RPW Exclusive: Racing’s Been A Labor Of Love For Car Owner Jake Spraker; Part I

Column by: LAURIE FALLIS / RPW – GLOVERSVILLE, NY – As a young fan sitting in the grandstands at Fonda Speedway with your Father, Uncle ,Grandfather or even Mom, one could only imagine what it would be like to be a car owner to some of the top dirt drivers in the Northeast someday. In this three part series I talk with Jake Spraker about his humble beginnings as a racer and how that eventually led to a storied career as one of the most successful car owners in Big Block Modified history.

Chances are it probably would only be a dream. But for a young Jake Spraker from Gloversville, NY, this dream would become a reality. Spraker has become one of the best car owners in the business. He’s been recognized for his commitment to the sport by being inducted into the Fonda Speedway “Hall Of Fame” as a prestigious car owner. He’s also been named the New York State Stock Car Association car owner of the year twice.

There has been an unthinkable amount of wins and championships that Spraker-owned teams have entered in the history books over his 35 years. One thing for sure is that if you were one of the lucky one’s to drive for Jake, you knew, as a driver, that you had to perform at a high level. You knew he would give you the best equipment.

Let’s get to know the real Jake Spraker, as this intrigued writer sat down with him. He told me where his adventures have taken him with some of the drivers he’s had.

The racing bug first hit Spraker when he would tag along with his dad to the “Track of Champions,” the Fonda Speedway, each week at about five years of age. The driver that he rooted for was the aggressive wheel man Kenny Shoemaker.

Why was this?

“He was a driver that stuck out to me and could always come from the back,” Spraker said. “He would do things by any means possible to get to the front. Kenny was a very exciting driver to watch, very exciting.”

Even telling this story, Jake had a smile on his face and you could see the pure happiness that memory brought him.

In his high school years, Jake would continue to go to the races each week with his buddies that also enjoyed going. He then got the chance to venture into the pits and help his childhood hero, ‘the Shoe.’

“It was a lot of fun being on the crew to a driver I admired,” he said.

Thoughts of Jake getting behind the wheel and racing actually came from Dick Weagle. Weagle himself drove a Mini-Modified. The two would talk and then next thing you know, Spraker bought one and took it to the Albany-Saratoga Speedway in 1982 and 1983. Back then, Bruce Richards ran his own sanctioning, the Champlain Valley Racing Association (CVRA), with Malta and Devil’s Bowl. The Bowl would only be a time-to-time track for Spraker.

One night in 1983 would be a turning point for the young driver. That’s because that was the night he decided to hang up the helmet.

C.D. Coville was driving for Cliff Barcomb in the famed #11. On this particular night at Fonda, Coville wrecked Barcomb’s car, flipping it down the front stretch. It sustained heavy damage and Barcomb wasn’t sure if they could financially get it back together for the next race.

Jake wanted to help out, so he decided to sell his Mini Mod and use the money to help get C.D. back on track.

“C.D. has a personality where he would talk to you and tell you stories like you were somebody special,” Spraker said. “He was a guy you just wanted to be around. He just had that way about him, and boy I really liked the way he drove.”

That week, an opportunity came for Spraker to buy Bob Sitterly’s car, so using the money he got from selling his Mini Mod, that’s what happened. Jake would put Coville behind the wheel, and Jake Spraker Racing was born.

A lot of great runs came out of the team as well as some heartbreak. Victory was in the palm of their hands on many occasions, but this would be something that always eluded the the pairing. Coville was certainly innovative to try and get an edge on his competitors. He was always thinking outside the box.

“It was a 200 lapper at Fonda Speedway,” Spraker recalls. “Plans were made that if, by chance the red flag ever came out during the race, one of the tow trucks would hook him up and bring him into the pits so the crew could add fuel. We didn’t have the quick fuel nozzle in the car.”

Back then, you would be penalized if you drove in on your own under the red. Well, wouldn’t you know it, that exactly what happened. A red flag came out and right on cue, C.D. was picked up, towed into the pits for the crew to do their job.

Genius? You be the judge of that.

Another story was when C.D. and the crew didn’t know if their car would be ready in time for a big race at Fonda, so C.D. had a guy lined up that was to shut the power box off, wrap a chain around it and padlock the box so it would give him enough time to make it before racing started.

“Fortunately, this didn’t happen as Coville made it to the track on time,” Spraker said with a smile.

As time passed, C.D. was approached by another team, trying to convince him that Spraker wasn’t the best route to take. They questioned how long he would be around as a owner. When Jake reflected on that conversation, he chuckled.

“Look at me,” he said. “35 years later and I’m still going.”

Ultimately Jake told Coville to go with them, thinking maybe it just wasn’t meant to be.

The following year was the birth of the A&A Pub Special piloted by Ray Dalmata. This duo would put their car on the outside pole for the Schaefer 200 at Super DIRT Week that year, alongside Jack Johnson.

The team would be together for two years, winning races before Spraker stepped away, selling out to Tommy Spencer. Spencer is another Fonda Speedway Hall Of Fame member and had Dalmata drive for him. Jake wouldn’t be far from his old team as he actually stayed on as a crew member.

After getting harassed by the guys on the team, Jake was rejuvenated and was on a mission to prove that he could be back into the game and better than ever.