Jimmy's Personal Life

Spouse Pat

Kids Jimmy, Katrina

Height 6'1

Weight 220

Hometown Berwick, Pa.

Birthdate February 15, 1957

Favorite Music George Strait, ZZ Top

Favorite Movie Jagged Edge

Hobbies Golf, watersports, gardening, pets

Biography

The 1997 season gave yet more examples why Pennsylvania native Jimmy Spencer is one of the most-watched drivers on the NASCAR Winston Cup Series circuit. And while the colors have changed for 1998, the aggressive style of the man behind the new Team Winston Ford will remain the same. Now in his fourth season as the driver of the R.J. Reynolds-sponsored Ford, Spencer is looking to 1998 as a breakthrough year. There is no doubt about his ability behind the wheel of a race car -- he owns a pair of NASCAR Winston Modified national championships and earned the nickname "Mr. Excitement" for the talent he displayed on that circuit. Spencer qualified for every race in the 1997 season, and started in the top-5 three times. At Phoenix, he recorded his first front-row start since 1994. In addition, he was fast -- but not lucky -- at the restrictor-plate tracks. Spencer started in the top-10 three times in four restrictor-plate races, but could manage only one top-10 finish on those tracks: seventh in the Winston 500 at Talladega. The driver of the No. 23 was unable to put together a string of high finishes at any point in the season, and as a result, tumbled from 15th in the standings in 1996 to 20th in '97. Racing was a logical choice for Jimmy when it came time for career decisions. His father, Ed, was a longtime short-track terror in the Northeast and his brother, Paul, currently races asphalt modifieds. Jimmy and his wife Pat live in Mooresville, N.C., near Charlotte, with their children James and Katrina. Spencer began racing at Port Royal Speedway and won Rookie of the Year in the NASCAR Late Model division. He won rookie honors at Shangri-La Speedway in Modified division in 1979. On his way to back-to-back NASCAR Winston Modified championships beginning in 1986, Spencer picked up the nickname that has become his trademark. He became a regular on the NASCAR Busch Series Grand National Division circuit in 1998 and make his first NASCAR Winston Cup Seriea appearance one year later when he drove in 17 races for the Baker-Schiff team. He won his first career NASCAR Winston Cup Bud Pole in 1994 at North Wilkesboro and got his first win that same year. Spencer resides in Huntersville, N.C. along with his wife, Pat, and children James and Katrina.