Loose Plug Wire Spoils Sprague's Night

"Driver Has Top-Ten Run Denied”

AVONDALE, AZ (November 14, 2005) – With three wins and five poles at the one-mile track, Jack Sprague had high expectations entering the running of the Chevy Silverado 150 at the Phoenix International Raceway. A loose spark plug wire would cut short a top-ten run by the three-time champion and relegate him to a 16th place finish in the 150-lap event.

“That was a tough one to swallow out there tonight,” said Jack. “We never really did get a solid handling on our Toyota Tundra all weekend but we sure did battle with what we had and we going to come out of here with a solid top-ten finish before we had a plug wire work itself loose. This track at Phoenix is one my favorites and racing under the lights was pretty cool out here in the desert. I just wish we would have had a better run with our No. 60 Wyler Racing Toyota.”

Sprague started the 150-lap event from the 8th position as a result of his qualifying effort earlier in the day on Friday. While battling a tight truck in the early stages of the 150-mile race, Sprague would run inside the top-ten the majority of the race. He would bring his Toyota Tundra down pit road for the first time on lap 42 for four tires with an air pressure adjustment, fuel and a track bar adjustment to help the handling the on the No. 60 Tundra. In the middle portion of the event, Sprague would get caught up with a slower truck in front of him and the result was valuable time lost to the leaders. Once past the slower traffic, Jack would attempt a charge to the front.

The Wyler Racing Toyota would come down pit road for the second and final time under caution on lap 109. Once again the Wyler crew knocked off a solid stop with another adjustment made to improve the handling of the truck. Jack would restart the race on lap113 in the seventh position but would quickly get together with another truck on lap 116 which would bring out another caution. There was no significant damage to the No. 60 Tundra and Sprague would continue to run inside the top-ten until lap with less than ten laps to go he radioed to his crew that he felt like he had dropped a cylinder. What turned out to be a loose plug wire would also drop Jack through the field in the waning laps to a disappointing 16th place finish.

“This was just one of those races that you want to put behind you,” stated Sprague. “It was however still a decent point’s night and finishing in the top-ten at the end of the season is something that is very important to me. We have our sights set on a solid run in the season finale next week in Homestead and use it as a good springboard into the 2006 season with this Wyler Racing team.”

Jack and the rest of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series drivers head to the Homestead - Miami Speedway for the finale of the 2005 season Friday, November 18th. For more information on Jack and the team, please visit them at www.wylerracing.com and www.jacksprague.com