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Click on images above for full-size photos.
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Date of Birth:
August 8, 1964
Hometown:
Spring Lake, MI
Spouse:
Amy
Children:
Daughter Paige, Step-Daughter Jacqueline
Website:
www.jacksprague.com
• Autograph Policy: To request an autographed
driver card, send a 9"x12" self addressed stamped envelope to:
Jack Sprague Fan Club
PO Box 5629
Concord, NC 28027 |
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Career Highlights:
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Three-Time
Truck Series champion (2001, 1999, and 1997)
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Second on the
all-time truck series win list with 28 victories
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Leads
all-time record for pole awards with 32
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All time
NASCAR Truck Series money winner, with over $6 million in
career earnings
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2007 marked
the 11th time in 11 full seasons finishing in the Truck Series
championship top-10
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Three-Time NASCAR
Truck Series Champion (2001, 1999, 1997)
Jack
Sprague joins Kevin Harvick Inc. (KHI) in 2008 driving the No. 2
American Commercial Lines (ACL) Chevrolet Silverado in the NASCAR
Truck Series.
Sprague began his racing career driving street stock cars in and
around his hometown of Spring Lake, Mich. Upon winning a pair of
track championships at Thunderbird and Winston Raceways in
Muskegon, Mich., Sprague quickly began to look for other
challenges.
In 1987, Sprague headed south to the hub of NASCAR racing,
Charlotte, N.C., where he began racing in the NASCAR Winston
Racing Series Late Model Division. He immediately found success
winning the Big Ten Championship at Concord (N.C.) Motorsports
Park, the Crack Classic at New Smyrna (Fla.) Speedway and the
Speedworld 100 at Orlando (Fla.).
Over the next two seasons, Sprague was nearly unbeatable winning
more than 30 Late Model Stock Car events. He also claimed another
Big Ten title and the NASCAR Winston Racing Series crown at
Concord (N.C.) Motorsports Park.
Sprague continued to branch out in 1990 fielding his own NASCAR
Nationwide Series entry in 22 out of 35 events. Over the next
three seasons, Sprague ran a limited schedule with great success
winning pole positions at Charlotte (N.C.) and Dover (Del.). His
best finish during this period came at New River Valley Speedway
in Virginia, where he posted a second-place effort in the 1992
Grainger Select 200.
After a full season in the No. 74 Bace Motorsports Nationwide
Series entry, Sprague returned to the Winston Racing Series ranks
in 1994 winning an astounding 21 of 22 races he entered. The
stellar season earned Sprague runner-up honors for the NASCAR
Winston Racing Series Atlantic Region title.
The debut of the NASCAR Truck Series in 1995 proved to be a major
career break for Sprague. After scoring 10 top-10 finishes in an
un-sponsored Brue Griffin-owned Chevrolet during the first 13
races of the season, Sprague landed an opportunity to drive for
legendary team owner Rick Hendrick. Sprague drove for Hendrick in
the final seven races of the season; he posted five top-10
finishes sending a message to the competition that they were the
team to beat.
Sprague’s first career Truck Series win came shortly after joining
Hendrick Motorsports in the third race of the 1996 season at
Phoenix International Raceway. The team went on to record 10
top-two finishes and visited victory lane four more times placing
them second in the championship standings.
Coming off two successful seasons, Sprague and the No. 24 team set
their sights on the title. Posting an unbelievable 16 top-five
finishes in 26 events and three race wins, Sprague went on to win
his first series title by 237 points, the largest margin in series
history.
Sprague set out to repeat as champion in 1998 by recording five
wins, 16 top-five, and 23 top-10 finishes. The title chase came
down to the last race of the season with Sprague battling Ron
Hornaday and narrowly missing the championship by two points, the
slimmest margin ever recorded in Truck Series history.
Determined not to be outdone, Sprague rebounded in 1999, claiming
three victories, 16 top-five, and 19 top-10 finishes. Going into
the final race of the season Sprague trailed Greg Biffle by 21
points. After narrowly missing the title the previous year,
Sprague was determined not to lose and won the season finale at
California Speedway, enabling him to capture the title by a tight
eight points.
Throughout the first five years since the NASCAR Truck Series’
inception, Sprague totaled 16 trips to victory lane, 70 top-five
finishes and 122 starts. During that span Sprague only recorded
an impressive six DNFs (did not finish).
The 2000 Truck Series campaign proved to be an up-and-down affair
for Sprague as three early wins had him at the forefront of the
season’s championship battle. An uncharacteristic string of bad
luck at the midway point in the season dropped Sprague to fifth in
the final season standings.
In true Sprague form he came on strong in 2001 dominating the
competition posting a record six pole awards and four wins en
route to a record third Truck Series title.
Following his record setting 2001 season, Sprague decided to make
the move to the NASCAR Nationwide Series with car owner Rick
Hendrick. Sprague claimed his first win in the series at the
Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway. The move proved successful as he
finished the season with one victory, nine top-five and 15 top-10
finishes. He also ran a handful of Sprint Cup Races in 2002 in
preparation of going full time Cup racing the following year.
Sprague moved to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2003 making
eighteen starts with sponsor Netzero. A string of bad luck,
engine failures and on track incidents led to Sprague’s season
being cut short. He recorded his best finish of fourteenth in the
season opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway.
When Sprague returned to the Truck Series in 2004, the three-time
champion immediately picked up where he had left off in 2001;
posting seven Bud pole awards, one victory at Mansfield (Ohio)
Motorsports Park, eight top five and 13 top-10 finishes. An
unexpected string of six DNFs relegated Sprague to a seventh-place
points finish.
The following season would prove to be a turning point in
Sprague’s Truck Series career. He began the 2005 Truck Series
campaign driving a Chevrolet for owner David Fuge. In October
Sprague made the decision to move to the newly formed Wyler Racing
and Team Toyota. By year’s end Sprague had accumulated one
victory, seven top-five and 11 top-10 finishes.
The next year proved to be a building year for Sprague and Wyler
Racing, capturing their first ever win at Memphis (TN) Motorsports
Park; the first of two trips to victory lane in 2006. Sprague,
Wyler and Team Toyota finished the season strong with two wins, 10
top fives, 14 top 10’s and an eighth-place finish in points.
Sprague claimed a historic milestone in the season opener at
Daytona in 2007, winning from the pole in one of the most dramatic
moments the Truck Series had ever seen. Sprague, who had been a
contender all race, passed Travis Kvapil and Johnny Benson coming
out of turn four to grab the victory, his first at the famed
2.5-mile speedway.
After his breathtaking win in Daytona, Sprague’s 2007 run for the
Truck Series title stalled as he experienced an up and down
season. In late October, Sprague and KHI co-owner Kevin Harvick
announced that Sprague would join KHI full time in 2008.
Sprague’s career in the NASCAR Truck Series has been record
setting. The Spring Lake, Michigan native tops the charts as the
Truck Series all-time money winner with more than $6 million in
earnings. Sprague has a total 28 wins, second on the all-time win
list behind his 2008 KHI teammate Ron Hornaday. He is second on
the all-time pole lists with 32 poles. Sprague also holds the
Truck Series record for the most top-five and top-10 finishes.
2008 will be a new beginning for Sprague as he joins KHI in their
No. 2 Chevrolet and teams up with an old rival and friend Ron
Hornaday. |
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