Jimmy Spencer

JonesNTN · August 18, 2003

Spencer could face charges: #7-Jimmy Spencer could face assault charges after a confrontation with competitor #97-Kurt Busch following Sunday's GFS Marketplace 400. As the drivers came onto pit lane at Michigan International Speedway following the checkered flag, Spencer drove into the rear of Busch's car and spun it around. Witnesses said Spencer then got out of his car, raced up to Busch's car and punched Busch several times in the face. Sheriff's deputies pulled Spencer away and took him to the NASCAR hauler. The witnesses said Busch, who finished 18th, was holding a bloody towel to his face when he entered the track medical facility. Jeff Patterson, spokesman for the Lenawee County Sheriff's Dept., confirmed to The Associated Press that his department was investigating an assault charge against Spencer, who finished 26th. Both drivers left the track without comment. "NASCAR spoke with both drivers about the incident that occurred today. If we should take any actions, we'll announce it at an appropriate time," NASCAR spokesman Mike Zizzo said. "They spoke with NASCAR inside (the hauler) and (NASCAR officials) are going over the incident right now." Jeff Miles, the transport driver for Spencer, said, "I know he tried to put Jimmy in the fence on the straightaway." #31-Robby Gordon, another Winston Cup driver, offered to pay Spencer's fine and said Busch "had it coming for a while."(ThatsRacin.com/AP)(8-17-2003)

Firetiger(MN) · August 18, 2003

sweet!

tmf6902 · August 18, 2003

Busch shoulda kept his helmet on. Then old spencer would have a broken hand.

Seriously though. I think that if NASCAR wants to fine or suspend him fine. But I am sick of people gettting charged with assult or battery or whatever because of what happens during a game. It's happend with hockey players...ect....I mean come on...they're grown men, let em go at it for a second....tempers are part of sport....

The way I see it, spencer could have punched him in the face today...or waited till next week and spun him out at bristol....i'd say busch got a good deal

MountaineerTom · August 18, 2003

Aww, that's what NASCAR is all about.

Cale vs. Bobby

M. Waltrip vs. Lake Speed

Harvick vs. Biffle

Stewert vs. everyone

tmf6902 · August 18, 2003

Stewert vs. everyone

Shadowfax · August 18, 2003

Anyone remember DW saying he'd take on anyone in the parking lot after a race several years ago? He was greeted by like 500 angry fans with weapons lol.

Now that was a driver vs everyone

Anyway, congrats to Jimmy, as Robby Gordon said, Kurt Busch had it coming. I hope he knocked some teeth out of that motor mouth too.

rado · August 18, 2003

Right on!

MountaineerTom · August 18, 2003

I remember when Rusty spun DW on the last lap (or next to last) in The Winston in 1989, and DW said he hopes Rusty "chokes on the money" and the pit crews were fighting in the garage area.

General Lee 01 · August 18, 2003

I'm surprised TNT didn't catch anyof this. It seems to me they signed off quicker than they usually do, Usually, they talk to everyone in the top 10 before quitting, This time they justn did Newman and Matt Kenseth.

Elwood · August 18, 2003

Here's the article I read about this. It has a bit of Robby Gordon's quotes, and Jack Rousch too. I don't like Bush or Spencer, but I find this very interesting leading into Bristol.

Scenes from a punch-out on pit lane

by Dan Wetzel

August 17, 2003

BROOKLYN, Mich. – Kurt Busch had a tough afternoon here. With two laps to go in the GFS Marketplace 400 he had the lead.

Then he ran out of gas, finished 18th, ran out of gas again, got run into by Jimmy Spencer, got punched in the nose by Spencer, got examined at the track care center and wound up filing a police report with the Lenawee County (Mich.) sheriff's department, who may charge Spencer with assault.

"It wasn't how we hoped it would end," said Jimmy Fennig, Busch's crew chief on the Rubbermaid Ford.

Fennig was talking about the fuel shortage that allowed Ryan Newman and the Alltel Dodge to win the thing with less than a gallon left in his own tank.

"We were close [on fuel] at the end, no doubt," said Newman. "But we had enough."

But that was the race. The post-event fight was the soap opera, which is the fun of NASCAR, isn't it?

The racing is intense, the personalities even more so.

This wasn't the first time Spencer and Busch have gotten into it. It probably won't be the last. And fellow drivers weren't afraid to take sides.

"I'm going to pay Jimmy's fine," promised Robby Gordon. "[busch] has had it coming. You know he had it coming. I'll help pay the fine. I'll bail him out of jail too. What the hell?"

Who knows what really happened here? The Spencer camp was claiming, off the record, that Busch tried to push him into the fence at some point in the race. The Busch people can't figure out when that could even be.

"[They got into it] one time but everyone rubs paint," said Fennig. "It wasn't even enough to bend a fender or even take the Goodyear off the tire."

This much is clear: After the race, as Busch and Spencer were heading to the garage, Spencer banged his car into the back of Busch's. But why? Was it pure Spencer aggression? Or did Busch simply ran out of gas again.

Apparently what isn't in doubt is that Spencer took the opportunity to jump out of his car, run up and sucker punch Busch as he was sitting behind the wheel. Busch's nose wound up bloodied, which isn't surprising since Spencer is considerably bigger.

Busch, with his nose at least looking OK, emerged from a meeting with NASCAR and the local cops and told the media to "ask Jimmy Spencer" what happened. Spencer wasn't taking questions as he hustled into a waiting Buick after the same meeting.

Jack Roush, president of Roush Racing, which employs Busch, didn't hold his tongue.

"Jimmy apparently ran into, with witnesses, the back of Kurt's car," Roush said. "That was after some contact and some exchange with Jimmy apparently being the aggressor as they went from the racetrack to the garage.

"Kurt said he ran out of gas, it stopped running. Jimmy then run into him and then came up and punched him through the window. We are going to let the authorities handle it."

The authorities aren't sure what will happen.

"There is an ongoing investigating into the alleged assault," said Jeff Paterson, Lenawee County deputy sheriff. "It will be investigated thoroughly and we will submit it to the prosecutor."

NASCAR spokesman Michael Zizzo also took the wait-and-see approach. "Once we find out what we occurred [we] will take the appropriate act," he said.

All in all it was a colorful end to a relatively routine day of racing here. There were some nasty (but harmless) wrecks, some daring passing and some three-wide racing through the turns.

It's the fight, however, that will make headlines all week. Officially NASCAR claims it hates this stuff and would love to put the image of out-of-control good ol' boys behind it.

"We don't fight in Winston Cup racing," said Fennig.

Actually they do fight and it is a blessing, not a curse. The ratings next week at Bristol, where the track is small (a half-mile oval), the corners tight and confrontations between Spencer and Busch inevitable, should be through the roof.

And all week there will be plenty to talk about. Is Spencer a bully, or isn't he? Did Busch have it coming?

Which is why this may or may not be wrestling on wheels. Either way, it sure is compelling.

"It's all fun and games until some gets a broken nose," laughed Gordon.

Shadowfax · August 18, 2003

I really don't buy that KB happened to run outta gas right in front of Spencers hauler. Odds are when he pitted for gas, with 2 to go, or rather really 1 to go, he had enough gas to make it around the track for probably a few laps. I think he had plenty of gas, but however stopped by Spencer's hauler to run his mouth as usual towards Jimmy, after they had been tussling all day on the track.

Oh well, I want to see what KB's face looks like at Bristol. Hopefully swollen up and a black eye as a medallion for his cockiness.

JonesNTN · August 18, 2003

Suspension, fined and probation! No Jimmy @ Bristol!

Truckman031 · August 18, 2003

Aww, that's what NASCAR is all about.

Cale vs. Bobby

M. Waltrip vs. Lake Speed

Harvick vs. Biffle

Stewert vs. everyone

NASCAR needs to get back to the good ole days, when if you had a problem with a driver, you took it out back.

tmf6902 · August 18, 2003

BROOKLYN, Mich., Aug. 17 — Jimmy Spencer was suspended Monday from all NASCAR-sanctioned competition until Aug. 26 for punching Kurt Busch in the garage at Michigan International Speedway.

SPENCER WAS ALSO FINED $25,000 and placed on probation through the end of the year.

Busch, who suffered a bloodied nose and chipped tooth, was put on probation until Dec. 31.

“This was a very unfortunate situation,” NASCAR president Mike Helton said. “Emotions are a part of every sport, NASCAR Winston Cup racing included. However there is a fine line. In this instance, that fine line was crossed.”

Spencer could still face criminal charges. Lenawee County (Mich.) Sheriff Larry Richardson said Monday that investigators wouldn’t turn over their report to prosecutors until at least Tuesday.

Spencer will miss the Truck Series, Busch Series and Winston Cup race this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway — the site of one of the first flare-ups in Spencer and Busch’s long-running feud.

Spencer was not immediately available for comment.

Busch, who had surgery last year to correct a deviated septum, was examined in North Carolina on Monday and said doctors told him the swelling to the left side of his face will take three months to heal.

Busch also said he suffered tissue damage and there is a slight chance he will need reconstructive surgery to correct the damage.

“I appreciate that NASCAR has recognized that Jimmy’s assault went beyond the level of a ‘racing incident,”’ Busch said. “Our racing Sunday was hard and clean.

“NASCAR’s fine and suspension demonstrate and acknowledge for me their agreement that this was a unilateral assault which required serious punishment and for that I thank NASCAR.”

Jack Roush, Busch’s car owner, was furious his driver was placed on probation.

“It is incomprehensible to me that NASCAR used this incident to place Kurt Busch on probation,” Roush said. “His only involvement in the ‘altercation’ was to be the recipient of a blow struck by an individual that is twice his size.”

The latest fight came Sunday when the two made contact late in the GFS Marketplace 400 as Busch attempted to pass Spencer. After the event, Busch said his car ran out of gas near Spencer’s hauler in the garage area.

Witnesses said Spencer pulled in and hit Busch’s car from behind. He then reportedly jumped from his car, approached Busch’s window and punched the driver in the face.

Spencer, a 15-year veteran, and Busch have had a strained relationship since Busch broke into Winston Cup in 2001. They made contact at a race in Phoenix during Busch’s rookie season that both drivers complained about, then ran into each other again last year at Bristol when Busch bumped Spencer out of his way for his first career victory.

At Indianapolis last July, Spencer wrecked Busch early in the race and Busch responded with a series of gestures before walking off the track.

He later called Spencer a “decrepit old has-been.”

NASCAR sat both drivers down after the Indianapolis race and the tension between the two seemed to subside until Sunday.

Suspensions are a rarity in NASCAR. It’s not clear when the last driver was suspended, but Kevin Harvick was “parked” for one Winston Cup race in April 2002 for rough driving in a Truck Series event.

Ricky Rudd and his former engine builder were fined a combined $15,000 and put on probation for fighting in the garage area last year.

Crew chiefs have been suspended before for rules violations, and a Busch Series driver and Trucks Series driver were suspended indefinitely for drug-related problems.

This whole situation makes me laugh..