Jack Sprague Suffers Broken Heel - Plans to Start American Racing Wheels 200

Jack Sprague  Suffers Broken Heel 
Three-time  NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Champion  
Plans to  Start American Racing Wheels 200 

FEBRUARY 24,  2005 
FONTANA, CA – Jack Sprague, driver of the No. 16 Chevy  Trucks Xpress 
Motorsports Silverado, sustained a broken heel on his left foot in  an accident at 
his Charlotte-area home on Wednesday, February 23, 2005.  Sprague was performing 
home maintenance  on gutters when he lost his footing on a frozen patch of 
the  roof. 
Sprague will practice the No.  16 very minimally turning the driving duties 
over to NASCAR Nextel Cup Series  Chevrolet Monte Carlo driver Mike Bliss for 
the majority of the practice as well  as qualifying. Sprague will start the 
American Racing Wheels 200 Friday night at  California Speedway with Bliss 
standing by in the pits to relieve Sprague,  should he be unable to complete the 100 
lap event. 
“This certainly isn’t good  timing for this to happen,�?? said Sprague.  “But 
this Chevy Trucks team is strong.  Chris (Showalter, crew chief) and  
everyone on the Chevy Trucks Team have worked hard to get this team in position  to 
be a serious championship contender this season. 
“We have discussed this at  length with Dave (Fuge, team owner) and the 
entire crew to make the correct  decisions for the good of the team.  This isn’t 
going to hurt our chances for race wins and the  championship. 
“I am going to limit my time  in the truck prior to the race and will be 
behind the wheel of my Chevy Trucks  Silverado when the green flag flies.  I will 
stay in the truck as long as I feel I am competitive. If I feel I  am not 
competitive and I need to get out, we have a great driver in Bliss  standing by 
and he can wheel it to the front.  The key is to make sure we don’t lose a  lap 
making the driver change.�??  
Sprague is the only three-time  NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS) champion 
winning the crown in 1997, 1999  and 2001.  He is a two-time NCTS  race 
winner at California Speedway and has scored four top-five and five top-10  
finishes in six starts at the Fontana two-mile oval. 
Bliss won the 2002 NCTS championship driving for Xpress Motorsports.  He has 
144 NCTS starts, scored 12 wins,  49 top-five and 82 top-10 finishes.  One of 
the Oregon native’s NCTS victories came at California Speedway in  October 
1997. 
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