13 replies to this topic

[rtcoman]

From www.autosport.com

'Mr Excitement' tests for Ganassi!

NASCAR star Jimmy Spencer squeezes into single-seater




Spencer: Great at NASCAR, rubbish in a Champ Car

NASCAR Winston Cup ace Jimmy Spencer won a bet with his new team boss Chip Ganassi by squeezing his frame into a Champ Car and managing to complete three laps of the Sebring road course yesterday.

Spencer, known as 'Mr Excitement' in NASCAR circles, never got out of third gear and ended up 19 seconds off Kenny Brack's pace. It is not thought he is a candidate for Ganassi's second drive in CART.

"Ganassi said I was too big to get in the car!" Spencer explained to Speedvision.com. "He said, 'I ain't worried about you drivin' no Indy Car, you're too big!' And I said, 'Listen, if I can get in an Indy Car, I can drive the thing.'"




I ain't worried about you drivin' no Indy Car, you're too big!


CHIP GANASSI



Ganassi offered a wager of 100 dollars to Spencer that he wouldn't be able to get in the Lola, but Jimmy managed to increase the bet to 500 dollars.

"Then Chip told the crew, 'Whatever you do, do not let him get in that car!" Spencer added. "He can't fit in that car! So I got in and drove it."

Ganassi's team manager Mike Hull said: "His eyes were as big as saucers when he got out of the car. Tony Glover [Ganassi's NASCAR team manager] said 'OK, here's the deal Jimmy. You're 19 seconds off Kenny. What can we do to help you?' He said, 'you can help me back over to the other side of the facility!'"

[MichiganF1]

Pretty cool. I wonder if they had to lube his driving suit.

[clickhappy]

Say what you will about Jimmy Spencer, but he is old school, not like most of the "cookie cutter" NASCAR drivers of the 90's - current.

[Lateralus42]

http://www.speedvisi...PHOTO_LARGE.jpg

This pic of Jimmy sitting in the champ car smoking a cigar is classic, i have it as my desktop image!

[dbltop]

Spencer's quotes are always good for a chuckle no matter what the situation. He was probably laughing so hard about the $500. that he couldn't get a quick lap in.

[Paste]

Oh man he has BAD teeth!

That's a funny story. Could you imagine that happening in F1 these days?!?! Me neither.;)

[RiverRunner]

I'd like see other NASCAR drivers try a lap or a few in a Champ car,F-1 guys as well,seems the CART teams always have a few older cars that run around.
Whatever happened to the Target two seater?
I was at Laguna Seca when Mario was giving rides in that bad boy to jounalists,Robin Miller had some real shaky legs after hopping out of that ride,that was hilarious.Mario even had it within the 107% qualifying times of the CART race that weekend IIRC but from what an engineer standing by said they had a loose engine with extra boost in it.

[Pirelli1]

Whoever said Jimmy is old school got it right. I like poking fun at Jimmy just like anyone else, but he is alot more fun to have around than some of moronic people they keep around like Hank Parker Jr.

[stevew]

I don't follow NASCAR, but a few years ago, a co-worker told me that at one of the races, Bobby Allison was asked to give the command to start engines.

This is what he said: "Gentlemen... and Jimmy Spencer... start your engines".

[Pieter]

Lateralus42

He drove with an open helmet?

[Locai]

Originally posted by Pieter
Lateralus42

He drove with an open helmet?

My guess is that's a publicity shot. I very much doubt that he wore that helmet while driving an open cockpit. It's probably impossible to smoke a cigar with a full-face helmet on, so he put that one on for the pic. Then again, bug stains might explain his teeth!

[clickhappy]

Bobby Allison would know all about Jimmy...Jimmy wadded up a few cars of his in the mid-90's

[MLC]

This story reminded me of AJ Foyt's last few years in Indycars (as it was called then). March had to build a special "wide body" chassis so the large Texan could squeeze in. This was a few years before the "wide body" MacLaren built for Mansell.

[RiverRunner]

That's why AJ was sponsered by Vaseline his last few years ;)