Spencer Hauled in: Before his team was allowed to unload his hauler and begin race preparations, driver Jimmy Spencer had to meet Friday morning with Winston Cup officials regarding his participation in last Sunday’ 11-car accident at Darlington. Event director David Hoots had asked that Spencer report to the NASCAR hauler following the Darlington race, but Spencer left the track without doing so. He was asked to come to the hauler Friday morning before practice and his team was not allowed to bring their car out until the meeting was over. They wanted to talk to him about some stuff, about what he saw in the wreck and was there any way they could have prevented such a big pile-up, said Tony Glover, team manager for Chip Ganassi Racing. I guess theyre getting different answers from different drivers. I dont think they were trying to punish him for being in the wreck. I think they just wanted his idea on what happened in the wreck.(ThatsRacin.com) AND While neither Spencer nor NASCAR officials would speak directly to the issues, sources close to the situation said that NASCAR was concerned about Spencer going to Stewart’s car after the wreck and trying to help Stewart, while track safety crews were already there. However, Stewart, who had been knocked out, said that when he came to, the only man he recognized was Spencer and that he asked Spencer to help him. Stewart confirmed that to NASCAR. John Darby, NASCAR’s Winston Cup director, insisted that Spencer isn’t really in any trouble, that he just wanted to talk to Spencer about the Stewart crash.(Winston Salem Journal)(3-23-2002) (3-22-2002)
