Pole winning and new track record holder Jack Sprague explains how the truck worked to crew chief Chris Showalter     High Sierra Photo

Jack Sprague derailed the Bobby Hamilton express during Bud Pole Qualifying for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Dodge Ram Tough 200 at Gateway International Raceway on Friday. Sprague’s fast lap of 33.777 seconds/133.227 miles per hour was nearly two-tenths of a second quicker than Hamilton’s second-place run, and under the Gateway track record which was set in 1999.

The next two drivers both faced some adversity during the day, but worked through it to end up in the top-5 qualifiers. Rick Crawford ended the session third on the board after his crew worked much of the morning adding a quarter-inch to the length of his truck. The fourth position went to Steve Park, who spun off of turn four midway through practice doing minor cosmetic damage to the nose and tail of his truck. Travis Kvapil rounds out the top-starters.

Chad Chaffin, Shane Hmiel, Bill Lester, Carl Edwards, and Andy Houston round out the top-10 starters. Dennis Setzer, who sits second in the NCTS point standings, will roll off 11th. Terry Cook, winner at Gateway in 2002, will start 18th.

Two drivers spun on their qualifying laps. Lester looped it in turn two after turning a lap good enough for eighth position, but backed it in to the wall doing moderate damage to the right rear quarter panel. Tracy Hines spun on his first lap, and did minor damage to the tail panel of his truck.

All 34 drivers entered will start tomorrow’s Dodge Ram Tough 200.