Year, Biffle make big difference for Spencer

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Early in the first Gatorade 125-mile qualifying race at Daytona International Speedway on Thursday, Jimmy Spencer was seeing visions of missing his second straight Daytona 500.

	Jimmy Spencer failed to qualify for last season's Daytona 500. Credit: Don Bok/ISC Photo

But thanks to a timely bump draft from rookie Greg Biffle, sharp pit work and a better car than what his No. 7 Sirius Dodge first appeared to be, Spencer easily qualified for the 45th annual "Great American Race" when he finished 12th behind race winner Robby Gordon.

"I want to thank Greg for pushing me -- man, he got right on my back bumper," Spencer said. "People don't have a clue up in the stands how much of a difference that little bit of a bump meant.

"Him and I had some great battles in the Busch Series (and) I knew he had enough speed to get in -- so I knew it would help us if I let him push me."

VIDEO CLIPS Gatorade 125s: Race 1 Highlights Play video Gatorade 125s: Race 2 Highlights Play video Harvick, Busch tangle on pit road Play video Mears rallies to finish 15th Play video Stewart finishes fifth after starting last in the second 125-miler Play video

Biffle, who at one time was as high as sixth, ended up 14th. Biffle's speed would have got him into the 500, but Spencer had to finish in the top 15 in the 125, since his qualifying speed was only 35th best and his team was only 38th in the 2002 owner points -- with the last provisional going to 35th in the standings.

Ultra Motorsports team owner Jimmy Smith was understandably happy but still held his stomach when asked how nervous a week Speedweeks at Daytona typically is.

"It's the most nerve-wracking thing you've ever been involved in, in your life," Smith said. "You're setting there watching and you're 18th or 19th and you're out of the race (Daytona 500). Then, you're sixth and safely in the race and then you're 13th and you just don't know."

"We were stuck back there and they were running pretty tight," Smith said of the early part of the race. "He was just kinda biding his time and then the guys did a great job on the pit stop."

Results  •  Gatorade 125s: Race 1  •  Gatorade 125s: Race 2

In the race's first 10 laps, Spencer, who started 18th, had fallen as far back as 22nd. But he worked his way into the top 10 before the field made its green-flag pit stops in two groups, at laps 32 and 33.

After the pit sequence, Spencer was seventh and never in question of qualifying again, though before he hooked up with Biffle, Spencer almost wrecked once and slid back in the field.

"We're happy -- just tickled to death," Smith said. "This is gonna be a good race team this year."

Spencer wasn't complaining, even though Smith thought the damage to his car's left rear caused in the tiff with Biffle might've cost him a top-five finish.

"I'm excited to be on board with Tommy (Baldwin, crew chief), he had the car racing excellent," Spencer said. "Obviously, we don't have our qualifying package right for our car, yet."

	Spencer's No. 7 Sirius Dodge will start 23rd in Sunday's Daytona 500. Credit: Don Bok/ISC Photo

It was a brilliant counterpoint to his feelings a year ago when he missed his first 500 in seven years.

"I've never in my whole career been as excited as I was last year at the start of Speedweeks -- and that (missing 500) was the biggest letdown," Spencer said. "I'm just glad last year is over. It's all behind me and we're starting out new.

"That's the great thing about Winston Cup racing, you get to start all over again."