Jack Sprague Salvages 24th with Back Up Engine in New Hampshire
Loudon, N.H. (September 17, 2007) – Three-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champion Jack Sprague had his work cut out for him on Saturday at New Hampshire International Speedway. Sprague’s No. 60 Con-way Freight Toyota was quick in practice, but an engine failure in final practice forced him to the rear of the field for the start of the 200-lap New Hampshire 200. Sprague, who won the New Hampshire 200 in 2001, led a hard-charging battle from tail of the field to finish 24th at the 1.058-mile oval.
Sprague’s Con-way Freight Toyota was fast in the opening practice session, posting the ninth fastest time overall. But an engine problem surfaced in final practice forcing the Con-way Freight team’s first engine change of the year. It’s no secret within the NASCAR community that Toyota produces some of the greatest power plants in the Craftsman Truck Series garage and their engineering support is unmatched. That reigned true on Friday afternoon as ten engine specialists converged on the No. 60 to make the engine change.
When the Con-way Freight team returned to the garage area on Saturday morning, so did the inclement weather. Persistent rain forced the cancellation of qualifying and the field was set according to the NASCAR rulebook. Sprague and his Con-way Freight Toyota lined up ninth for the start of the New Hampshire 200 which started on schedule at 3 p.m., but dropped to the rear of the field prior to the green flag to address a penalty imposed by NASCAR for making the engine swap.
Sprague wouldn’t remain there long as he worked his way past slower trucks and into 31st position by lap 23. Sprague was “tight in the center and off” while battling side-by-side for position. With the leader’s setting a blistering pace and Sprague wrapped up in slower traffic, the No. 60 Con-way Freight Toyota fell one lap down to the leader on lap 30. When the event’s first caution fell for debris on lap 39, Sprague keyed the radio to tell Crew Chief Tony Furr that the left front tire was pulling up off the ground.
Furr called Sprague to pit road on lap 40 for four tires, fuel, and significant chassis adjustments before returning the Con-way Freight Toyota to the track in 30th position. When the green flag waved on lap 43, Sprague worked his way by three trucks before the No. 29 spun right in front of him and he was forced to take evasive action to avoid being caught up in the wreck. “It’s a little better,” Sprague said, under caution, on lap 47.
When the race resumed on lap 50, Sprague was a “little free off” but his truck was coming in. Sprague avoided the next caution which took out three trucks and moved into 26th position on lap 65. “I’m struggling in one and two,” said Sprague to the crew. “But we’re alright in three and four.” By lap 114, Sprague was running lap times as fast as the leader but was still stuck one lap down.
Green flag pit stops began around lap 123 and Sprague hit pit road for four tires, fuel, and an air pressure adjustment on lap 129. The Con-way Freight crew had a good stop, returning Sprague to the track 27th. Just a few laps later, an inopportune caution came out, pinning Sprague two laps down and leaving only 12 trucks on the lead lap. Sprague dove to pit road under the yellow flag for another chassis adjustment. When the race resumed on lap 146, Sprague was running top-ten lap times and made quick work of slower trucks to move into 24th position by lap 170. With the field strung out, Sprague rode out the final 30 laps to finish 24th in his 10th career NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series start at the New Hampshire oval.
“I’m disappointed with the way things turned out today,” said Sprague after the race. “This No. 60 Con-way Freight Toyota should be a top-five or a top-ten truck, but we’ve just had some bad luck lately. I’m proud of my guys for not giving up. We got our Con-way Freight Toyota pretty good at the end of the race but we were trapped two laps down and just ran out of time. We’ll put this race behind us and move onto Las Vegas where I have three poles and two wins. Maybe we can turn our luck around in Las Vegas.”
Sprague and the Wyler Racing team will take the No. 60 Con-way Freight Toyota Tundra to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the running of the Smith’s Las Vegas 350 on Saturday, September 22nd. Live television coverage from the 1.5-mile paved oval will be provided by SPEED at 8:30 p.m. ET with radio coverage coming to you live from MRN Radio.
