KANSAS CITY, Kan. (April 28, 2008) --- Jack Sprague and the Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) No. 2 American Commercial Lines (ACL) Chevrolet recorded their first top-five finish of the 2008 season Saturday in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas Speedway. The second-place finish behind KHI teammate Ron Hornaday moved the team from 15th to ninth in the Truck Series point standings.
 
“I wanted this one really bad,” said Sprague following the race. “But I’m not going to complain about finishing second. I used up all my stuff trying to come back up through the field.  I gave Hornaday all I had but I just ran out of time.
 
I’m really proud of this team,” continued Sprague. “I know coming into this year everyone saw us coming into to a championship organization, which it is but my team is brand new. To be able in just five races to come together and run as strong as we have says a lot about KHI and this team.  I’m really proud of them and I know we will get a win soon, but man I wanted this one really bad.”
 
Starting from the third position, Sprague and teammate Hornaday pulled away from the rest of the field. Under the first caution of the day on lap 27, the team came to pit road for four tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment.  The team had a fast pit stop and beat Hornaday off pit road. A few truck elected to stay on track, patiently working his way through the slower traffic, Sprague was finally able to lead his first of eight laps of the race following the stop on lap 46.
 
On lap 65, when much of the rest of the field came to pit road, Sprague and the KHI No.2 ACL team decided to gamble on fuel strategy and stay out, only to see the caution wave seven laps later.  The team’s hand was forced and they had to come to pit road for four tires and fuel relegating him to the 25th position for the restart.
 
Sprague exhibited great patience, methodically easing his way back toward the front. By lap 91, Sprague had moved up 10 positions. The team came to pit road under caution on lap 109 with the rest of the field and was now back on sequence with the leaders. After the stop crew chief Ernie Cope asked Sprague to conserve fuel as the team calculated that they would be two laps short if the race continued to the finish under green-flag conditions.
 
With fresh tires, Sprague began passing trucks on the outside, moving up aggressively through the field. With eight laps to go, the second-place truck slammed the wall in front of Sprague, leaving a showdown between the two most successful drivers in series history to battle for the win.  However, Sprague and Hornaday’s trucks were too evenly matched.  Despite a number of maneuvers to overtake his teammate, Sprague was not able to pass Hornaday and crossed the finish line in the second position. It was KHI’s first one-two finish in the Truck Series.
 
STATS RECAP
Race Info
 
April 26, 2008
Kansas Speedway
O’Reilly Auto Parts 250
 
Race: 5 of 25
Driver: Jack Sprague
Started:  3rd
Finished: 2nd
Truck Series Point Standings: 9th
 
Next on the Schedule for the No. 2:
 
Date: May 16, 2008
Track: Lowe’s Motor Speedway
Event Name: NC Education Lottery 200
Driver: Jack Sprague
Broadcast Time: The NC Education Lottery 200 can be seen live on SPEED at 8 p.m., EST.