Cincinnati Father-Son Duo Celebrate One Year In NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series

After 29 years of success in the automobile industry, Jeff Wyler was ready to try his hand at something new - motorsports. In 2005, Jeff Wyler, along with son David, formed Wyler Racing - a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team with Toyota support. It was a natural fit for an automobile salesman with two Toyota dealerships (Clarksville, Indiana and Springfield, Ohio).

Wyler Racing just celebrated its first full season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series two weeks ago at the Milwaukee Mile. Since its inception, the Mooresville, North Carolina-based team has accumulated seven top fives and 11 top 10s.

"Running a partial schedule in 2005 was a way to prepare us for all the demands of a competitive series," said owner Jeff Wyler. "When we decided to start a NASCAR team it happened in the blink of an eye. We had looked at the options for several years, but in a matter of days it was a reality.

"Wyler Racing was literally born overnight. So, we needed to run a partial schedule in 2005 to take the time to establish ourselves while looking for a winning sponsor and driver combination."

At the end of 2005, Wyler Racing secured half of that winning combination - signing three-time NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion Jack Sprague. Sprague ran five races with the team at the end of the 2005 season, scoring two top-five finishes at Atlanta and Homestead.

"We almost won our second race together in Atlanta. We were leading going into the last turn of the race, but that just shows you how competitive the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is. We ended up finishing fourth," Sprague said. "That's when I knew I was with a team that could help me win another championship. I couldn't wait for the 2006 season."

Just prior to the season-opening race at Daytona International Speedway in 2006, Wyler Racing announced that it had signed Con-way Freight - North America's premier commercial freight transportation company - as the primary sponsor for the No. 60 Toyota Tundra. This rounded out the winning combination that Jeff Wyler had hoped for when Wyler Racing officially opened its doors.

To date this season, Sprague has five top-five and seven top-10 finishes in the No. 60 Con-way Freight Toyota. This weekend at Kentucky Speedway, Sprague and his Wyler Racing team are looking for their first win - a win that would be very special to father and son co-owners Jeff and David Wyler, who hail from nearby Cincinnati.

"I really want to get this No. 60 Con-way Freight Toyota into victory lane this weekend at Kentucky," Sprague said. "I want to win for my sponsor, but this is Jeff and David's home track, and it would be cool to see them celebrate the team's first victory right in their backyard with all of their family and friends."