Late-Race Incident Spoils Top-10 Finish for Sprague at ORP

CLERMONT, Ind. (July 28, 2008) --- Jack Sprague and the No. 2 American Commercial Lines (ACL) Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) Chevrolet team started the Power Stroke Diesel 200 Friday night from the outside pole position, but a late-race accident resulted in a 17th-place finish for Sprague at O’Reilly Raceway Park (ORP) near Indianapolis.

“We had struggled with this truck all weekend,” said Sprague. “We fought a really loose race truck in practice, but Ernie and the guys worked hard and we finally hit on a set-up that worked.  We had a good qualifying effort and it gave us great track position.  Unfortunately, we had a little issue on pit road and got mired back in traffic.  Once you lose track position at a place like ORP it’s really tough to get it back.  My truck started going to the tight side at the end. We were going to have a solid 10th-place finish but we were caught up when Todd [Bodine] and Matt [Crafton] got together there in [turn] two.  We just seem to have a monkey on our back right now.  Hopefully, this No. 2 ACL team can find some luck here soon.” 

Missing the pole by two-thousandths of a second, Sprague and team began from the second position.  Running in third place, Sprague brought the No. 2 ACL Chevrolet down pit road for the first and only scheduled pit stop of the evening under the second caution period at lap 87. The team took on four tires, fuel and made an air pressure adjustment. A problem with the jack resulted in the team losing three spots on pit road. Sprague returned to competition in the sixth position. 

Sprague battled lap traffic as he tried to make his way back to the front of the field.  As the race drew to an end, Sprague battled a tight-handling race truck.  While running in the ninth position on lap 188, Sprague was caught up in a multi-truck crash which began in front of him going into turn two. The No. 2 ACL Chevrolet sustained heavy right-front fender damage.  The team brought the truck to pit road on lap 189 to pull out the fender and replace all four tires.  Sprague returned to competition in the 19th position.  The race would end in a green, white, checkered finish with Sprague crossing the finish line in 17th position.