjustments” and finishing 26th, Sprague and the Wyler Racing team were only excited about exiting Texas after their second rough race in a row.

Sprague held his Toyota Tundra wide-open in qualifying, laying down a lap of 30.343 seconds at a speed of 177.965 miles per hour which was 25th fastest of the 35 trucks.  Short on horsepower and disappointed with their qualifying run, the Wyler Racing team was allowed by NASCAR to pull their truck from the impound line, giving up their 25th place starting spot for making “unapproved impound adjustments.”  Forced to start at the rear of the field for the 169-lap event, but hopeful that they fixed the problem after making adjustments to their carburetor, Sprague lined up 35th for the start of the race.

At the drop of the green flag, Sprague wasted no time working his way into the top-30.  By the completion of lap one, Sprague had moved into 28th.  “We’re a little tight off,” said Sprague to Crew Chief Tony Furr.  Sprague moved into 25th before the first caution waved for a single-truck wreck on lap 8.  Furr called Sprague to pit road for a track bar adjustment where the crew noticed damage on the left front fender.  Sprague made two stops under the caution flag for damage repair, returning to the track in 30th position.

Sprague hit pit road again on lap 19, under caution, for fuel and a track bar adjustment. Sprague was 19th on the lap 23 restart but something was clearly wrong as he slid to 26th.  Four laps later, the right rear tire went down sending Sprague and the No. 60 Con-way Freight Toyota into a Texas tornado-like spin.  Sprague’s driving talents saved his Toyota and he was able to pit on the next lap for four fresh tires and fuel.  The spin sent Sprague one lap down to the leader in 31st position. 

When the race returned to green, Sprague worked his way into 29th but was “too tight”.  Doing all that he could do, Sprague worked his way into 27th by lap 65.  Sprague was running lap times that were good enough to run in the top-five, but he was mired back in traffic one lap down.  Still doing all that he could behind the wheel to battle back for a shot at the “lucky dog” award, Sprague was caught up in a wreck on lap 79 after the No. 4 truck spun on the backstretch.  In an evasive maneuver, Sprague dove low and right into the rear of the No. 1 truck causing significant damage to the front of his Con-way Freight Toyota.

Sprague drove behind the wall where the crew went to work, replacing the radiator, cutting away the mangled sheet metal, and making other repairs to get the Con-way Freight Toyota back on track in record time by lap 152.  By returning to the track, the Wyler Racing team gained one position which helped elevate them to 7th in the 2007 Championship Point Standings. 

“My Con-way Freight team really worked hard tonight,” said Sprague.  “We were just a little off tonight.  We cut a tire down early in the race and that cost us a lap.  We may have had a shot at getting our lap back, but we got caught up in that wreck on the backstretch that nearly took us out of the race.  The entire crew rallied together to get our Toyota back out there, which helped us pick up a spot in the standings.  That’s what Championship teams are made of.”

Sprague and the Wyler Racing team will take the No. 60 Con-way Freight Toyota Tundra to Michigan International Speedway for the running of the Michigan 200 on Saturday, June 16th, 2007.  Live television coverage will be provided by SPEED at 2:30 p.m. ET with radio coverage coming to you live from MRN Radio.