Winston Cup drivers Jimmy Spencer and Jeremy Mayfield, spent several hours on Thursday at the DaimlerChrysler proving grounds in Chelsea, Michigan, giving rides for the media. Spencer was driving a Dodge SRT-4 with the performance upgrade package and when Ron Felix [of Insider Racing News] toured the 1.7 mile road course track with him, Spencer held nothing back. He obviously was honing his skills for the Sears Point race, next week. At one point we took an off road excursion into the grass. Spencer managed to hang on and we returned safely to the start-finish area. Next, it was two laps on the road course with Jeremy Mayfield, filling in for the injured Bill Elliott, in a Dodge Viper. The ride with Spencer was hair raising to say the least but Mayfield, not to be outdone by Spencer, unleashed all the power of the Viper and it made for a very exciting ride. At one point the speedometer displayed 140 mph, and that was entering a long sweeping turn, similar to the “Tunnel Turn” at Pocono.( Insider Racing News )(6-14-2003)
