Notes: Sprague long on success at short tracks (cont'd)

In the Loop: Mansfield

Racing at Mansfield is hit-or-miss for past Truck Series champions -- some are solid, some aren't. The two best active drivers are Jack Sprague and Ron Hornaday.

In the four series races held at Mansfield, Sprague has finished inside the top two -- including a win in 2004.

In his three races since, Sprague has a Driver Rating of 107.6, a series-best Average Running Position of 8.8, 21 Fastest Laps Run and a series-high percentage of Laps in the Top 15 (80.4).

Hornaday, with a Mansfield win in 2006, owns the top average Mansfield Driver Rating of 120.1 in the past three races there. Additionally, he has an Average Running Position of 9.5 and a series-high 65 Fastest Laps Run.

But the success rate hasn't been so robust for champions Todd Bodine, Mike Skinner and Ted Musgrave. While none have fared poorly, there is only one top-five finish at Mansfield among them (Skinner's fourth-place finish last year).

In the past three Mansfield races, Musgrave has the strongest statistics of those three drivers. Musgrave, whose best Mansfield finish was 12th in 2005, has a Mansfield Driver Rating of 93.1 and an Average Running Position of 12.7.

Bodine has a Driver Rating of 88.2, an Average Running Position of 13.0 and 35 Fastest Laps Run, which ranks second in the series at Mansfield. Skinner has a Driver Rating of 87.7 and a Average Running Position of 13.6.

There have been five different winners in the most recent five short-track races. Go back six -- to Mansfield '07 -- and Dennis Setzer is the only double winner.

Howe among many Ohioans in Truck Series

The state of Ohio may be hundreds of miles from the North Carolina/Virginia bases of the Craftsman Truck Series.

But that doesn't mean the state isn't well-represented. Some might say Ohioans have more than their share of influence on the series -- starting with Jack Roush, a native of Manchester, whose trucks have won 48 times and sent Greg Biffle to the 2000 championship.

Among those whose Mansfield Motorsports Park visit will be a Buckeye homecoming is Doug Howe, crew chief of the No. 08 Dodge driven by Jason White. Howe hails from Cuyahoga Falls -- a town located 70 miles northeast of the track.

Howe became interested in racing as a youth and volunteered as a crew member for local driver Scott Baker. What began as a weekend hobby evolved into a decision to move to Mooresville, N.C., and pursue a career in NASCAR racing.

He's currently with SS Green Light Racing and has worked with a number of teams including JR Motorsports and what became Germain Motorsports.

"He's worked for various teams but he always seems to come back to Green Light," said his wife, Sheryl, who also works for the team in an administrative capacity. The Howes have two daughters, Crystal and Julia.

Both describe their father as "quiet."

"Doug is one of the hardest-working and most loyal people in all of racing," said Bobby Dotter, the team's general manager. "He brings a lot to our team. I don't think there is anyone in the garage area that doesn't like Doug."

Driver debuts at Mansfield

At least three drivers are bidding for their first Craftsman Truck action on Saturday. They are John Wes Townley (No. 09 Ford); Scotty Crockett (No. 12 Chevrolet) and Angela Cope (No. 73 Dodge). Cope, 24, is one of two racing twins and the niece of 1990 Daytona 500 winner Derrike Cope. Cope will drive the No. 74 team truck.