Sprague wins inaugural UAW/GM Ohio 250

MANSFIELD, Ohio -- Three-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Jack Sprague won for the 24th time with a dominating performance in Sunday's inaugural UAW/GM Ohio 250 race at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway.

UAW/GM Ohio 250  •  Results  •  Standings

Sprague, who returned fulltime to the series this season after a two-year absence, led the last 54 laps of the 250-lap race to post his first victory since Sept. 9, 2001.

Sprague took the lead from fellow Chevrolet driver Dennis Setzer as the pair - rubbing fenders and doors -- crossed the start-finish line on lap 197.

The Spring Lake, Mich., veteran, who started from the pole position in a lineup set by points due to a steady rain on Saturday -- then held off Setzer on four restarts following caution periods to win by .394 seconds -- about a truck length.

Sprague won $44,350 at an average speed of 54.706 mph -- a pace slowed by a series record 94 laps of caution.

"I had perfect pit stops today and it all came together," said Sprague, who spent the 2002 season on the NASCAR Busch Series and ran a partial schedule of NASCAR Nextel Cup races last year.

	Steve Park crashed on Lap 229 and finished 27th.

Sprague, the season's fourth winner in as many races, drives for the IWX Racing team that won the 2002-03 series championship.

"I spent a lot of time with these guys before I made the decision to come to this team," he said. "I complained about not having enough horsepower and they found me more."

Ohio's first NASCAR national touring series race since May 1954 drew a capacity crowd of 21,000.

The scheduled race distance of 250 laps was extended to 252 after Hank Parker Jr. spun his Toyota entering the ½-mile track's first turn. Sprague easily drove away from his pursuers over the race's final mile.

Ohio native Terry Cook, who ran the race's final 181 on the same set of tires, finished third in a Ford after leading laps 149 through 182. Bobby Hamilton was fourth in a Dodge, pushing Cook's truck across the line, followed by Raybestos rookies Tracy Hines in a Chevrolet and Mark McFarland in a Dodge.

Rick Crawford, Jon Wood, David Starr and Matt Crafton completed the top 10 finishers as 20 of the race's 36 starters completed all 252 laps.