Bristol Gets the Best of Sprague,
NetZero Racing Team
BRISTOL, TN (March 23, 2003) An accident less than
half way into the Food City 500 caused significant damage to Jack Sprague's
NetZero Pontiac relegating the team to a 35th-place finish in the NASCAR
Winston Cup race Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway. Sprague wasn't alone in
taking home a battered racecar as the event was punctuated by 17 caution
flag periods.
"Bristol is always tough and today it was a car
eater, not just for me, but for a lot of guys," said Sprague. "It's a real
accomplishment to just be running here at the finish and, thanks to a great
effort by my NetZero team, we did that." Sprague started the event on the
ultra-tough Bristol .533-mile high-banked oval deep in the field from the
42nd position. Sprague was satisfied with the NetZero Pontiac for the first
20 laps of the event before a severe vibration slowed his progress.
Sprague's pit crew adjusted the car throughout the day making track bar and
air pressure adjustments during the afternoon's many yellow-flag periods.
The adjustments couldn't keep Sprague out of harms way, however, as he
tangled with Johnny Benson's mount on Lap 150 as they entered Turn 3.
Fortunately, the contact caused very little damage to Sprague's Pontiac
Grand Prix.
Sprague's luck then ran out shortly afterward as he
spun exiting Turn 2 making heavy contact with the inside backstretch
retaining wall. The Lap 181 incident forced Sprague behind the pit wall for
repairs where his NetZero team spent 80 laps changing the drive shaft,
rear-end housing, truck arms and gear before heading back to the track.
"The guys did a good job fixing the car and it
wasn't too bad after that," commented Sprague. "It seemed like we were able
to run faster than we had before the accident. It's a shame we had trouble,
but then that's Bristol."
Sprague soldiered around the Bristol oval for the
remaining laps eventually coming home with the 35th-place finish. He is now
tied for 37th spot in the NASCAR Winston Cup point standings.
Sprague and his NetZero Racing team will next travel
to Texas Motor Speedway for the Samsung/Radio Shack 500 scheduled for
Sunday, March 30 at 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The seventh NASCAR Winston
Cup event of the season will be telecast live on FOX and will be broadcast
worldwide by PRN Radio.
