"Mr. Excitement." Jimmy Spencer, lived up to that nickname from his modified days, nipping Ernie Irvan by inches in a last-lap duel Saturday in the Pepsi 400.
It appeared Irvan, the Winston Cup points leader, was on the way to his fourth victory of the season after charging from 12th place after his final pit stop to the lead just 29 laps from the end of the 160-lap event at Daytona International Speedway.But Spencer, among the contenders throughout the race without ever leading a lap, moved past Ken Schrader to take second place on lap 149. Schrader, believing a caution flag was about to wave after Daytona 500 winner Sterling Marlin spun to the infield grass on the backstretch, had momentarily slowed, allowing Spencer to move by.
From that point on, Spencer stalked Irvan in a battle of Thunderbirds that had nearly everyone in the crowd on their feet.
Spencer, getting the first win of his NASCAR Winston Cup career in his 129th start, barely pulled ahead at the finish, winning officially by 0.08-seconds, less than a half-car-length.