JOLIET, IL (July 8, 2002) - Three-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champion, Jack Sprague, has been making the most of his first-ever International Race Of Champions invitations with two Top-5 finishes already this season. The only NCTS driver ever to be invited to race in the series is looking forward to making it three in a row when the series returns to action this weekend at Chicagoland Speedway.

"The last two IROC races were pretty cool and I think I managed to pull off two pretty decent finishes," said Sprague, who was fourth at Daytona and fifth at California. "I'm happy I've had the opportunity to race these races this year.  I won a Busch race already and to get an IROC win on top of that would be pretty sweet.  You don't get the opportunity to drive an IROC car everyday, so if I'm going to win, I've got to get on it out there this weekend and go for it."

The first two 100-mile IROC events have Sprague fourth in the series point chase, but at Chicagoland, the Spring Lake, MI native has his work cut out for him when he hits the track.

"I've never been to Chicago, but my teammate, Ricky Hendrick was there testing a few weeks back and gave me a few hints about what to expect," said Sprague who also will make his NASCAR Busch Series debut at Chicagoland Speedway this weekend.  "From what I hear, Chicago and Kansas are basically a mirror image of each other, so that's good because I like Kansas a lot.   I'm not too worried because I don't usually have a problem if I haven't been to a track and adjust pretty quickly.  Besides, I've never been to any track in an IROC car, so it would be new to me no matter what."

"The first race was more fun for me because I never raced an IROC car before, but the second race I really started to get a feel for it," said Sprague.  "I had a bad restart during the last race and can't let that happen again or I'll be in the same boat I was then - playing catch up for 67 laps."

The starting grid is determined by reverse of the current point standings meaning Sprague will start ninth in the field.

"I'll be starting at the back I've been waiting for this next race at Chicago," said Sprague. "I really felt I needed some more laps during the last race at California and really just want to get a good start and try to not only get to the front, but to get there and stay there for the last lap."  I don't have many chances at winning one of these races, so I've got my work cut out for me here.  I'm looking forward to it though."

The True Value IROC Series race will resume Saturday, July 13, 2002 at Chicagoland, Joliet, IL.  The third of the four races will be taped and shown later that day at 7 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time on ESPN.  A second airing of the race will be shown on August 10 at 3 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time and broadcast on ESPN.