Jack Sprague Martinsville Preview
No. 60 Jeff Wyler Toyota Tundra
Venue: Martinsville Speedway
Event: Kroger 200
Date: Saturday, October 22, 2005
Laps/Miles: 200 LAPS / 105.2 MILES
TV: SPEED Channel @ 1:00 p.m. EST
Radio: MRN / XM Radio @ 1:00 p.m. EST
Qualifying: Friday, October 21, 2005 @ 4:45 p.m. EST
Career at Martinsville Speedway:
This will be Jack Sprague’s 12th career start at the
track in Martinsville. In addition to one previous start at
the track in the Nextel Cup Series he also has ten previous
starts in the Craftsman Truck Series to his credit. He has
a career best finish of 3rd at the .526 mile short track which
he has accomplished four times – most recently in this
race last fall. He also has one career pole at Martinsville
which he accomplished in the same race last year.
CTS Career Stats At Martinsville: Avg. Start: 7.1
Avg. Finish: 11.1
Top 10: 6
Top 5: 4
Jack On Martinsville:
“I am very excited about my debut this week with Wyler
Racing and Toyota. We tested at Martinsville last week and
we had a really good test. I think we got a real good shot
at the pole and hopefully winning the race. It really helps
that Tony Furr (crew chief) and I have worked together before
so we just clicked right away at the test and that should
continue through these last five races of the season. I have
always had a lot of success at Martinsville but that win has
always eluded me for some reason. The track is a tough little
short track and you go so slow through the corners that it
really tests your patience. I think we got a real good set-up
for this Wyler Racing Toyota and that is so key at Martinsville.
If we get a little good luck added to the equation then I
think our first run here in the No. 60 Toyota Tundra can be
a memorable one.”
New Chapter In Career:
There is no doubt that this three week break in the NASCAR
Craftsman Truck Series schedule has been very eventful for
Jack Sprague. In a span of just a few days, he found himself
in a new ride. After parting ways with Xpress Motorsports,
it was only a short period of time before Wyler Racing announced
that Jack would drive their No. 60 Toyota entry for the remainder
of the 2005 season and the 2006 season.
“I am very excited about this opportunity with the
Wyler’s and Toyota Motorsports,” said Jack. “My
time with XPress was awesome but we just decided it was time
to part ways and luckily this position with Wyler became available
to me. Jeff Wyler reminds me a lot of Rick Hendrick and that
was the most comfortable situation I have ever had in my career.
I have worked with Tony Furr (No. 60 crew chief) in the past
and we really had fun so I expect some good times ahead for
us. The Toyota trucks have been awesome all year and trust
me I have noticed them as they passed me.”
“I really believe that we can win here at Wyler Racing
in one of these last five races,” concluded Sprague.
“My goal is to use these last five races to get familiar
with the team and the people at Toyota but I really think
we can make some things happen. I really want to get back
inside the top-10 in the points as I have never finished outside
of that in my truck series career.”
Notes:
- Jack will be making his 218th career start in the Craftsman
Truck Series this week. The Martinsville start this week
will also mark his 350th start in the NASCAR ranks (Nextel
Cup Series, Busch Series and Craftsman Truck Series combined).
- When Jack takes the green flag on Saturday, it will mark
his first start driving a Toyota Tundra and the first time
in his 218 career starts in the series that he is not behind
the wheel of a Chevrolet.
- Jack has one win to his credit so far this season (Texas)
and has collected one pole as well (Milwaukee).
2005 Quick Facts
Starts: 20
Wins: 1
Top-10 Finishes: 8
Top-20 Finishes: 13
Poles: 1
DNF’s: 4
Average Start: 11.6
Average Finishes: 15.1
Position in Points: 11th
