Spencer Grabs Third in Truck Debut at Gateway
TruckSeries.com Report
May 8, 2005

Ronda Greer Photo

Jimmy Spencer was the benefactor of a late-race tangle between two competitors in front of him within sight of the checkered flag bringing the No. 2 Team ASE/Ultra Wheels Dodge to a third-place finish in the Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 200 at Gateway International Speedway.  Spencer, who was fifth prior to the incident between Mike Skinner and Ricky Craven, dove to the inside when the two made contact in turn three coming to the white flag and held the position over the final lap to take his second top-3 finish of the 2005 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series season.

Spencer started the 160-lap, 200-mile race from 20th position and steadily worked his way into position throughout the early stages of the race.  He cracked the top-10 for the first time 60 laps into the race and held position around seventh and eighth until a couple of late race cautions allowed him to close on the top-5.  On the final two-lap dash to the checkered, Spencer moved into fifth place, which quickly turned into third when the two drivers immediately in front of him came together and slid up the track.

“Mike (Skinner) drove it down into turn three under Ricky (Craven), and Ricky gave him room but Mike just got loose,” Spencer said.  “It cost Ricky a top-5 finish but it was a racing deal.  Mike is a really hard competitor and you’ve got to give him credit for trying. He said he was sorry, and that’s good, but I was pretty happy to see it because I was the benefactor of it and got third.”

On a night that saw Spencer’s Ultra Motorsports teammate Ted Musgrave win - Spencer passed on the credit to his team for giving both drivers trucks capable of running in the top-5.

“I still say we have the best two trucks in the garage every week,” Spencer said.  “They are awesome guys and they all work well together. We messed up on qualifying tonight but they all worked hard to get us back up into the top-5.  Jimmy Smith really deserves this because he has worked so hard to put all the pieces in place so we can go out and run strong.”

With his second top-5 finish of the season, Spencer now sits fourth in NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series points, 51 points out of the lead.  Spencer and the No. 2 Team ASE/Ultra Wheels Dodge get back to short track racing at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway in Ohio.

“Short track racing, I can’t wait!” Spencer exclaimed.  “I was up at Mansfield last year with my son and the Hooter’s Pro Cup Series - what a neat racetrack.  That’s the kind of racing I really love, and I think you’ll see the Team ASE/Ultra Wheels Dodge up front all afternoon.”

Spencer and the No. 2 Team ASE/Ultra Wheels Dodge go short track racing on Sunday, May 15 at Mansfield Motorsports Speedway in Ohio.  The race will be broadcast live on SPEED Channel and selected radio affiliates of the Motor Racing Network.