Spencer: 'We just can't seem to buy a break'

BROOKLYN, Mich. -- Jimmy Spencer has faced an uphill struggle all weekend at Michigan International Speedway, and it will continue Sunday when he lines his Ultra Motorsports Dodge up 40th for the Sirius 400.

	Spencer's best finish of the season came at Charlotte, where he finished fourth.

In three practice sessions, Spencer wasn't able to run any better than 31st fastest. He hit rock bottom on his Bud Pole Qualifying lap when his car's engine blew up on the green flag lap.

"We weren't that fast in practice yesterday, but we changed a bunch of stuff on the car and I think we were going to be about just a tenth or two slower than the fastest car," Spencer said.

"To blow up in qualifying at Michigan of all places, a track where your sponsor is sponsoring the race, is very embarrassing."

The way Spencer's recent history has gone, the worst might be yet to come for him. Since achieving a high of 21st in the standings at the end of March, he has only one finish better than 19th and four DNFs in eight races.

"We just can't seem to buy a break," Spencer said. "We run good and stuff always seems to happen. We were really running good at Pocono last week and the rear end broke. We were running good at Texas and the oil line came loose.

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"Weird stuff keeps happening. We had the car to beat at Bristol and we pitted under green and got caught by a caution flag when some guy 50 laps down wrecks.

"A lot of stuff has happened that shouldn't have happened."

Owner Jim Smith is still committed to winning in Winston Cup, while both his Craftsman Truck Series teams have won this season.

"Our guys are working hard, and you've got to push the engines to the edge to win," Smith said. "I don't think it's going to be that big of a disadvantage starting in the back here Sunday. If it's your time to win, you'll win -- if it's not, it's not.

"We've got a great race team. We're 29th in the points, but I think we're a top-10 team every week when they drop the green flag. A lot of our bad luck has been self-created, but a lot of it has been that the chips are just not falling our way.

"Sooner or later the chips have to start falling our way. They will. Luck always turns around. I'd say with all the bad luck we've had lately the stars should be lined up for us this weekend."