PERSONAL PROFILE
	Spouse: Pat Kids: Jimmi, Katrina Hometown: Berwick, PA Birthdate: February 15, 1957 Hobbies: Golf, Watersports, Gardening, Pets

Jimmy Spencer anticipates having a teammate he can work closely with in 2001 at Haas Carter Motorsports, as he and his veteran crew chief Donnie Wingo join with new driver Todd Bodine and chief mechanic Larry Carter. The 2000 season, muddied by teammate Darrell Waltrip's retirement "Victory Tour," was an unfulfilling experience for Spencer.

Spencer's 2000 season in the No. 26 Big Kmart/Route 66 Fords was one of unfulfilled potential. He ended up 22nd in the point standings with two top-5 and five top-10 finishes. His limited season highlights included sitting on the outside pole for the NAPA Auto Parts 500 at California Speedway in April. He also qualified fourth in two of last six races of the season. His best finishes were fifths in the first Talladega race and at Homestead.

To have a shot at eclipsing his best career points finish of 12th, Spencer will have to sharpen up his consistency. He had eight DNFs in 2000 and 14 finishes of 30th or worse.

Spencer has finished in the top-15 in points three times in his career, but has never ended a year in the top-10. In addition to getting back to Victory Lane, that's a primary goal for the 26 team, and it may well be an attainable one.

The Berwick, Pa., native also maintains a Busch Series team, for which he contemplated having Bodine drive a limited schedule this season. Spencer has eight career victories in the Busch Series, where he was a force to be reckoned with in his first two full years on the circuit, 1988-89. He scored three wins, nine top-5s and 24 top-10s in 52 starts.

Racing was a logical choice for Spencer when it came time for career decisions. His father, Ed, was a longtime short-track terror in the Northeast and his family, including brothers Ed Jr. and Paul were always involved in his racing operation. Spencer began racing at Port Royal Speedway and won rookie of the year in the Late Model division. He won rookie honors at Shangri-La Speedway in the Modified division in 1979 and captured track championships at the facility in Owego, N.Y., in 1982-83.

On his way to back-to-back NASCAR national Modified championships in 1986-87, Spencer picked up the nickname of "Mr. Excitement." He won his first career NASCAR Winston Cup race in 1994, but has remained winless since scoring twice that season, at Daytona and Talladega for Junior Johnson.

Spencer is an avid golfer and ironically, given his blunt reputation, enjoys working with flowers.