INDIANAPOLIS, IN (July 27, 2002) - Jack Sprague has at least one good reason why he'd like to have a great performance in Saturday's IROC Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway - it's the final 2002 IROC event and Sprague knows if he's going to win this year, Indy is his last chance.   

      "It really has been an honor being invited to compete in these four races this year," said Sprague, the first and only NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver to be invited to participate in the annual all-star series.  "This year is definitely going in the books as one of my best. Both the IROC and Busch Series venture has gone better than I could have imagined."

     Sprague has finished in the Top-10 in all three IROC races this season, the latest was a 10th  at Chicagoland Speedway in early July. The final 2002 series event at The Brickyard has Sprague hoping he's saved the best for last.

       "The first two IROC races this year gave me good experience on tracks I had little or no seat time at and just some plain old fun racing with drivers from all types of racing," said Sprague of the events at Daytona International and California Speedways.  "The last race at Chicagoland was tough to take because we had a mechanical problem right from the drop of the green flag, but that's the way it goes. I can't do anything about it now. I just hope I can finish out the final race with a really good run."

       Sprague's only seat time at the legendary 2.5-mile Indianapolis oval was gained during a Winston Cup test a few years ago.  While Sprague is excited about racing at the famed track, he also knows he will have his work cut out for him.

       "I would say I'm sort of at a disadvantage, but who knows," Sprague stated. " It was thought that Chicagoland wouldn't be one the open-wheel guys would run well and they dominated.  Maybe this race will be the stock car driver's race.  Either way, having the chance to run these few races with the best of the best has been a great time."     

      The starting grid for the Indy IROC finale will be determined by reversing of the current point standings meaning Sprague will start fourth in the field. Sprague is tied with Winston Cup regular Sterling Marlin eighth in the 2002 IROC point standings heading into the final event.