Bristol, Saddam and President Jimmy Spencer
Food City 500 Advance - Bristol Motor Speedway

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (March 19, 2003) - The bonfire known as Bristol seems no more than a flicker when bigger issues are on the burner - such as war.

For the record, this weekend's race at Bristol Motor Speedway is one the No. 7 SIRIUS Racing Team has been looking forward to.  Jimmy Spencer put on his best performance of the season in this event last year, one that everyone with a pulse should remember.  He was leading, he was bumped, he finished second, and he vowed he would never forget.  Jimmy Spencer, we were reminded, never forgets.

Perhaps there's more truth to that than we realize, for of all the things Spencer never forgets, his love for his country is certainly one of them.  For that reason, there's a good chance he'll echo similar words again this weekend, only this time with a tone of appreciation, an expression of gratitude, and a wink of assurance.  When it comes to the blessings in life and the protectors who risk theirs so he can enjoy his, Jimmy Spencer never forgets.

As the NASCAR Winston Cup Series prepares to hit the thrilling half-mile, high banks of Bristol Motor Speedway for the Food City 500 (1 p.m. EDT on Fox), Spencer sits down to discuss a variety of topics, including this weekend's race, the conflict with Iraq, and what this country would be like if Jimmy Spencer were president.

Jimmy Spencer's thoughts:

You've followed this conflict with Iraq closely.  Now on the week that we head to one of your favorite and most successful tracks, the United States is going to war.  What are your thoughts right now?
"I wake up every morning and say a prayer for our leaders.  I pray that the good Lord blesses them with guidance and leadership and wisdom.  To me, I don't think either country wants to go to war, but you still have to protect the American people.  We voted George Bush in, so I'm supporting him.  Our country will be a lot safer by being proactive and taking care of the problems as they arise.  Is this going to free us up from future problems? Not a chance.  But I believe you've got to handle it one at a time, and that's what we're doing."

What do you think they should do with Saddam Hussein if they catch him?
"I think they should capture him and put him in an American prison.  I'll gladly pay the tax dollars to keep him incarcerated, because he wouldn't make it out of the first shower."

How will a war affect NASCAR?
"I think war is not going to affect just NASCAR, but it's going to affect everybody.  It's going to affect the economy.  But as an American, I wake up in the morning and go to bed at night trusting the CIA, the FBI, the police, the military, all of them, to protect us.  I sincerely believe police officers of any kind don't get the credit they deserve or the pay they deserve.  They risk their life every, single day, just by going to work.  How many people risk their lives every time they go to work?"

Could Jimmy Spencer be president of the United States and make some of these decisions?
"I don't think I could be put in that position because of my biased opinions.  If Congress didn't pass a vote I wanted passed, I'd end up saying the first thing that came to my mind, and you can't do that.  When Saddam challenged Bush to a public debate a few weeks ago, Bush didn't even acknowledge the challenge, because it wouldn't accomplish anything. It was petty.  It was absolutely the right thing to do by not accepting Saddam's challenge.  And that's why I couldn't be president, because not only would I have accepted it, I would've given him my calling card number."

OK, now to racing.  You know people are going to be asking you about last year's race at Bristol with you and Kurt Busch going for the win.  Could we see the same thing two years in a row?
"I feel really good about our chances this weekend.  I think we'll have a shot to win the race, as long as we catch a few breaks.  I love Bristol, I've won there a couple times in the Busch Series, and I've had really strong runs there in the Winston Cup.  Last year is behind me, because I think we've got some good things cooking with the SIRIUS 'Dog Pound'.  All I can hope for is to be there at the end and have a chance to go for the win.  If that happens, I like our chances."

If you end up in the same situation you were in last year - leading the race on a late restart and having to hold off a hard-charging, second-place car - would you do anything different this time around?
"No, I'll race just as hard as I did last year.  But it's different now because you not only have to get around me, but you have to get the big, black dog on the hood, too.  That's tough for anybody."

If you could compare Bristol with a SIRIUS channel, what would it be?
"Bristol is definitely a heavy metal, hard rock, frizzy hair kind of track.  I'm thinking 'Hard Attack' on Channel 27.  But to be like Bristol, you better turn it up as loud as it will go.  There's nothing quiet about Bristol."

Hey to all of you in the Dog Pound. 

Since the Tommy Baldwin Racing team (TMR) is not my jurisdiction, I won't be writing a release on today's Channellock 250 NASCAR Busch Series race.  However, I'd be glad to report to you some general thoughts following the race.

For those of you who watched it, you know Jimmy was in second place before the center of the right front wheel broke.  It caused a big vibration, and made the car undrivable.  He was able to stay on the lead lap (barely, thanks to a caution).  But the problem with the wheel caused more damage than previously thought, and Spencer had to retire from the race early.  He still finished 24th.

Now, as for Spencer's toughts after the race, he said this:

"We had the whole field stomped.  Absolutely stomped.  Not since the modified days did I have a car that I knew whenever I wanted to go, I could go and pass anybody out there.  We were sitting there in second place behind Harvick, just biding our time and saving our tires.  I was just trying to be patient, because Tommy doesn't need a wrecked car.  But as soon as I got that vibration, I couldn't drive it.  I knew there was a big problem."

So there you have it, Dog Pound.  Harvick, as you probably know by now, won the race.  Tony Raines finished second and Jason Keller third.

SPENCER QUOTES REGARDING SUNDAY'S FOOD CITY 500:

JIMMY SPENCER (No. 7 Sirius Satellite Radio Dodge Intrepid)
NOTE: Spencer will start seventh in Sunday's Food City 500. In his past three qualifying efforts, Spencer has started fifth, fourth and seventh. In 24 starts at Bristol Motor Speedway, Spencer has three top fives and seven top 10s with two best finishes of second, including last year's Food City 500.

"We haven't been on a pole yet, but we've been qualifying good. It's real important to start in the top 15 or 20. It doesn't really matter where you start at some tracks, but it really helps with pit selection. As competitive as the pit stops are today, being in the right position is so critical to gain two or three spots or just maintaining sometimes. Getting blocked in the pits costs you four or five spots. It's a whole lot easier to at least go out the same spot you came in if you can't gain a few spots. If you don't have the same pit selection you can't do that.

"I'm shocked at the way the races have been handled lately at this track. They bumped Rusty and cost him the win. They bumped me and cost me the win. It's exciting, but on the other side of it, what goes around comes around. I feel bad for Rusty. It's like 'OK, we can get away with it because it's the last lap or we can get away with it because we're at Bristol and people expect it.' Well, I disagree. Eventually if it keeps going on NASCAR is going to have to park 'em. They did it to Davey Allison and Ricky Rudd one year. They could do it again. Who knows?

"Earnhardt and Terry got into it up here on year on the last lap. Earnhardt just wanted to rattle his cage. I love Dale Earnhardt. I ran second that day, but I think that was wrong. Dale hit Terry Labonte, knocked him out of the way and spun him out. It was obvious. I didn't mean to do it. It was like Todd Bodine last week. I didn't mean to do it, but they won. Do we issue fines? I think we should go back to the way we did it 20 years ago - meet you outside.

"I wouldn't move 'em. I feel like I passed Kurt Busch fair and square here last year. I didn't bump him and knock him out of the way. He slammed into me. I don't know what happened between Gordon and Rusty, but I think if a guy hits me to get by me for the lead, yeah, I'll probably retaliate. I think that's the way you're supposed to race. You take a guy like Ryan Newman, Jimmie Johnson, they're running good, and I don't think they'll knock you out of the way to pass you. I think they'll pass you fair and square. Some other guys won't do it that way. My theory is you race them the way they race you. You rough Jimmy Spencer up, you're going to get it back. You're going to start it, and I'm going to finish it.

"That finish last week at Darlington in the Cup race, that's the way you need to finish a race. That was racing at its best, and neither one of them crashed their race car. They came across the start-finish line. It's a situation that's awesome for our sport and the fans in attendance. It was absolutely the last-second quarterback throw into the corner of the end zone to win the Super Bowl. It's a fine line, but that's what we get paid for. We don't get paid to spin each other out.

"Monday's race was bad. You just don't spin someone out like Todd did to win the race. He says, 'I lost it.' He loses it a lot. Things like that could come back to haunt you for many, many weeks. Some of these guys pay you back once and they don't think that's enough. They'll do it again and again. That's really bad because you've got 70 guys back at the shop working to get a car ready to race each week. It's not right for someone to destroy that car and then just say, 'I lost it.'

"Our team has been working great together this year. Tommy Baldwin (crew chief) has assembled a great group of guys. Jim Smith is probably one of the happiest owners in the garage area, and he has a right to be. He gives us everything we need to put a winning car on the track, and that's what we've been trying to do. We've had some real good cars so far this year, and I think we're going to have another good one Sunday. I just hope we can come through with a real good finish here Sunday."

A COUPLE OTHER NOTES:  Report from the souvenir hauler is that Jimmy Spencer/SIRIUS sales are extremely good this weekend ... more merchandise to soon be added in the coming weeks.  Also, merchandise will soon be put on NASCAR.com and the (new and improved) Jimmy Spencer website ... Spencer will is scheduled for a live interview tomorrow morning on Fox Sports Net's "NASCAR This Morning... For those of you who enjoyed Spencer's debut column in the Winston Cup Scene, be sure to let them know.  Many more good ones to follow!

As always, thank you for supporting this race team and SIRIUS!  Please continue to spread the word!!

Mike