LAS VEGAS, NV (February 25, 2002) - As the only three-time NASCAR
Craftsman Truck Series champion, Jack Sprague can credit a lot of his
success to Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
The 1.5-mile Las Vegas oval has seen Sprague win three Bud Pole awards
and make two trips to Victory Lane (1996, 1998). In the five NCTS races held
at Vegas, Sprague has never finished worse than second, including last
year's Truck Series race where Sprague enjoyed a 13-second lead at one point
before finishing second to Ted Musgrave.
"I thought I had last year's truck race won," said Sprague, who will
pilot the No. 24 NetZero Chevrolet Monte Carlo in the Sam's Club 300 NASCAR
Busch Series race at LVMS this weekend. "I had a huge lead all day and not
winning was a big disappointment. At the time, we were running for the
championship and couldn't take any chances. I think Vegas owes us one for
sure we're going to try to collect this weekend in the Busch Series race."
Given his success at Las Vegas, its little wonder Sprague is eager to
take the green flag in the Sam's Club 300. "I know how to get around this
track," said Sprague. "I don't know what it is, but we've always hit the
nail on the head when we race there. Las Vegas definitely tops the chart as
being one of my favorite tracks to race at. The facility is beautiful and
the track is smooth and fast, just what I like. For some reason this track
likes me as much as I like it. I can't think of any reason to not like this
track."
Sprague's only negative experience at Las Vegas came in his lone Busch
Series start at the track - a 36th-place effort in the 2000 Sam's Club
event.. The veteran driver was well up in the running order when a late-race
accident ended his day and produced the sub-par finish.
Sprague's return to the Busch Series as a full-time competitor is off to
a flying start after a sixth-place finish at Rockingham last weekend.
Combined with a seventh-place finish in the season-opening NBS event at
Daytona, the Spring Lake, MI driver enters the Vegas NBS clash third in the
point standings.
"I'm pretty happy with our performance in the first two races," said
Sprague. "This Hendrick Motorsports team came out of the box stronger than
we thought we would considering we were the new guys on the block. I'm
looking forward to this weekend's race at Las Vegas. I've had a ton of
success there and don't intend to run any different than I have in the past.
I've won there twice and hope to put my NetZero Chevy in victory lane this
weekend."
The Sam's Town 300 will take the green flag Saturday, March 2 at 3:30
p.m. Eastern Standard Time. The event will be the third of 34 NASCAR Busch
Series races this season and will be telecast live on FX. MRN Radio will
also broadcast the race live on more than 300 affiliated stations worldwide.
ABOUT NETZERO.
