The 2008 season saw the Spraker Racing operation compete in three different series, with four drivers - and nail down successful runs in every division ! This is one of a handful of teams that has the dedication, knowledge, resources, and depth of personnel, to be able to run in different premier series, on the same weekend, with well-prepared cars that are competitive from the minute that they unload.
The primary focus of the Spraker Racing Enterprises team was the ARCA RE/MAX Series, with driver Dexter Bean. Sponsor, GLOCK, Inc. made a decision to stay with the Spraker team for a second year and run full-time in the ARCA Series. With a fleet of over 10 cars to keep in rotation, the #37 was a force to be reckoned with, at all of the 21 events on the ARCA schedule. From Daytona to Salem, from Michigan to DuQuoin, the Team GLOCK Chevrolet was often at the top of the charts after practice, and ended the season with 9 top-ten starting positions. The level of competition in the 2008 ARCA saw a dramatic change from the previous year, with no less than six new highly-funded teams competing - most all of which has some type of "Cup" connection. Luck was definitely not on the side of the GLOCK team, with several late race incidents (caused by other cars) that effected the final outcome of great runs to the front. However, the team persevered and finished 11th in the Drivers Points standings. Highlights of the season were found at the some of the ˝ mile "short" tracks that ARCA visits during the season - Bean posted a third at Toledo, a fourth at Cayuga, a fourth at DuQuoin, and a third at Salem in the fall race.
The Pocono event in June symbolized just what the Spraker team is made of - after losing the primary car during the qualifying run, the Jeff Spraker led crew brought out the back-up car, and had this well-prepared machine ready to race in record time - and on race day, Dexter brought the car home in 7th - a solid Top Ten under very difficult circumstances ! And the new road course in New Jersey appeared to present the opportunity for a stellar run. Having never run a road circuit during his career, Dexter proved to be a quick study, and posted the 7th fastest time during qualifying. The team's strategy for pit stops appeared to be working perfectly until the race was "called" for rain, just after the #37 had pitted for fuel & tires. It was a disappointing situation, to say the least, since the sun was shining and the track was dry, only a short time after the event was cancelled !The final results showed a 14th place finish, but this was truly not indicative of the team's performance that day ! Team GLOCK completed the year with six top 10's, completing over 86% all possible laps run.
The NASCAR Camping World East Series saw three different drivers take the wheel of the #37 Spraker machine. Kyle Cattanach of Redding, CA piloted the car at the season-opener at Greenville-Pickens, and later, just past midway of the season, at Mansfield Motorsports Park where he came home in 10th.
Road race specialist Nick deBruijn from The Netherlands, came on board for the event at the historic Watkins Glen road course in the wine country of New York State. The Spraker team scheduled a test session at The Glen that saw snow flurries in May, but this proved to be a very worthwhile prep for the race, as Nick adapted to the track quickly and showed he could run times comparable to the top East Series teams. The twenty-two year old posted some of the fastest times in practice and Nick clocked in with the fifth fastest qualifying time. As fate would have it, he got caught-up in a wreck on The Esses midway through the event, which took the Spraker machine out of contention.
And then there is 16 year-old Alex Kennedy, whose talent is far greater than his age would indicate!
Alex, a native of Aztec, NM, made his debut in the Spraker East Series machine at South Boston, and went on to run events at Thompson, CT - Lime Rock Park, CT - New Hampshire Motor Speedway - and Dover Downs International Speedway.
In the NASCAR East Series, the most rewarding event for the Spraker team, by far, was Alex Kennedy's methodical run to the front at Lime Rock Park. The starting field was set by Owner's Points, due to rain during the scheduled qualifying time. With the Spraker team only running a limited schedule, that relegated Alex to the 23rd starting spot. As the race unfolded, Alex made some great moves to make his way to the front. By the half-way point, he was up to 12th, when showers started falling that led to a delay of over 70 minutes.
As soon as the race re-started, the talented youngster started picking off the cars in front of him, and eventually passed veteran competitor Peyton Sellers for fourth. Unfortunately, the caution flew before the lap was completed, which put the #37 back to fifth. On the final lap of the 1.53 mile road course, Alex was in a solid 5th position until he approached The Esses, where he was hit from behind, by the #8 car. As the Spraker machine spun off the track, Alex kept his foot on the gas, and rejoined the field in 12th. By the time he crossed the finish line, he was 10th - but everyone at Lime Rock knew who Alex Kennedy was by the time they left the tricky Connecticut road course.
In addition to fielding cars in the ARCA/REMAX Series and the NASCAR Camping World East Series, the Spraker organization also ran two NASCAR Weekly Racing Series events at Caraway Speedway with Alex Kennedy, before he stepped up to run in CWE events. Alex posed two top-ten runs, including a third place podium finish in a 100 lap event on May 24th.
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