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Near the corner of Getty and Business 31 in Muskegon, L-3, a plant supplying propulsion systems for military vehicles since before WW II, faces Sprague Auto Salvage, as it always has. Racing in the Sprague family goes back as far and continues today in the teams of brothers Tom and Andy.

Tom was the 2007 Late Model Champion and finished last year on the heals of winner Rich Neiser, taking numerous features. "Inconsistency in the first part of the season turned out to be too much to overcome in the end", Tom says. His focus this year is on the ALMS Series which also covers Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana, and is off to a start this week at Kamp Speedway in Boswell In. due to Friday night' cancellation of racing at Winston Speedway in Rothbury, Mi. He's racing the same car as last year when his focus was primarily local, "Just taking it to the next level because it's the  natural step", was his explaination of the move to ALMS. Moving out of the shadow of the family owned track (Winston) was a matter of time.

Meanwhile, Andy is at a stage where he wants to race Winston eighty percent of the time to win features and chase goals like a first win at Merritt Speedway, "because it's something I haven't done yet". With the 2007 UMP Modifieds State Championship in his pocket, he made the turn to Late Models and won't turn back. His business, Drive Force Graphics keeps him busy and allows him to letter his own car and those of others, among other things.  Lee's Collision Center, Integra Racing Shocks, along with Sprague's Auto yard are helpful sponsers to both the guys, and A&A Manufacturing, and Northside Plumbing provide additional support for Andy's efforts.

A new Rocket chassy this year means a new car for Andy, along with the extra work and committment, still it's a passion not an obsession on his part and his primary goal for this year is to have fun racing as often as is possible, not chasing points. "If that comes it's a bonus", is his feeling.

"Some sibling rivalry exists if we're both are in the same race", Tom says as neither likes to loose to the other. But, so much more goes into pitting a car, demanding the cooperation, for which,  race drivers are known. These brothers fit the mold, helping when necessary and competing to the fullest.

This tale of two brothers sometimes has them on the same road going in the same direction, and sometimes coming right at each other. Both seem, to this reporter, to be good, hard working guys with a love of auto racing instilled genitically. Their family is a Muskegon fixture in the auto industry surely as the army tanks, waiting on the test track for your car to pass so they can cross the road, are.

Their competitive spirit comes from a family that includes Craftsman Truck Series champ Jack Sprague so their sights really don't have limits. In the modest fashion of their father they pay their own way, so they don't play on the association at all. Something a writer named Dave Mathews can understand.