Nov 6, 2002 2 min read

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) – Jimmy Spencer’s disappointing run at Chip Ganassi Racing ended Tuesday when the car owner fired him after just one season. Spencer will run the final two races in the No. 41 Dodge, then be released from the three-year contract he signed before this season.

“When we first made this deal, Jimmy and I agreed about what would happen if the results were not what either of us were happy with,” Ganassi said. “Obviously, both of us are not happy with the results.”

Spencer is 27th in the points and has not had a top-10 finish since August.

He has only five top-10 finishes this season and never approached teammate Sterling Marlin, who led the Winston Cup points race for most of the season and is now sidelined by injury.

And Jamie McMurray, Marlin’s replacement, set a Winston Cup record last month by winning in just his second start.

Spencer’s release came just days after Ganassi team manager Andy Graves said they were committed to the driver.

“We’re behind him 100 percent and we need to finish out the season on a positive note and get ready for next year.” Graves said on Saturday.

But Spencer wound up 31st Sunday – his seventh-straight finish outside the Top 20 – at North Carolina Speedway.

Ganassi, an owner known to demand immediate results, apparently felt otherwise.

Spencer failed to qualify for the season-opening Daytona 500. A month later, while in position to earn his first victory in eight years, Kurt Busch bumped him out of the way to win at Bristol Motor Speedway – setting off a feud that has lasted almost all season between Busch and Spencer.

“It took a lot of wind out of our sails when we didn’t qualify for the Daytona 500, but I think getting knocked out of the lead and win at Bristol probably took more out of us” Spencer said last weekend.”

Ganassi did not identify a new driver. Marlin will be back in his ride next season and McMurray is scheduled to drive a new, third Ganassi entry.

The list of current available Winston Cup drivers is short. Among those who have not announced plans for next season are Ken Schrader, Jerry Nadeau and Bobby Hamilton. Also unsigned are John Andretti and Joe Nemechek, although both are expected to remain with their teams.