Sprague in for busy week of revelry in Miami
By Tim Packman, Turner Sports Interactive
November 5, 2001
1:43 PM EST (1843 GMT)
MIAMI, Fla. -- It takes almost 11 months and 24 races to earn the right to celebrate for one day, but winning a NASCAR championship is well worth the effort.
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The NetZero crew lifts the championship banner as Jack Sprague takes the green flag at Fontana.
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Jack Sprague and the No. 24 Chevrolet team will be a busy group in Miami as they celebrate his record third NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series championship. Even though it’s the third time around for the Rick Hendrick Motorsports-owned team, having a good time never gets old.
The beautiful Intercontinental Hotel in downtown Miami will play host to this year’s championship banquet. A full slate of activities awaits Sprague in his official duties as champion -- a gauntlet of television, radio and print interviews.
Before arriving in Miami on Tuesday, Sprague will do television interviews for Totally NASCAR on Fox and then RPM2Night for ESPN.
Once there, the champion’s duties begin right away with a NASCAR teleconference. That will be followed up by a newspaper interview, then one with the local FOX affiliate. Later, Chicago television station has him live via satellite at 10 p.m.
Wednesday begins with the local NBC affiliate at 9 a.m. followed by a Fox Sports Radio interview later that day. For the evening, the driver, team, owner, sponsor and spouses will all gather for a private dinner to toast their accomplishments.
While this may be the third championship for the Hendrick-owned team, NetZero Platinum Plus gets to enjoy the honors in its first year as a sponsor. Surely a nice way to begin an association.
Thursday is the day the accolades come raining down.
The day begins with a photo session with owner, driver, team and truck in the morning. Next, is an interview with another paper followed by a media luncheon from noon-2 p.m. that day.
Later that night is what Sprague and his team has worked all year toward -- the banquet.
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Jack Sprague claims his trophy at Fontana.
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Gone will be driver uniforms, pit stops and radios as usually seen on race day. Instead, tuxedos, dinner and a live band will be the order of the day -- possibly into the next morning.
Sprague and Hendrick will officially accept the trophy acknowledging them as the 2002 champion.
The banquet is for all the teams; the top-10 finishers will be honored for their accomplishments, as well. Sprague's presentation will be the crowning moment, but his fellow drivers will partake in the overall festivities.
Rounding out the top-10 point earners are, in order: Ted Musgrave, Joe Ruttman, Travis Kvapil, Scott Riggs, Ricky Hendrick (Sprague’s rookie teammate), Terry Cook, Rick Crawford, Dennis Setzer and Coy Gibbs.
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