NASCAR BGN: Spencer feels confident driving a new car at Michigan

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

August 16, 2001

CHARLOTTE, N.C., (Aug 16, 2001) – Even though Jimmy Spencer and the #1 Yellow Racing Team are taking a brand new race car to the NAPAOnline.com 250 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series event at Michigan Speedway, they feel confident about Saturday’s 125-lap race.

This week’s Yellow Racing Chevrolet has never experienced racing action, but it was the subject of a two-day test at Michigan Speedway on Aug. 6 and 7. Spencer feels the #1 Race Team got some quality time on the two-mile oval and hopes that test will carry over to this weekend’s performance.

"We had a good test up there last week," said Spencer, whose biggest concern today was Michigan’s weekend weather forecast. "It was extremely hot last time. Hotter than I can ever remember it being in Michigan. We learned a lot of things about our new race car, but we also know that the weather conditions will be a lot cooler on Saturday. We are going to try to transfer everything we found in testing to the race, but the track temperatures might influence our data."

Not only did Spencer test the Busch race car at Michigan, he also got some lap time in the Kmart 400 NASCAR Winston Cup Series race on June 10. Spencer finished 11th in that race, but the 44-year-old driver is not taking his knowledge of the track for granted.

"Running up in Michigan earlier this season won’t be that much of an advantage over the young guys because the weather conditions are once again an issue," said Spencer. "When I was up there with the #26 Cup team, the weather was really nice and cool, and the lap times were fast. Now that we’re here for the August race, the speeds will be down."

The effect of track temperatures on a race car can be frustrating. But Spencer doesn’t think he wasted his time. He believes that the #1 Yellow Racing team made some advances with the Chevy’s handling in the turns at Michigan Speedway.

"We focused on our race setup," said Spencer. "Everybody says that horsepower is important at Michigan, but handling is really the key. Horsepower is more important at tracks like California. You need a powerful motor at Michigan, but there is a lot of corner at that track. If you can get through its long turns, you will have a successful day.

Text provided by Chris Hunt

Editors Note: To view hundreds of hot racing photos and art, visit The Racing Photo Museum and the Visions of Speed Art Gallery.